The Late Night Discussion.
There is so much to discuss, and yet I think it's all been discussed to death. The late night situation has been analyzed, gone over and talked about so much I'm not sure what's left to say.
Let's get beyond who's funnier: Jay or Conan. They both induce comas. Conan seems like a better guy to know. Jay appears to be a weasel. In fact, Jay befriended Howard Stern about 10 years ago and then stole Stuttering John Melendez from the Stern show. For what, you ask? So Stuttering John could hold up a coffee cup when Jay tried to banter with him. The truth is, John was fine as the announcer. He didn't stutter and he was rather generic. Big deal. John, who worked at the Stern show for peanuts, got a huge raise by working for Jay. But the reason he worked for peanuts is because John started there as an intern and eventually made himself a fixture. He wasn't making any less than anyone there in his possession by any means. This is not my guess but pretty much the facts as I know them.
Jay, who had befriended Howard, decided that he needed Stuttering John to be the Tonight Show announcer. Instead of talking to Howard about it, he negotiated for John behind his supposed friend's back, taking a vital cast member away from the Stern show so that he could live in obscurity on Jay's show.
Howard was happy for John and nobody involved begrudged John getting a high profile job nor making some decent money. What was amazing was that Leno did this all behind Howard's back. For what? They were friends and they should've talked about it. But that is Jay in a nutshell.
Anyway, this subject has been picked over so much I don't know what I can really add to it except to say what I think is true. The 10 PM thing didn't work at all for a number of reasons. A, I don't think that's the time for the Jay Leno show. Could a great, innovative network variety show exist and do well? I think so. But it ain't gonna be from Leno. Leno's success exists in some part due to the fact that he'd been with the Tonight show forever and at 11:30 at night, that's an audience he might know something about. Or he was the lucky guy at the right time. Stephen King recently did an article about Leno, saying that he's not edgy and does his middle of the road political jokes with a "take my wife, please" Vegas lowbrow vibe. I think that sums up Leno's shtick pretty well.
That said, I never thought Conan was going to work in that time slot. Frankly, I think Conan should've taken the 12:05 slot and been happy to continue working. I like Conan's show better, and while I don't think Conan ever developed much as an interviewer or even a funny man (he works way too hard to sell those mediocre jokes) he seems like the better human being somehow. But this is network TV and if you don't bring the ratings, that's that. Conan was never going to win any new fans. He basically did his 12:30 show at 11:30. He didn't need to worry about the edge, but for once, he needed to worry about being funny. At 11:30, he was neither. Not to say the show did not have its moments, and I do love Andy Richter, but Conan just seems too....I don't know. Everybody seems to forget the horrible late night Fox show with John Stewart hosting. Stewart found his niche on Comedy Central. I wish Coco the same.
Back to Leno, he's all set to go back to 11:35 and re-take the reigns of the Tonight Show. Okay. Whatever. The main thing is that 10 PM dramas will be back and writers and directors can go back to work and there can be a bit more development around town. Leno said on Oprah that he didn't realize he was taking jobs away from prime time "until I hit the air." Dude, shut the fuck up. Really I could do 25 pages on what a shithead I think Leno is, but watch that Oprah and Leno actually does it all by himself.
As expected, these late night wars have brought out the best in everyone. Conan finally had some teeth (and even some ratings.) Leno become momentarily interesting to watch as his "nice guy" image (one I never bought into) revealed him to be a vane, contemptuous man. And Jay, stop fucking talking about how you don't spend your Tonight Show money but you only spend the money you make on the road. We get it, you're richer than all of us. I know that might not have been your point, but that's the one we take. Shut the fuck up about all your money and your cars. I promise you nobody is interested.
Letterman has never been better than when he's sniping away at Jay, and Jimmy Kimmel has been masterful. First doing an hour AS Jay, (Jimmy was brilliant, Chevy Chase - that night's guest, seemed out to lunch), then the next night, on Leno's own show, Kimmel did the 10@10 segment and literally shredded Mr. Leno on his own show. Leno, who as Kimmel recently pointed out "used to be a comedian" did nothing but act like a hurt ex lover who walked away with crabs. Then he whined on Oprah that he was sucker-punched, but frankly, Jimmy was right there. All Jay had to do was fire back and that, my friends, is called comedy. Something Jay still doesn't get after 30 years. One Superbowl commercial (way more surprising than actually, you know: funny) does not a rehabilitated reputation make.
So, even though Jay and Dave get to have it out all over again in March when Jay resumes, frankly, I think Jay is over. I hope the public rejects him and the late night race boils down to the two funniest men in the race: Dave and Jimmy.
And yeah, I still have no idea what the fuck Craig Ferguson is talking about.
BIG FAN (DVD Screener)
An interesting variation on The King Of Comedy, Patton Oswalt does his best big screen work ever as a football fanatic who has an unfortunate encounter with a Giants player he worships. Halfway through this you think you know where its going, but the screenplay is snakier than that and its third act is wholly original and deserved.
Grade: B +
DAWN OF THE DEAD (2004 remake)
Watched this over the weekend again. Had been a few years and since I recently saw the original DAWN (one of my all time favorites) I thought it'd be interesting to see how this holds up. This is probably one of the very few times something like this has worked so well. Go with the unrated director's cut. More gore and character stuff, and a slightly better film than the R rated cut that plays on cable. This film has quite a bit of NIGHT, DAWN and even a little DAY in it, but it works like gangbusters and is actually a bit more scary than the orginal (which felt documentary like) and poses a lot more moral questions than the original did as well. (If you're into zombie politics.) The DVD comes loaded with great extras like missing scenes, and interesting commentary...everything but almost any acknowledement towards George Romero, which I found kind of curious.
