It's time to fix late-night talk
November 8, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
David Letterman wouldn't stop making jokes at Paris Hilton's teary-eyed expense. She lost her smirk for once. A few months out of jail, her voice cracked, and all she wanted to do was promote her perfume on TV.
A guy in the audience screamed, "I love you, Paris!" She said back, "I love you too."
"Somebody you met in prison?" Letterman quipped.
Paris complained the interview was making her sad.
"Please don't be sad. Are you really sad? Nooo," Letterman pleaded to Paris like a father, then said a nanosecond later. "Are you feeling better now? I'll buy you a parakeet!"
There won't be any new moments like that for a while, now that the Writers Guild strike has stopped the flow of new episodes from Letterman, Leno and friends (although you can still see the eight-minute clip if you look up "Letterman Paris" on YouTube.)
Then again, this was one of Letterman's finer and more unusual moments of the year: a celebrity interview on late-night TV that wasn't cloying.
There's the rub. Late-night hosts can either provide sharp entertainment for wakeful viewers like me, or they can continue to offer butt-kissing tedium for drowsy viewers who don't want to be jarred from sleepy time.
Except for the occasional Letterman interview of Paris or Michael Richards -- safe stars to scorn, since the news vilified them first -- nighttime hosts adhere to the dead-fish formula of asking stupid questions of smiley celebrities telling us nothing genuine or interesting.
Questions and answers are worked out in pre-interviews. Who could possibly experience a safer state of mind than film stars and politicians sitting on Jay Leno's couch?
It's been no surprise "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" has taken the place of Letterman and "Saturday Night Live" as the zeitgeist of late-night. Stewart killed the dead-fish template and serves up shark and snark. He and "The Colbert Report" do not go gentle into that good night.
So maybe the other bedtime talkers should embrace the writers' strike as an opportunity to view Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and re-evaluate how they can similarly approach guests.
If Leno were to break free of his "love me, I'm a nice guy" DNA and tried to engage actors more forcefully and stop shilling for politicians, it would be awkward at first. He's not used to it. And some viewers who want sleepy-time Jay might turn him off.
But it would make for more interesting TV. And isn't good TV what Jay wants? Or must we be content with letting stars giggle us into dreamland?
delfman@suntimes.com
November 8, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
David Letterman and Johnny Carson honored the 1988 writers strike by airing reruns -- for a while. They eventually went back on the air without writers, partly to help directors and other cast members pay their bills.
Some of today's late-night talk shows could pull off an hour without skits and monologues, though others might just seem awkward.
"Late Show With David Letterman": Since Dave has the biggest brain and the most gravitas, he could ad lib endlessly with interviewees and during desk blab. But how many thoughts do actors and actresses have in there?
"The Tonight Show With Jay Leno": How on Earth could Jay string together an hour every night without the aid of aides? Seems highly unlikely as a creative endeavor.
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Conan at least tries to get guests to do wacky things, since he considers "Late Night" to be more of a variety show than anything else. That style would be too hard to do now.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live": Jimmy is smart. Too smart to attempt his choreographed segments without a full staff.
"The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson": Craig is in a good position to wing a monologue, since that's his approach most nights anyway, riffing freestyle on news and pop culture. Only Letterman might have an easier time making the transition look easy.
"Last Call With Carson Daly": No friggin' way.
Doug Elfman
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
David Letterman wouldn't stop making jokes at Paris Hilton's teary-eyed expense. She lost her smirk for once. A few months out of jail, her voice cracked, and all she wanted to do was promote her perfume on TV.
A guy in the audience screamed, "I love you, Paris!" She said back, "I love you too."
"Somebody you met in prison?" Letterman quipped.
Paris complained the interview was making her sad.
"Please don't be sad. Are you really sad? Nooo," Letterman pleaded to Paris like a father, then said a nanosecond later. "Are you feeling better now? I'll buy you a parakeet!"
There won't be any new moments like that for a while, now that the Writers Guild strike has stopped the flow of new episodes from Letterman, Leno and friends (although you can still see the eight-minute clip if you look up "Letterman Paris" on YouTube.)
Then again, this was one of Letterman's finer and more unusual moments of the year: a celebrity interview on late-night TV that wasn't cloying.
There's the rub. Late-night hosts can either provide sharp entertainment for wakeful viewers like me, or they can continue to offer butt-kissing tedium for drowsy viewers who don't want to be jarred from sleepy time.
Except for the occasional Letterman interview of Paris or Michael Richards -- safe stars to scorn, since the news vilified them first -- nighttime hosts adhere to the dead-fish formula of asking stupid questions of smiley celebrities telling us nothing genuine or interesting.
Questions and answers are worked out in pre-interviews. Who could possibly experience a safer state of mind than film stars and politicians sitting on Jay Leno's couch?
It's been no surprise "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" has taken the place of Letterman and "Saturday Night Live" as the zeitgeist of late-night. Stewart killed the dead-fish template and serves up shark and snark. He and "The Colbert Report" do not go gentle into that good night.
So maybe the other bedtime talkers should embrace the writers' strike as an opportunity to view Stewart and Stephen Colbert, and re-evaluate how they can similarly approach guests.
If Leno were to break free of his "love me, I'm a nice guy" DNA and tried to engage actors more forcefully and stop shilling for politicians, it would be awkward at first. He's not used to it. And some viewers who want sleepy-time Jay might turn him off.
But it would make for more interesting TV. And isn't good TV what Jay wants? Or must we be content with letting stars giggle us into dreamland?
delfman@suntimes.com
November 8, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
David Letterman and Johnny Carson honored the 1988 writers strike by airing reruns -- for a while. They eventually went back on the air without writers, partly to help directors and other cast members pay their bills.
Some of today's late-night talk shows could pull off an hour without skits and monologues, though others might just seem awkward.
"Late Show With David Letterman": Since Dave has the biggest brain and the most gravitas, he could ad lib endlessly with interviewees and during desk blab. But how many thoughts do actors and actresses have in there?
"The Tonight Show With Jay Leno": How on Earth could Jay string together an hour every night without the aid of aides? Seems highly unlikely as a creative endeavor.
"Late Night With Conan O'Brien": Conan at least tries to get guests to do wacky things, since he considers "Late Night" to be more of a variety show than anything else. That style would be too hard to do now.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live": Jimmy is smart. Too smart to attempt his choreographed segments without a full staff.
"The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson": Craig is in a good position to wing a monologue, since that's his approach most nights anyway, riffing freestyle on news and pop culture. Only Letterman might have an easier time making the transition look easy.
"Last Call With Carson Daly": No friggin' way.
Doug Elfman
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