I Am A TV Junkie

Video -- Letterman Preview w/ My Hero, Henry Aaron

Tonight after your late news on CBS. I wore his number in Little League.

Letterman Video -- Rachel Maddow Explains Breitbart v. Sherrod to Dave (and you)

You know I love it when my worlds collide. Maddow on Letterman (although I don't catch Dave every night anymore, something has to be sacrificed when presented with so many great cable series to watch on DVR) is an example of that.

If you've not been keeping up with the story of Shirley Sherrod, the former Dept. of Agriculture officer who was screwed over by the creative video editing of Drudge protege Andrew Breitbart (yes, she's suing, more on that at this link) and the knee-jerk reaction of idiots in the Obama administration (that's right Tom Vilsack, I'm talkin' to you), this should catch you up.

Click here for the clip.

Why Did NBC Say Yes to Letterman/Oprah/Leno Promo? And Who's Job Is It To Spy on Dave's Studio?

Could it be because they planned to promote the hell out of it in the days after, instructing their PR people to spin the spot as Jay's ad?

Because that's what's going on today. And, Jay talked about it on his low-rated and soon to be gone primetime show last night.

When I watched the clip the first thing that jumped out at me is the revelation that someone at NBC apparently has a spy hanging out near the Ed Sullivan Theatre where Letterman tapes his show watching the vehicles that come and go.

That's just sick. Weird. Smacks of someone at the network will a real problem that needs to be addressed. And it might not be the spy him or herself but whoever is assigning the task.

Shit, it's just television, it's not a matter of national security. Maybe NBC should send their spy to the White House to make sure people aren't crashing state dinners, it would be a better use of said person's time.

Or, maybe the guy scoping out Dave's lair is his extorter? Nah, I'm sure there's some sort of protection order against him, right? No? Well there should be.

Preview Video -- Letterman Weighs In, Suggests New Dick Wolf Pilot To Cure NBC Woes

Today's Turkey? Good Morning America Cancels Adam Lambert, Books Chris Brown

Because for The Walt Disney Company, apparently, beating women is more palatable than "the gay" (as Rachel Maddow would say).

(Yeah, I know, there's been a lot of Adam lately on the blog, but this will be the last post for a while, unless he ... a) Decides he's straight ... b) Stops wearing the guyliner ... c) Gets a gig guesting on season three of True Blood. And no, I have to knowledge of a potential deal to bring him on the show, it's just speculation, MY specualtion. But, fingers crossed, huh?)

HuffPo has picked up the NY Post story that details this. I can't, because ... well I just can't link to the Post (a Newscorpse paper) so here's the HuffPo link.

No matter, GMA will be dying to have him some day and I hope he says, "No, Thanks."

Meanwhile, let's hope Chris Brown doesn't wind up and sock Robin Roberts in the face between songs.

Is anyone interested in Chris' music anymore, anyway? I know people will watch the interview so that they can gasp in horror when he indicates that he still doesn't get why everyone's so angry with him, but does anyone seriously care about the music he's making?

Meanwhile, Adam was on Letterman last night, and the clip's after the jumperoo.

Hope your Thanksgiving Day is going well. I'm jumping the shower now to get "pretty" for guests.

(Well, pretty is a relative term.)

Go! Eat, drink celebrate!

2 Clips -- In Which Great Minds Think Alike Re: Adam Lambert (and he's on Letterman tonight)

And I have the music video for the song he sang at the Awards (better version, via Towleroad) and a clip with his mom talking about the whole brouhaha this morning on the CBS Early Show. But first ...

Yesterday I said that I didn't believe for a moment that there was anything off-the-cuff about the performance at the American Music Awards. Today in a TV.com piece called Adam Lambert's A Big Faker from Richard Lawson (and you should read all his stuff there) ...

