We have a load of new shows this week, at last, from Letterman, Ferguson and Fallon, though the Emmy-winning Daily Show and the Colbert Report both slip back into repeats. Next week, though, damn near everybody's back except Bill Maher, who returns Sept. 17. To celebrate the fresh guests this week, let's start with the trailer for... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango Aug. 23-27: Drew Barrymore, Justin Long and Christina Applegate? That’ll have to do
George Lopez, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and ... Nope, that's about it for hosts showing up for work this week. But a week on Letterman and the Daily Show alone can make up for a lot of absences. Los Lobos offer something off their new album, Ken Burns is promoting his new baseball... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango Aug. 16-20: Get past the repeats. Some hosts are showing up for work
More than half the slate this week is repeats. Hosts actually showing up for work are: George Lopez, Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Regis and Kelly. God bless yous all. LATE NIGHT Lopez Tonight (11 p.m. ET on TLN Videotron 250, Bell 700, Shaw 69 and 280) Monday: Jason Statham (The Expendables), Aubrey Plaza,... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango June 21-25: Michael Jackson, Cameron Diaz, Tom Cruise, Oprah’s couch
Got you calendar out? On Thursday, aka Fete St. Jean here in Quebec, Oprah remembers Michael Jackson. If that's not enough over-the-topedness for you, Oprah has Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on her live show Friday, which makes an even 6,000 publicity appearances to promote their new movie, Knight and Day. He'll be way too... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango June 14-18
Repeats be gone! Enjoy. LATE NIGHT Lopez Tonight (11 p.m. ET on TLN Videotron 250, Bell 700, Shaw 69 and 280) Monday: A-Team cast Bradley Cooper, Liam Neeson, Sharlto Copley, Quinton Jackson Tuesday: Tim Allen (Toy Story 3), Padma Lakshmi Wednesday: Karate Kid cast Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson Thursday: Rob Schneider (Grown... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango June 7-11: Goodbye Bonnie Hunt, but hello late, late late-night Cona O’Brien
Department of coming and going: TV giveth and taketh away. As you might already have heard, The Conan O'Brien Show has finally found its Canadian home: at 1 a.m. on CTVs starting in November. (1 a.m.? I already have two shows I don't make it through at 1 a.m., those being the Late Late Show... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango May 24-28: Sex and the City 2, Prince of Persia and Janelle Monae
Welcome back chickens. Yes, if this is Monday, it's still the weekend, but welcome back nonetheless. I still have a bit of a Lost hangover and no, I don't understand what it all means either. But one thing I do know: You should meet Janelle Monae. She's a Sean Combs discovery, which is of little... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango May 17-21
Right here is where I usually try to craft some fun or pithy words in hopes you'll read the rest of the post, but this flu is sucking the life outta me and it's upfronts week, meaning the networks are unveiling their fall TV lineups in hopes of attracting advertisers. I'll be adding a few... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango May 10-14: Jimmy Fallon grants Exile to Rolling Stones
The highlight this week will definitely be Jimmy Fallon's week-long celebration of the great Rolling Stones's classic album Exile on Main Street, which is being reissued with newly discovered tracks on May 18 (including Plundered My Soul, the video of which is atop this page). Every night, Fallon has guests performing tracks from the album,... Continue Reading →
Talk-show tango May 3-7: Jay Leno says thank god the weekend’s over
It was a pretty tough weekend for Jay Leno, the returned king of the Tonight Show. Not only did Conan O'Brien put the boots to him on 60 Minutes (here is a very good all-round catchup of the whole O'Brien-Leno-NBC scuffle, with old video links as well as an excerpt from O'Brien's 60 Minutes interview),... Continue Reading →