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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: late night host

late night host stories: 64 news summaries

1 - 20 of 64 Stories | 1 2 3 4 Next >>

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Ha. Ha.

 Hollywood's Least 
 Funny Comics 

These guys get no respect, and they deserve it

Nov 16, 09 1:40 PM CST
(Newser) - You rarely see Carrot Top or Gallagher anymore, but showbiz is still full of guys who just aren’t funny. Sarah Bell of Newsweek points out the worthiest tomato targets:
  • Larry the Cable Guy: A really, really poor man’s Jeff Foxworthy, minus any actual jokes.
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • television • Deal or No Deal • comedy • stand up comedy • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • Howie Mandel • Dane Cook • Larry the Cable Guy • Carlos Mencia • Jeff Dunham

TV REVIEW

Wanda Sykes Show: Working Hard, Hardly Working

Clichés drag down late-night debut

Nov 8, 09 3:59 PM CST
(Newser) - Viewers expecting something fresh and new out of The Wanda Sykes Show—as the unlikely combination of Fox and an African-American lesbian might seem to promise—were sorely disappointed, writes Ken Tucker . The comedian and actor "is terrific: at ease and bawdy," he writes for Entertainment Weekly. But... More »

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entertainment • television • late night talk show • late night host • Fox • Wanda Sykes • television review • The Wanda Sykes Show


 Leno: 'I Take 
 95% of Blame' 
 for Bad Press 

He talks The Jay Leno Show, NBC, David Letterman, and more

Nov 2, 09 10:31 AM CST
(Newser) - Amidst a firestorm of negative press surrounding The Jay Leno Show, Leno gives a candid interview to Broadcasting & Cable on the fate of his new gig—and whether he’d trade places with David Letterman. Highlights:
  • On the slot: “Would I have preferred
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • NBC • celebrity • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • The Jay Leno Show

NELL SCOVELL

 Ex-Staffer: 
 Letterman 
 Environment 
 'Demeaning' 

But not just because of sexual politics: It's time to hire female writers

Oct 27, 09 9:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Nell Scovell walked away from her dream job on Late Night with David Letterman thanks to the "hostile work environment" created by high-level male staffers having sex with their female employees. She writes about her experience in Vanity Fair—not to name names, but to point out... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • sexual harassment • celebrity • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • Late Night • Late Show

 Debate Rages 
 Over Leno 
 Move 

Is talk show helping NBC, or destroying it?

Oct 12, 09 9:46 AM CDT
(Newser) - Jay Leno’s primetime takeover has sparked furious debate in the TV business, as its ripple effects begin to be felt. Shows that thrived at 10pm, like Law & Order SVU, are dying in other slots; at least one, Southland, has been canceled outright. Anonymously, producers are calling the move... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NBC • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • primetime TV • Southland • The Jay Leno Show

10PM FALLOUT

 Jay Leno Kills Southland 

Cop drama left homeless without 10pm time slot

Oct 9, 09 1:52 PM CDT
(Newser) - NBC’s cop drama Southland was critically acclaimed and had great ratings, but the network has stopped production on the series and canned the episodes it already completed. The explanation: The show is too dark and gritty for 9pm. Why not just air it in its original time... More »

MORE ABOUT:
television • NBC • Jay Leno • late night host • primetime TV • Southland • The Jay Leno Show


 Leno's 
 Ratings 
 Tumble 

Real prime-time shows beat talk show every night

Oct 7, 09 1:31 PM CDT
(Newser) - Here’s one headline Jay Leno won’t want to read. Ever since the fall TV season began in earnest Sept. 21, the former king of late night has been getting his keister kicked in primetime. He’s finished in last place every single night, with his numbers falling steadily... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NBC • Nielsen Ratings • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • TV ratings • primetime TV • The Jay Leno Show

late night hot seat



 Letterman 
 Apologizes 
 to Wife on Air 

Late Night pauses for another round of confession

Oct 5, 09 5:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - David Letterman will use his opening monologue tonight to publicly apologize to his wife and his current and former colleagues, according to numerous audience members. "Wow, that weekend went fast," he joked before turning serious during this afternoon's taping, his first public appearance at the Ed Sullivan Theater... More »

MORE ABOUT:
late night talk show • late night host • infidelity • David Letterman • Steve Martin • Late Night • Regina Lasko • Robert Halderman • Stephanie Birkitt


 Not Guilty Plea 
 in Letterman 
 Shakedown 
 Scheme 

Fellow CBS employee makes bond after bail set at $200K

Oct 2, 09 3:40 PM CDT
(Newser) - A 48 Hours producer pleaded not guilty to attempted first-degree grand larceny today after allegedly trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman. The Late Night host was the target of an attempt to "destroy the reputation of Mr. Letterman and to submit him and his family to humiliation... More »

MORE ABOUT:
extortion • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • Late Night • grand larceny • Robert Halderman • shakedown

Letterman Paid for Assistant's Degree: Rumor

Host said to keep three to five young women
on staff at all times

Oct 2, 09 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) - David Letterman can be a great boss for certain special employees. In the case of Stephanie Birkitt, who once dated alleged blackmailer Robert Halderman, Letterman paid her way through college, Gawker reports, citing “the scuttlebutt on the set.” Birkitt was Letterman’s top assistant—the host employed at... More »