Given the frequency and intensity of hetero lovin' on TV these days, and the relative paucity of gay representation on the airwaves, the queerness of Adam's performance shouldn't, in 2009, rankle anyone. Sorry folks, but gay people kiss and have sex and do other things. Calling it "sodomy" and decrying its immorality just smacks of dying-breed Puritanism. So that argument really should be off the table. What truly WAS the problem with the whole debacle was how forced and canned the whole outrageousness came across. It wasn't so much "We get it, Adam, you're gay" as much as it was "We get it, Adam, you think you're some sort of rebel even though you're only famous for coming up second on the least rebellious show on TV."

Here here!!!

More after the jump, including the promised clips.

Video -- Tonight on Letterman, Jon Hamm Talks About His Cinemax "Spanktravision" Past

Spanktravision is a word I stole from David Spade (I think), who knows a bit too much about spanking it.

Oh c'mon, you were thinking the same thing. At least he comes by it honestly.

(Hehehe, I said "comes.")

LINK

Give Us This Day Our Daily Craig -- No Pithy Ferguson Headline. Why? Read On

Why no pithy Craig Ferguson headline from Joe today? Because there was just so much going on last night on Craig's show that the headline would have started here and ran through eight other blogs until it ended at the great blog Craig Ferguson's Guest List, the proprietor of which is the wonderful YouTube user Malinky2Stoatir, who clips out the show every day so that I can bring you these clips.

First there was Craig riffing on this not widely known news story about his boss Dave Letterman. You may have heard about it, maybe not, something having to do with crime and money and sex and schadenfreude you know how we Americans hate any combination of the four ... not!

Then, Michael Sheen, who stars in the new movie The Damned United, comes out on stage wearing the tightest pants that go with a suit I have ever seen in my life. Must be an Ozwald Boateng suit, I thought, or Sheen is fronting some UK punk band between movie gigs.

Tight pants? Who do you think you are, Sheen, the oldest Jonas Brother, Kevin?

(Sorry there's not a better image here, but watch the clip at this link and you'll see Sheen has to, ahem, adjust, just to sit down. Turns out Michael Sheen was a soccer player at one time and almost played for Arsenal. And he sports the tight pants much better than Kevin Jonas, anyway.)

Then, Viola Davis, who plays the Mayor of Philadelphia  in the new film Law Abiding Citizen, comes out in this tight, tight, tight dress that she just owns (not owns as in paid money for, although she might or it might have been borrowed from the designer) but that she wears like nobody's business. I love Viola Davis, have for years, and I've never seen her look so hot.

So hot! Viola, you are smokin'.

Where's the big film that makes Viola Davis a star, anyway? Meryl Streep wants it to happen, I want it to happen ... isn't that enough? Hey, movie execs, get to it!

Watch Viola talk to Craig at this link, if only for her throaty, sexy laugh, which I guess came with the dress.

However, I had to go with the cold opening with Craig's Letterman comments for the clip after the jump because ... well, because I know it's what I know you wanna see.

Maybe Craig will still have a show on CBS tonight, and if he does his guests will be Julia Louis-Dreyfus and The Avett Brothers.

And maybe Craig will try not to be so damned sexy. Because it can be dangerous in his job as late night host.

Video -- About This Dave Letterman Mess ...

Here's my take, not that you asked.

People at work hook up all the time. It's no different on a TV show.

Dave says it was consensual. The women haven't come forward.

This guy Haldeman, the former 48 Hours producer, is a scumbag in my view. Extortion is a crime, and he's been arrested and that's a good thing.

Is Dave a bad guy? I dunno. It depends on this one thing ... if it affected the workplace or one of these women got promoted or not fired or treated better financially or otherwise because of sex with Dave I have a problem with that.

Otherwise, this is over. The crime has been addressed and appropriate action is being taken.

Do I like it when the the boss has sex with "underlings?" (no pun intended)

No. But I don't work there so it's not really my business.

Do I have a problem with is sketchy and sensational coverage by other networks looking to make ratings hay in late night for their shows?

