Leno with Michele Obama

The late night talk show wars just keep on giving.  

This weekend Jay Leno was the emcee of the Washington correspondent’s dinner. This is the annual dinner where politicians, celebrities and comedians make jokes about the President and politicians.

Even though Leno was the host, I thought President Obama had some one of the best jokes of the night.

The President pointed out Leno as “the only person whose ratings fell more than mine.” He followed that up by saying he was glad he was appearing before Jay took the podium…”because we’ve all seen what happens when you take the time slot after Leno” in reference to the whole Conan O’Brien time slot/ratings fiasco!

Rimshot! Bam!

Conan tells his side on "60 Minutes"

Sunday night, Conan O’Brien appeared on “60 Minutes” for his first interview about the whole “Tonight Show” debacle. Conan said if the roles had been reversed, he would have never acted like that toward Leno.

You know what? I believe Conan. He’s a stand-up stand-up.

But hey, O’Brien got paid $30 million in a buyout. And he’s going to have a new show on TBS. Hard to feel too sad for him (though he looked pretty depressed about the whole thing.)

Leno took more flak when David Letterman, appearing on “Live with Regis and Kelly,” piled on with even more dismissive shots at Leno. Dave’s rants were very pointed and direct; if you ever hoped that Dave and Jay may have decided to be friends again, you can forget it. Letterman is still seething about the whole affair, how Conan was treated by NBC and by Leno.

Why so angry?

Because its exactly what NBC and Leno did to Letterman so many years ago. Letterman is especially angry after Leno went on “Oprah” and said both he and Conan “got screwed by NBC.”  Like Dave says, how exactly did Leno get screwed?

Leno just wants everyone to like him.

And you know what, since he’s moved back to the 11:35pm timeslot, his ratings have mostly returned, knocking Letterman back again.

I’m not a Leno fan.

But I think its time for Letterman to shut up about his late-night rival. It’s beneath him to keep ragging on the guy. Especially with the ratings swing, it makes Dave look like a sore loser.

And Dave is so much better than that.

The cast of "Happy Town"

ABC loves their seralized dramas.

Shows like “Lost,”"Desperate Housewives,”"Brothers and Sisters,”"Grey’s Anatomy,”"FlashForward,” and “V” attract loyal and passionate followings.  

ABC’s love affair with these unique serialized shows actually started way back in the early 90’s when “Twin Peaks” premiered to stellar ratings.

The network’s newest, “Happy Town” premieres this Wednesday night at 10pm on ABC and RTV 6.

I got a chance to preview the premiere episode. “Happy Town” is one spooky place!

Set in a small town in Minnesota, Haplin is a seemingly idylic place to live. The city, nicknamed “Happy Town”  has some very dark secrets. A series of resident disappearances by the mysterious “Magic Man” over five years ago has residents on edge. 

On top of that, the story opens with a gruesome, scary murder.

As you can see, “Happy Town” is anything but a fun and sunny place.

But that’s not to say its not worth a visit.

The premiere quickly establishes a number of key characters, some quirky, some just plain mysterious. (My favorite is Sam O’Neill as a antique movie store owner.)  The premise is  a little like “Twin Peaks” (secrets in a small town.) But it’s execution doesn’t strike me as quite as quirky as “Peaks.” And that’s not a bad thing.  

With “Lost” wrapping up in a few weeks, I’ll be happy to pay a visit to this “Happy Town.”

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Dave drops in on Regis this Friday morning!

Got this press release from the fine folks at “Live with Regis and Kelly.”

DAVID LETTERMAN RETURNS TO “LIVE! WITH REGIS AND KELLY”

Host of “Late Show with David Letterman” Visits “LIVE” this Friday morning at 9am on RTV 6.

TV appearances by “Late Show” host David Letterman are few and far between, but the late night talk show veteran will return to “LIVE! with Regis and Kelly” to sit down with hosts Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa on the show airing Friday, April 30, 2010.

Letterman last appeared on “LIVE” in April, 2007, the day of Philbin’s return to the air after heart surgery, when the two compared scars and swapped stories about their respective bypass operations.

In addition to Letterman’s appearance, “LIVE’s” stellar upcoming guest line-up includes Robert Downey Jr. (April 29), Betty White (May 3), Gwyneth Paltrow (May 4), Tom Selleck (May 5), Russell Crowe (May 7), Denzel Washington (May 10), Teri Hatcher (May 13), Jimmy Kimmel (May 17), Ashton Kutcher (May 19), Cameron Diaz (May 21), Jonas Brothers (May 24), Jake Gyllenhaal and all five stars from the upcoming film “Sex and the City 2” – Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Chris Noth.

Hopefully we'll see you in September, somewhere

A RANT – The Late Night Battle over “The Tonight Show.”

 

I’ve found  the shots Conan O’Brien has taken at NBC executives hilarious. As you might guess, I’m with  Team Coco.