MORE ABOUT:
blackmail • extortion • affair • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • Regina Lasko • Late Show • Robert Halderman • Stephanie Birkitt

 Extortionist Dated 
 Letterman Staffer 
 Who Had Affair 

'48 Hours' producer slept around, former father-in-law says

Oct 2, 09 8:22 AM CDT
(Newser) - When David Letterman shocked last night's audience with his tale of blackmail—or as the New York Post calls it, sextortion—he left out the names of everyone else involved, but details are beginning to emerge. The man arrested in the case was Robert Joel Halderman, 57, an Emmy-winning producer... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • CBS • extortion • affair • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • Regina Lasko • Late Show • Robert Halderman

updated

 Letterman Reveals 
 Extortion Attempt 
 Over Office Sex  

After grand jury testimony, late-night host says con man wanted $2M,

Oct 2, 09 8:01 AM CDT
(Newser) - In a highly unusual moment during the taping of last night’s Late Show, David Letterman confessed to his studio audience that he had had sexual flings with female staffers on the show, and that they had become the basis for a $2 million extortion attempt by a CBS news... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • CBS • extortion • affair • late night host • David Letterman • sting operations • office workers • Regina Lasko • Late Show • Robert Halderman

political comedy


 Thank (or Blame) 
 Bush for Dave's 
 Left Turn 

Letterman veers from apolitical-leaning-right to full-on liberal

Sep 27, 09 4:11 PM CDT
(Newser) - The most telling thing David Letterman has said in a while may have been a brief comment he made last Monday, as he wrapped up an hour with President Obama: "I can't tell you how satisfying it is to watch you work," the famously crotchety Late Night ... More »

MORE ABOUT:
John McCain • CBS • late night talk show • late night host • Bob Dole • David Letterman • Late Night • Election 2008 • Iraq war • George W. Bush • Sarah Palin • McCain-Palin • President Obama

(Newser) - Conan O'Brien is home from the hospital after whacking his head during a Tonight Show stunt. "Conan is resting comfortably," said an NBC statement. "He is expected to return to work on Monday." Guest Teri Hatcher spilled details on the accident, which reportedly happened while the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NBC • late night host • Conan O'Brien • hospital • concussions • Tonight Show

 Obama on Letterman: 
 Funniest Moments 

The president sums up his thoughts on health care, and more from the interview

Sep 22, 09 6:52 AM CDT
(Newser) - Yes, there was that whole potato thing. But President Obama’s stint on Letterman included more funny moments, and Time runs down the top 10:
  • During Dave’s Top 10 list, the No. 2 reason why Obama agreed to appear on the show: “Said yes without thinking,
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • Barack Obama • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • President Obama

'late show' sneak peek

 'I Was Black Before the Election' 

Obama and Letterman tackle the tough topics, including potatoes

Sep 21, 09 5:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - President Obama's media blitz continues tonight on The Late Show With David Letterman, where he'll remind the host, "I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election." Snippets CBS released after this afternoon's taping reveal lighthearted moments and more serious stretches, as well... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • entertainment • television • Barack Obama • CBS • late night talk show • late night host • David Letterman • health care reform • Malia Obama • Sasha Obama • President Obama • Late Show • Ed Sullivan Theater

Analysis

Leno Ratings Doomed...as Is the Future of Network TV 

Ratings may stink, but bottom line will be strong for NBC

Sep 21, 09 11:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - No one expects the Jay Leno Show to maintain the pumped-up ratings it got this week—not even NBC. But the low-key talk show might represent the future of network TV anyway, simply because it’s so darn cheap, writes Brian Steinberg of Advertising Age. With viewers breaking... More »

MORE ABOUT:
NBC • Jay Leno • late night host • TV industry • network television • prime time • The Jay Leno Show

TV PREVIEW

 Jay Leno Show: 
 More of the Same 

Primetime debut likely won't stray far from late night formula

Sep 11, 09 2:45 PM CDT
(Newser) - Two writers for Comedy.com who infiltrated a test taping of the new Jay Leno Show found it “muddled and confusing,” and they say Leno continues to “be a big ladle serving us more imitation comedy gruel.” Some insights:
  • The studio: "Basically the
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • television • NBC • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • Tonight Show • Selma Blair • The Jay Leno Show

(Newser) - David Letterman is handily beating his new late-night rival, Conan O’Brien, in the ratings—just not in some of the key, younger demographics. And that’s due to his singular, quirky charms, writes Peter W. Kaplan in New York, calling Letterman the “last grown-up on network television.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • television • NBC • CBS • Jay Leno • late night talk show • late night host • Conan O'Brien • David Letterman • Sarah Palin • Late Show

Conan vs. Dave? Nightline's Beating Them Both

ABC launches ad campaign to tout its victory

Aug 31, 09 7:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - ABC is trying to remind America that it has a show on at 11:35, too. The network is launching a campaign touting Nightline's ratings, which, since Conan O’Brien’s Tonight Show takeover, have averaged 3.459 million viewers a night. That puts it on top of... More »

MORE ABOUT:
advertising • ABC • late night talk show • late night host • Conan O'Brien • David Letterman • TV ratings • TV industry • Nightline • Jay-ZTV

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