Definitely. I'm talking to you, NBC Today show.

Watch Dave talk about it from last night's show after the jump.

If O'Reilly even touches on this on his show, after the Mackris affair, he should be throttled. Forcibly.

Give Us This Day Our Daily Craig: Ferguson Talks to His Boss, Dave Letterman

And as you know, American on Purpose is on sale at your local bookseller or you can click the icon below and pick it up at Amazon.com.

I'm hoping to get to a taping of the show in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know all about that.

Clip after the jump.

Video -- Letterman/McCartney: The Interview, The Web-Exclusive Concert

And, I have the link to the McCartney mini-concert that's a web-only exclusive, from the roof of the Ed Sullivan Theatre. I'm waiting to watch his show performance on the big screen, as I'm on the left coast and it hasn't aired yet.

That link is here. Go, watch, it's history you know.

Interview clip after the jump. I'm hopeful that it's accessible to fans worldwide, but frankly I don't know for sure. Tell me if it's not and I'll provide a link to an alternate.

The soundtrack to our lives. Well, for some of us with a little gray up top, anyway.

UPDATED: Paul McCartney Tonight on Letterman, Details on TV.com Exclusive Mini-Concert After Taping

UPDATE: Click her for absolutely everything you need.

Details, details, details.

Okay, gang, Paul McCartney is returning to the stage that launched his US career tonight. In fact, I already have a clip of Paul Shaffer kvelling (being proud of) the whole event after the jump, but first I have big news from my partners at TV.com.

After the taping tonight, Paul will do more songs for an exclusive TV.com mini-concert, and you'll be able to access that live as it happens or on video afterward. You'll also be able to see it at the CBS Late Show site.

Click over to this link at their site for more info. Because I have no idea when they tape (thanks CBS for the info packed press release), I can't give you a time. Apparently they want you to click over there every five minutes until tonight at 11:35 pm.

Shaffer doing his best Ed Sullivan impression in a clip after the jump.

Fire David Letterman? As If!

Note to that crowd, you know which one. I'm talking about the faux-indignation because we have nothing else crowd circling the wagons around Dave because of his Palin joke militia.

Not gonna happen. In fact, everything you do in this regard right now will only work to make Dave's ratings better. And considering Dave's new competition in late night and the network's desire to see him take the lead (and become the King of Late Night, without a press release) you are very kindly doing a lot of the heavy lifting for him and CBS. So, thanks for that.

Why? Because nobody wants to be a member of a club that would have someone like you; obnoxious teabagging, Obama hating, domestic terrorist supporting, low information voting, bigoted, heart of poison, reactionary Glenn Beck-watching stooge; as a member.

Don't you get it? You are vastly outnumbered here. It is not, as you purported values voters think, a conservative nation.

Washington Post:

(PR guru Ken)Sunshine says, the Letterman-Palin skirmish has been good for both sides: Letterman gets a booster shot of media-whipped "controversy" at a moment when he could finally be poised to surge past Conan O'Brien and "The Tonight Show" for late-night TV supremacy, while Palin seized an opportunity to appeal to her "base" of conservatives.

"Letterman is a master of this, and he's milking it for all it's worth," Sunshine said, citing similar ratings-boosting "feuds" that Letterman has engaged in with McCain and Oprah Winfrey. "But people often underestimate [Palin] and underestimate her following. She's exploiting this very smartly. She's speaking to her core base that feels maligned. She's playing the faux feminist . . . and the family-values representative. It's extraordinary that she can bring this off."

"Poor Mitt Romney," he adds. "He's probably wondering, 'Where do I get some of this?' "

And you know, I don't really care which Palin daughter was at the ballgame that Dave's remark was inspired by. With a mother like Sarah Palin who doesn't support comprehensive sex education and doesn't support a woman's right to choose it would be much easier for her daughter, whatever age, to get impregnated by Alex Rodriguez.