Letterman, you’ve got the lead at 11:35p. So when Leno takes back “Tonight” don’t blow it.

ANOTHER RELATED RANT – NBC’s Intellectual Property Claims

In his deal to leave NBC, the network is reportedly claiming “the intellectual property rights” to bits and routines the comic has used on his network shows over the past several years. Meaning that if and when Conan pops up on another network or cable outlet with a new show that he can’t take signature bits like “In the Year 2000,” “Triumph the Insult Dog,” and the masterbating bear.

Like Conan himself said the other night on his show, the fact someone is calling those routines “intellectual property” is the biggest joke yet.

NBC, you ARE the Biggest Loser!

A RAVE – Craig Ferguson is a Hoot!

Forget all the other late night drama, this guy following Letterman is the real deal. Funny, insightful, even sometimes hilariously profound. But I did say Funny first cause this Scot (now an American citizen) is one wickedly funny comic. 

A RAVE – The Ultimate Trailer Show on HDNet

An entire show of new movie trailers. In HD. It’s cool. And to top it off, they throw in an old trailer from a classic movie at the end.

A RANT – 3D is not for Me.

The push for 3D is the next big in technology?

Not for me. I like the super-sharp HD images…not blurry three dimensional imagery. Thanks but no thanks.

A RAVE – 1,000 Ways to Die

Yep, it’s what it sounds like…a show that  features vignettes about people dying in various and unusual bad ways. It’s a Spike TV favorite. Grim reenactments that feature people doing stupid things that ends with someone dying. Who knew dying could be so much fun…kinda like those “Darwin lists” that come out each year, this is gruesome but funny viewing. Especially the animations that showcase how the person died. Crude and funny at the same time.

So NBC is pulling the plug on the Jay Leno Show primetime experiment.

NBC pointing fingers at their two stars?

And in typical NBC fashion, the network has effectively screwed up two of the best things that it has going for it –  Leno and Conan O’Brien.

Listen, I’m not gonna cry for a couple of guys that are guaranteed millions of dollars a year. But they do deserve better.

I’ve always found Conan hilarious. But Jay’s humor over the past decade has been a little soft.

Getting mistreated by NBC may make him funnier.

Remember when David Letterman, working at NBC, tried to offer his new GE bosses a gift basket? He and his camera crew were escorted from the building! It was great TV…and hilarious.

Cranky Dave has always been funny, but his humor got a helluva lot sharper (and better) when he went after the goofball bosses at NBC. 

Last week Leno took some uncharacteristic but hilarious shots at NBC when word got out that his show was going to be yanked from primetime. I thought it was some of the funniest stuff I’ve seen from him in years. It was GREAT!

Maybe Jay can learn from Letterman. A cranky Jay is a funnier Jay.

*****

BTW, if NBC is pulling Jay Leno out of prime…what the heck are they gonna put at 10pm? Can they do three hours of “The Biggest Loser” Monday through Friday?

*****

Did you see the Cowan family from Bunker Hill, Indiana on “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” on Sunday night?

I had the chance to talk to mom Heather Cowan last week by phone. Sweet lady and a very deserving family.

If you didn’t get to see it, you should be able to watch it on the ABC Video Player on-line at TheIndyChannel.com.

Michael’s sister LaToya, brother Jermaine, his mother  and other family members were on hand to particpate.

The finale to “Thriller” was especially cool, seeing the dancers perform that famous, oh so iconic zombie dance again on the ballroom floor.

Only downside…Natalie Coughlin got voted off.

Bummer.

****

I got a Blu Ray player a couple months ago.

Big fun..."Transformers" on Blu!

So Tuesday I gave it a little work out.

Did I say little? I should say big. Massive. HUGE.

I rocked out to “Transformers Revenge of the Fallen” just out on DVD and Blu Ray.

You know the plot. Big robots fight. A lot. Shia LeBuef runs around. Megan Fox….well, she looks hot.

This is a movie that you turn off the brain and just let the bombast wash over you. The visuals are big. The sound literally shakes the house.

The movie was directed by Michael Bay (“Pearl Harbor,”"Transformers,” and other loud movies) 

Bay’s movies get knocked by some critics because they are so big. I think they are big fun!

This is what Blu Ray was made for.  

David Letterman did a recent Top Ten list I thought pretty funny.

It’s definitely worth sharing!

Enjoy!

Top Ten Signs Your Toddler Watches Too Much Television

10. He’s got a satellite dish on his crib

9. Wants Neil Patrick Harris to host his birthday party

8. Can count to 10/9 central

7. At bedtime, asks you to read him the Nielsen ratings

6. Instead of security blanket, clutches a Shamwow

5. Keeps wanting to know why grandpa “got canceled”

4. He weighs 135 pounds

3. Thinks the capital of Montana is Hannah

2. Constantly implores you to have your pet spayed or neutered

1. His first words were, “Your local news starts now!”

Courtesy of The Late Show with David Letterman