Grade: A -
(still not so sure about that final credit roll, but no spoilers)
I liked the Doritos ad "Keep your hands off the Doritos, and mama" the best of all the Superbowl ads.
I'm glad KITCHEN NIGHTMARES is back. I kind of love that show. (Reportedly this is the last season.)
I finally started unspooling MODERN FAMILY (ABC) off my DVR...good show. Not belly laugh inducing but smart and rather warm.
I need to watch a few more LOSTs before I can really say what I think of the new season. But...in the season premiere, Locke turned into the Smoke Monster and bullets bounced off him. And he's not really Locke. Then he turned to Ben and said "I hate for you to see me this way."
Maybe some things are better left unsaid.
THE HURT LOCKER (DVD)
This is a crafty, extremely well made film. Most I know loved it, but I must say, after seeing it twice, I have no problem admitting that this is a really good film, but it's not as good as I had hoped. I found it a bit slow, and for all of the human element, a bit unmoving. But well done. Just not the masterpiece I'd been led to believe it to be.
Grade: B
TESTAMENT (1983 - DVD)
I watched this old chestnut recently. About a family who survives a nuclear war in a small town. This was slower than I had remembered, but still effective and expertly done. And no special effects except for maybe some make up and a bright light, yet it tells a chilling story of war that all the CGI in the world couldn't improve. The DVD has a nice 20 years later docu on it reuniting all the cast members.
Grade: B +
Finally, if you want a great look at the late night mess and where it actually started, look no further than the great HBO movie THE LATE SHIFT (on DVD.) Actors I've never heard of do an uncanny Jay and Dave, and Betty Thomas, who would go on to direct some of my favorite films (including PRIVATE PARTS) does a superb job here.
THE LATE SHIFT (DVD)
Grade: A +
Have a great week. Since I've been posting pretty regularly, I wil include all the posts since my last bigger blog so that the readers who only check from the mailing list don't miss one morsel of my juicy words.
Sorry there have been no new posts as of late. Unusually busy week.
But, thinking NIP/TUCK is sliding off a bit for its final season. This last episode with them having to bury a body again...not so much. Though I still think they're doing a better than expected final season.
Rewatched SALVADOR. What a great film. Maybe the best Oliver Stone movie ever?
Loving BORED TO DEATH. (I have one more to go.)
The GRAMMYS were weak.
DISTRICT 9 got a bunch of best pictures noms. Don't forget, you read it here first when I believe that recieved a big fat A PLUS from me. Great film.
More to tell.
Planning a really full post on Wed./Thu.
Stay tuned.
Sorry for the delay.
LOST (ABC)
I wanted to watch it. I watched the recap hour. Here's what I love about the show: almost everything. Except; if I'm to nitpick with the setup, here's what I still don't get:
1.) Why they ever returned to the Island. Besides Sun, who wants to see her husband alive, Jack seemed to return over a drinking problem. Hurely I still can't figure out. Kate returns because she thinks she may not be a good mother...folks, these are not reasons to return to an Island that is literally trying to kill you.
2.) They kind of LOST me with the whole idea of Jacob. It's a bit too out-there for me...but I will definitely put my quibbles away, enjoy the final season and allow the show to answer these questions in time. I do love LOST very much and I'm glad this is the final season so that they can go out in style and dignity, unlike say....(take your pick.)
24 (Fox)
I just watched the 4 hour two night premiere. Here are my quick thoughts. I think Freddie Prinze Jr. reminds me of when they brought The Rick Schroeder into NYPD Blue. Only Freddie seems to be humble about it and can actually act. "The Rick" was as fucking horrible as his bad NY accent. The idea that every major character would relocate to NYC on their own independant of each other just in time to join in on an adventure that starts the day they're all their...is kind of fucking ridiculous. That said - don't ask me why but it sorta works. Turning last year's Renee Walker's meek Federal Agent into a lunatic who's now somehow inexplicably had years and years of undercover training and serious ties into the Russian mob....I don't know. The whole thing really had a predictable vibe. How many shows start off with the Prez and some foreign national leader having "Historic talks" that can bring world peace? I also liked when Jack heard Renee Walker was going to be in the building (Because everyone is coming to NY by accident to go on an adventure together!!!) he tells Chloe "Don't let her know I'm in the building." She was in that building no more than 5 seconds before Jack came out and said "Hello." What a hiding job!
But again, this is 24, and just when you count it out, hour 4 suddenly got real interesting. Even though it had sort of a week beginning, I'm liking where this is going (I think) and looks like I'm jumping back in again. And Jack's daughter still can't act. Not even a little. But Jack Baeur, this is one of those times where the actor has so inhabited the role, he can make a lot of this work. I'm hoping for good things for what might be 24's last season run. (Although, if I'm going to predict here at all....I think next season will be its last and designed as such, as this series has frankly earned a wham bang final season.)
Grade: B + (there is lots of good will here)
Okay, there is a lot more here but cutting and pasting is taking too much time...if you want to see what you missed, just keep clicking on OLDER POSTS.
Digital Couch out.
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