And it wasn't a rape joke about the kid anyway, it was a parenting joke about Palin, which is probably what got her so pissed off.

Dave? No going anywhere but up, gang. But please, keep up the drum beating because he only wins.

And you will always lose. Especially when the guy you wanna see fired is making money for his network. Here's an idea, just don't watch! I'm sure Letterman will miss the 12 of you who object to him.

So sure.

TV.com has video from CBS' The Early Show from this morning that you might wanna see, and that's at this link.

Ferguson Video -- The New King of Late Night? NBC Bites, The Nation Bites Back, Fast!

I know it wasn't my good close personal friends that do the press for NBC that are to blame. I blame Zucker, it's just the kind of thing he would press.

What happened is this ... Dave beat Conan on Wednesday, then Conan beat Dave on Thursday. On the heels of moving back to the top spot for the time period NBC immediately sent out a release calling Conan "the new king of late night."

Because of that one day.

Because it's NBC. Because they got nothing else to crow about lately. Because they still can't get the icky film off their bodies that was left by Knight Rider.

Surely this was an edict that came down from on high. I can't imagine any publicist for a show would leave the show that open to ridicule after the fact.

And the ridicule is coming from everywhere, including ...

Joe Adalian, TV Week -- "OK, so TV MoJoe likes the Conan. And we've been pretty consistent in warning against reading too much into the overnight household ratings for the latenight daypart-- both when "The Tonight Show" premiered strongly, and when "Late Show" rallied back last week.

It was no surprise, then, that O'Brien would end up trouncing Letterman when the final numbers came out. Good for Conan. And good for NBC, which actually did a great job launching the show from a marketing and PR point of view.

But then NBC this morning goes and puts out a release declaring "Conan the New King of Late Night."

Really, NBC? Really?

It's one week, people. Lots will change. NBC insiders have said they plan to measure O'Brien's success in years, not weeks or months.

And from Craig Ferguson, who did his opening bit on the controversy in support of his boss and lead-in Letterman.

Since I have committed to posting One Craig Ferguson Clip a Day Until You Start Watching, this could not happen at a better time. Clips after the jump. There are two including the monologue just in case I miss a day in the near future.

Craig's live on Monday with special guest Oscar winner Holly Hunter from TNT's Saving Grace. It's time for you to start watching Craig.

2 Clips -- Jim Parsons First Appearance With Letterman, Big Bang's Press Attack Continues

Yesterday Kaley Cuoco and Kunal Nayyar were on Bonnie Hunt and I'm also looking around the web for a clip from that appearance, because ... they brought their dogs, and you know I have a soft spot for those segments.

(Still looking for that, btw, will update the post when I find it.)

Jim Parsons with Dave last night was a riot. Parsons himself is some of the best parts of Sheldon without all the angst and the phobias and the persnicketiness (add it to the dictionary if it's not there).

He's really quite the charming guy.

Clip after the jump, but first I thought we'd take a little trip over to Chuck Lorre's site this morning so I could once again revel in his vanity card essay. You know, the thing he writes every week that runs on his vanity card at the end of the show.

I noticed by reading the fine print at his site that some of these essays run first on Two And A Half Men and then they repeat on Big Bang Theory. Chuck? Whatcha doin'? Write new stuff, we need new stuff from you all the time, because it's just too good. I freeze frame my DVR every week to read them.

From the April 13 episode, a reflection on the current economic crisis, Chuck contends that the economy is prone to the effects of Newton's first law of motion, and he ends by saying ...

I therefore assert that the unbalanced force (you know who you are, shame on you), will eventually be overwhelmed by the object in motion (three and a half billion people with pluck, aka pluckers), thus allowing the object in motion to continue its relentless journey forward, thriving and conniving until it is once again slowed down by other unbalanced forces, or a very large meteorite. Or a plague. Or fundamentalists with nukes. Or atmosphere-eating nanobots. Or a super volcano. Or Skynet. Or Cylons.

