David Kronke was appointed Mayor of Television after a bloodless coup in 2000. Since then, he has improved infrastructure, championed greater educational opportunities and fought for reforms that have utterly erased corruption and incompetence from the television industry. Since Mr. Kronke has ascended to power, Television is a far better place. Ye Olde Itemme Round-Uppe
Amazing how it only takes a quarter of a century for the cutting-edge to become the venerated mainstream. On Thursday, David Letterman will celebrate 25 years of late-night antics on his “Late Show� (CBS Channel 2, 11:35 p.m.)
And though Letterman may always be more fondly remembered for his truly anarchic “Late Night� show on NBC, he’s actually been on CBS for longer – 14 years.
Bill Murray, the inaugural guest on both Letterman’s NBC and CBS shows, will again serve as guest on the silver anniversary broadcast. Also appearing will be the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James – who wasn’t yet born when Letterman first took to the late-night airwaves (incredibly enough, he also had a short-lived morning show on NBC).
Letterman’s closing in on Johnny Carson, who spent 30 years tucking Americans into bed.
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Apparently, “Heroes� and “24� can co-exist peaceably in the 9 p.m. Monday timeslot without resorting to the nuclear option. “Heroes� won the hour in the 18-49 demographic, while “24� – which last night proved that, in one way or another, the apple certainly does roll far from the tree – placed first in viewers, 14.05 million to 13.57 million.
Of course, the ongoing success of “Heroes� only underscores the underperformance of “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,� which follows it, and last night managed fewer than 7 million viewers, a new low for an original episode of the series. Apparently Aaron Sorkin has more to worry about than some ill-defined Schadenfreude campaign brewing over at the L.A. Times.
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Just a little over a week ago, Fox Entertainment president Peter Liguori insisted to TV critics that Paula Abdul has “been doing this for 20 years really successfully. With our show, she gives 100 percent. America loves her. She’s successful on the show. We’re pleased with what Paula does for ‘American Idol.’�
Now, Us Weekly reports that Courtney Love has been approached with the possibility of appearing as a judge on the show, perhaps as Abdul’s replacement. So Fox, pestered by allegations that Abdul is too erratic for the show, has thrown down the gauntlet: “You want weird? We’ll give you weird!�
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Since the Grammys always adhere to their mission to honor and celebrate the finest in cutting-edge contemporary music (I know: It queased me out just typing it), it makes perfect sense that The Police will open its 49th annual ceremony next month at Staples Center.
CBS’s press release calls the group “legendary� (apparently, in this case, “legendary� means “having made five pretty decent albums in the late-’70s/early-’80s that nonetheless haven’t really aged all that well, and then managed to milk and reconfigure that relatively meager output into yet another five compilation releases�), yet notes this will be the first time Sting et al will have performed at the Grammys. Well, of course: Since they’re no longer anywhere in the neighborhood of cool, they’ll be right at home with the Grammy folks.
Anyway, here’s hoping Sting leaves the lute at home.
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Third time’s a charm: Will Forest Whitaker’s Oscar acceptance speech, after stammering affairs at the Golden Globes and the SAG Awards, achieve some measure of coherence?
Comments
Ok, I'm confused. Just what is it that Paula Abdul has been doing "really successfully" for 20 years? Have I entered some sort of time warp a la "Idiocacy" where AI has been on for that long? If so, then please, just shoot me.
Posted by: Suzy Q | January 30, 2007 4:23 PM