Cylons, yes, but more likely fundamentalists with nukes, or just a status quo that likes things the way they are because they're raking it in and can't let go off that easy free money.

I like Chuck Lorre. Chuck, hope you don't mind that I stole your pool picture from your site, I do link to you every chance I get.

Parsons with Dave after the jump. New episode of The Big Bang Theory this Monday at 8 on CBS. He turns out to be quite the entertainment industry geek. Jim, you should be reading my blog, many like-minded people here.

Best of Sheldon bonus clip for you fans after the jump as well. Thank you, Lana Kim!

2 Clips -- CBS Cares About Your Colon; Letterman, Kalter & LuPone Team Up for PSA, Contest for Free Colonoscopy

Patti LuPone is concerned about what's going on inside your ass.

So are Dave Letterman and his announcer, Alan Kalter.

Because CBS cares about your upper and lower intestine and all the stuff in between and around.

Variety:

CBS is promoting a colonoscopy sweepstakes in primetime.

As part of its CBS Cares public service initiative, the network is offering a four-night stay in New York to one lucky winner. Oh -- and a free colonoscopy, to be performed by Dr. Paul Miskovitz, a leading gastroenterologist and expert on colorectal cancer.

The tongue-in-cheek (pun intended) spots feature over-the-top "Late Show With David Letterman" announcer Alan Kalter, along with Broadway star Patti LuPone, lying smack down on a hospital bed.

In other words, they don't look like your normal, snooze-inducing public service announcements But the contest is very real.

And, it's after the jump. Hey, four days and three night in NYC and you get a whole bunch of plastic tubing shoved up your ass. Wow, what a Summer!

You can enter the sweepstakes at this link.

I betcha Katie Couric cares about your colon, too. After all, she is crazy about mine and she loves her own.

Video -- Rachel Maddow on Letterman: "I Guess I'd Prefer to Be Privately, Quietly Smart"

When asked by Dave if she would rather be smart or be able to talk, that was her response.

Rachel talks about her Western Mass. local radio days and then the conversation turns abruptly to AIG and the economy.

You know how I feel about AIG.

Keith Olbermann does have an enormous head, as Dave says, but I think he also has a rapidly expanding face. It's getting wider, forehead worthy of billboard advertising.

And the thing with Keith is that with all the Bo-Bo injected into his head the advertising would have no wrinkles.

Keith, I love you show but it's true. Lay off the botulism.

Thanks to whoever is running the webcomic website LennyLimbo.com for posting the clip, which is after the jump.

Letterman Preview Video -- Rush Limbaugh, Bonehead Gangster & U2 Live on Yet Another Roof

Is there a Guinness Book category for fattest stupid fuck to make himself deaf by overdosing on pain killers? Is there?

There he is, the de facto leader of the party of no ideas. Katie Couric explains the concept of the power vacuum to Dave in a clip from tonight's show.

Also tonight, U2 starts a full week of appearances to promote their new album.

LINK

And, after the jump, for you U2 fans, on February 27 U2 played the rooftop of the BBC Broadcast House in London and I have a clip from that as well.

Have at it!

2 Clips -- Pay Absolutely No Attention to Joaquin Phoenix (after reading this)

Dude is seriously breaking down. Just watch this clip below to confirm that it's true and then don't pay attention until this behavior goes away. It seems like something we shouldn't be seeing, like it's too personal, too intimately strange.

Seriously, just let it go. If you don't pay attention you aren't validating it. Because this is not the outside-the-norm kind of behavior that I think we should be encouraging. At least not in public, on the teevee.

I think Dave Letterman was flummoxed, and I've never seen him like that before. Even on that memorable night with Farrah Fawcett.

NME.com:

Joaquin Phoenix has admitted that he is bothered by media speculation that his move into the world of hip hop is merely a spoof.

The actor has been making headlines recently with his hip hop project, which he is apparently working on with P. Diddy.

"I can see how people might think it is shocking," he told Reuters. "But by saying my life is a joke or the thing that I love is a joke, well, that bothers me."

The second clip? The career to come (and go very quickly, at least I hope so, for the sake of, I dunno, family pride?).

Maybe they think it's a joke because since you decided this it also seems like you're always chemically-altered in public. Mumbling, falling off stages, etc ...

Letterman Video -- One Last Inappropriate Jennifer Aniston Post Before the Year Ends

No, I'm not writing inappropriately about the star of Marley & Me, I'm writing about her inappropriateness.

So, she's in NYC, it's December, and she wears this ridonkulous dress with that thing around her waist that looks about two inches too thick to be a belt of any kind, but then you notice that the dress itself is just ill-fitting.

Then you realize exactly how short it is.

And then as she sits down in the chair next to Dave, you almost see her cooz.

Yes, I said that. Her cooz.

And I think that was the point of it all. I really think she or someone made a decision to hike this dress up and stick the extra bits in the middle under the weird belt looking thing, though it looked to me like a pigeon flew into a deer and someone ran over both with a car and then she put it around her waist.

So, I'm searching for the interview at YouTube (and it's there, I have it after the jump in two clips) and I notice that each time she's been on the show she wears a skirt that short. You can see in the "Related Videos" scrolling window on the page that she's always dressed like this for Dave.

In fact, there's a clip called, "Jennifer Aniston sexy legs" which is just a Letterman interview clip.

Apparently, the Huvanes have done their research and discovered that Dave is a leg man.

How about showing up on a talk show and talking about acting, or the movie, or anything but the naked picture of you on the cover of GQ? How about not pulling a stunt like that before a round of talk show interviews? I know why you do it, because you'd rather talk about being naked in stores across the country than to talk about Brad and Angie again, but I don't' care about Brad and Angie, I just care about you picking better projects and being the actress I fell in love with Thursday nights on NBC throughout the 90s.

I'm giving you both parts of the interview because at the beginning of part two she just sits there and has Dave present the GQ photos. She doesn't have to talk about anything of consequence because she got naked for a magazine. Great plan, huh?

I can look at the pictures on my own. I don't even have to buy the magazine, all I have to do is click this link. And, she brings the tie along with her.

What, so Dave can take the part that was covering her nipples and do something with it?

Really?

Video -- Colbert Tonight on Letterman, Will He Refuse to Come Out Before Midnight?

Because if he does, he's competing against himself. Here's a clip from the show, gleaned from the web as if I could travel through time to the very near future.

And who says I can't?

LINK

Sarah Palin in Her Own Words (With Some Help From Letterman's Videotape Editors)

LINK

Letterman Video -- George W. Bush, Game Show Loser

The problem is that he was playing a game with out lives and livelihoods, and he lost. Badly.

The buzzer says no.

LINK

David Letterman Won't See "Runaway" John McCain Again After This Skewering

Dave's gonna be banned, just like everyone else.

LINK

After the jump, Keith Olbermann fills in for Runaway McCain.

McCain Cancels Letterman Appearance as Well, in Favor of Katie Couric

And Keith Olbermann fills in for McCain tonight with Dave.

First Keith writes a big check to the Alaska Special Olympics because of Sarah Palin's lying and then he fills in for McCain with Dave.

What a guy!

(Seriously though, as much as I enjoy Keith's show and his on air demeanor, I don't think Keith and I would be suitable friends.)

HuffPo:

"In the middle of the taping Dave got word that McCain was, in fact just down the street being interviewed by Katie Couric. Dave even cut over to the live video of the interview, and said, "Hey Senator, can I give you a ride home?"

Earlier in the show, Dave kept saying, "You don't suspend your campaign. This doesn't smell right. This isn't the way a tested hero behaves." And he joked: "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

The Metamucil people had no comment. Or maybe they did, but I'm not gonna call them.

Video -- Obama & Letterman, Because I Fell Asleep Before Midnight

And this makes it more convenient for me to watch, too. See, it's not all about you, not at all.

I know this interview went on for longer than 6:43, I just chose the CBS clip to post because, well, it's the CBS clip. If you click around the web you can see the whole thing.

And tonight, we get to see what Charlie Gibson manages to get out of Palin, should be interesting, both the questions asked and the responses.

Hollywood Reporter:

Portions of the interview will appear beginning on Thursday's "World News with Charles Gibson" and "Nightline" and then on other network shows. The network will also air a special "20/20" at 10 p.m. Friday devoted to the interview.

There will be extended portions of the interview on that "20/20" as well as reporting on her personal and professional background from ABC News correspondent Kate Snow and a live roundtable discussion moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

We'll see starting tonight on their nightly newscast, then Nightline, and then I'm sure some recap on Friday's GMA and then winding up with what I believe is the largest chunk of the interview Friday night on 20/20.

LINK

Today's TV Talk Starts With the Jerry Seinfeld Rumors

All right, everybody just calm down. See? Look at Jerry (above), he's even wanting you to relax and think about this a little to see if it makes any sense.

(Actually, it looks like he's mocking me, which is why I chose the image.)

There is not a chance in the world that Jerry will return to network TV with a new situation comedy, I know this like I know my name (or like I know that in 1969 Cleon Jones hit .340 for the World Series champion New York Mets).

Now, I'm not saying that Jerry won't return in some sort of comedy/unscripted hybrid. And, interestingly, neither is NBC in their rash of denials this morning.

For example:

NBC and Jerry Seinfeld shot down a New York Post report Friday that the comic was in talks with the network about a new sitcom. The report, citing no sources, said Seinfeld would play himself in a New York series similar to "Curb Your Enthusiasm," the HBO show designed by "Seinfeld" cocreator Larry David.

"There's nothing to it," said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks. Seinfeld's spokeswoman, Elizabeth Clark Zoia, agreed, adding "We appreciate the enthusiasm, however."

See, she was asked if Jerry will return to NBC in a sitcom, and she said no, Jerry will not return to NBC in a sitcom.

More, including a standup clip, after the jump.

Craig Ferguson Interviewed at Broadcasting & Cable

Ah, Craig. Lovin' ya more and more with each passing day and every time I think about Conan crossing his own picket line to go to work.

Yes, I'm still pissed. I think I'll be pissed for a while. And I'll write about that at some point, but my problem is that the "stars" of the Guild didn't do the right thing for the rank and file and that sucks.

And that's you and your buddy Colbert, too, Jon Stewart. And Leno? Well, if you can call that writing, I guess he's on my list as well.

(Yeah, I'm not a fan of Leno at all. He's really not funny, or what I should say is that he's funny in the annoying way that the guy in your office who thinks he's funny is funny.)

Back to Craig, he talked to Ben Grossman from B&C and said, among other things that he was friendly with Maureen Dowd. Now that's a dinner table that I would enjoy sitting at.

More, including excerpts and a clip after the jump.

Video -- Tom Hanks Makes a Big Big Mistake

You see, these big big stars need better handlers.

LINK

I'm committing here, today, to posting a Letterman or Ferguson clip every night because they did the right thing. And ... if I remember to.

Letterman Has Tony Snow on Thursday Night

Snow, former professional Bush apologist White House Press Secretary, will visit Dave on Thursday night.

I would love to see the Will It Float? curtain rise and there be a woodshed behind it, so that Dave could "take that lying SOB Tony Snow to the woodshed."

But I guess we'll have to be content with jokes at Snow's expense.

And don't give me crap about attacking a cancer survivor, he knows what he's done.

Letterman to Visit Oprah in NYC September 10th

So I guess that's why Oprah's opening her new season in New York. Well, that and the 9/11 anniversary, apparently. Or at least I assume so.

Although I just don't know why Oprah would want to do so. Haven't all the 9/11 talk show topics been exhausted? Aren't we yet at a point where we don't need leadership to reflect on the events of that day? Shouldn't we all have the skills and the information to do that on our own?

I just hate to think that every year on September 11 some TV segment producer will have the "great idea" of doing another show about the most grave, tragic day in our history. It seems to me that 9/11 should be unreachable to those wishing to make TV ratings out of it over and over again.

I'm looking, I guess, for a more solemn reaction, which I still don't see coming.

Drew Carey is the New Host of The Price is Right

And I'm heading out to a social engagement, so I'm gonna suggest that you watch Letterman tonight to hear him talk about it with Dave.

Gotta run. Congrats to Drew.

Surging Showtime Inches Closer to Spielberg Comedy for 2008

Here's some detail on the show, called The United States of Tara, from the gang at TheFutonCritic.com:

Feature writer Diablo Cody ("Juno") is developing a new comedy at the pay channel about an ordinary-seeming wife and mother of two teenage kids who also happens to suffer from dissociative identity disorder. The single-camera project is based on an idea by Steven Spielberg, however it's not clear what role he'll take in its development. Cody then will pen the pilot script and executive produce alongside DreamWorks Television's Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank. As for specifics, it's understood the series will explore how a dysfunctional family, including Tara's working-class husband, copes with her various personalities - including a lascivious teen girl and a macho adult man - which emerge when she's under stress.

Diablo Cody is a Minnesota writer/blogger/former ad copywriter (just like me only female and from Minnesota) and she explored the seamy underbelly of the sex business in a book called Candy Girl.

Here she is talking to Dave Letterman, a big fan, about the book:

She's a pretty interesting person, huh? Dave is very interested and so am I. And, you know, I like exploring the seamy underbelly of things, too, so I get her.

Diablo also has a movie she wrote coming out called Juno, and it's a rather big deal, good cast (including Michael Cera, AGAIN!) and Jason Reitman directing. Click here for more.

Here's an Entertainment Weekly story by Jessica Shaw about her.

Her Wikipedia page.

Her blog.

Leave it to Letterman -- Very Funny Video

Dave Letterman suggests an Imus replacement:

Do you think Kevin James will really call in?

Calvert DeForest Dies, Larry "Bud" Melman Lives Forever

This is from 1983:

Here's a link to his Wikipedia page.

And the obit at Variety.

Not an hour ago, I was sitting here thinking very specifically about 1983, about that time in my life, that time in television, the people I knew, the seeming simplicity of life back then, at least for me.

I just popped online to play with ideas for a new banner for the blog when I saw this on my Google homepage.

Ah, they were good times.

Dave Letterman is Such a Good Friend ...

... that he went ahead an produced an ad for Al Franken's senatorial campaign:

Here's Franken announcing his candidacy, and here's his website:

Letterman's "Great Moments In Presidential Speeches"

From YouTube:

Bill Murray on Letterman

Here, it's from last night. It will give you something to do while I have too much to do:

And, it's Groundhog Day! See how that all works out? Serendipity!

Dear David Letterman,

Congratulations on 25 great years in late night.

It seems like it was just yesterday when I was cutting classes during my junior year to watch your first show on NBC, the daytime one, you know, the one that got canceled in favor of the game show Las Vegas Gambit. Was it me or your staff that made up the theme song to Las Vegas Gambit, I can't even remember anymore.

Don't be too complimented though, I used to cut class to watch Love Boat reruns, too. And to have lunch at Ponderosa. And once just to hang out and smoke cigs with Eva. And then there was the two days during finals week one year when roommate Dave and I went to Montreal for the Stanley Cup. Hey, I would show up to an opening of an envelope if it was during class. 

Still, all these years later, I'm still tuning in. You might not drop as many things off of buildings as you used to, but you still make me smile every night.

Yours,

Joe