More important things than politics.

[Sefton]

Frankly - I prefer politics!

Maybe too much "Jay Letterman O'brien" is the cause of our societal debacle. If we had that kind of interest in politics and political debate we wouldn't have allowed such a downward spiral. Perhaps we've made television comedy an escape from the responsibilities of a free people and are about to pay the price.

If you think I'm obtuse; I didn't watch the Superbowl either!

-dixon cannon

Watching the Superbowl while obtuse could be dangerous as you might fall out of your chair.

 

[Sefton]

Television is the opiate of the masses.

You must have the greatest ever cable package. I only have PBS, which is more like the Pabst Blue Ribbon of the masses or maybe a weak cosmopolitan (Charlie Rose).

 

[Nighthawk]

No one can ever beat Tom Snyder and Dick Cavett.

I should add that I can't stand Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert, but Bill Maher is often funny.

NH

 

[Feraud]

T.V. Party tonight!

- Black Flag

 

[Matt Deckard]

Television is the opiate of the masses.

And I thank god for every channel we have.

 

[just_me]

No one can ever beat Tom Snyder and Dick Cavett.

I should add that I can't stand Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert, but Bill Maher is often funny.

NH

Bill Maher is back tonight. :eusa_clap

I was misinformed. he won't be back until Feb. 20.

 

[Tomasso]

Bill Maher is back tonight. :eusa_clap

*yucky*

 

[John Boyer]

Bill Maher is back tonight. :eusa_clap

Make that two.....*yucky* *yucky*

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Make that two.....*yucky* *yucky*

But El Rushbo ("with talent on loan from God") is o.k., right?

.

 

[John Boyer]

But El Rushbo ("with talent on loan from God") is o.k., right?

.

Well, I don't care for him either. How about Drew Carey? We can agree on that can't we? John

 

[Tomasso]

El Rushbo

.

That's Maher's counterpoint on the right. Equally repulsive, to my palate. Mind you, I really liked Maher's ABC show, before he took sides. These pep rallies leave me cold.

 

[WH1]

Armed Forces Network shows Leno, Letterman, Conan and Ferguson one after another and it is interesting to contrast their styles on a regular basis.

I personally have become a fan of Craig Ferguson above all of the others. Being a transplanted Scotsman who recently became an American citizen his insights into the american culture are usually very interesting. Reminds me of Alistar Cooke, in that he points out our cultural foibles but obviously believes in the possibilities of America.

 

[RondoHatton]

Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Joe Pyne. Didn't Mort Sahl host a show, or was he so frequent a guest on other's it seemed that way? Otherwise, Zzzz Zzzz Zzzz.

 

[just_me]

Bill Maher is back tonight. :eusa_clap

Edited to say, I was misinformed. He won't be back until Feb. 20.

 

[Senator Jack]

Does anyone remember the morning Letterman show? I actually used to cut class to watch that program. Thank God it got cancelled else I would have failed biology. Letterman was hilarious in those day and that carried over for about the first five years of Late Night when they were doing things like the 180 show, the tiger cam, and had Larry Bud and Chris Eliot around. What was great about the early days was that no celebrities wanted to be on it so he was stuck with acts like Kamaar the Discount Magician (who lives in my neighborhood somewhere - his flyers are still around). Then all of a sudden it got hip and everyone wanted to be on it so it became unwatchable. Yet, if you can get millions of people to tune in to a show despite Paul Schaffer's presence, you must be doing something right.

 

[LizzieMaine]

I used to watch the morning Letterman show -- I was working nights then, and would get up and turn this on without any idea what it was, and the first time I saw it, I figured it was some kind of new, weird local thing. We'd had a guy on one of the local channels for years, Eddie Driscoll, who'd done everything from kiddie shows to "Dialing for Dollars," while at the same time sending them up -- and Dave seemed like a young hipster version of him.

Years later I'd tell people I'd seen this show, and they told me I had to be making it up, so I'm glad there's at least someone else out there who remembers it.

 

[Senator Jack]

I figured it was some kind of new, weird local thing.

That's hilarious. It was such a weird combination for a show: part talk show, part comedy, part newscast: on the half hour, venerable newscaster Edwin Newman would come on all serious with the latest. Rich Hall was also a regular. HIs schtick was taking plastic farm animals and making them bounce around in a stereo speaker. I couldn't imagine what middle America was thinking when they saw this show. Now I know.

 

[LizzieMaine]

That's hilarious. It was such a weird combination for a show: part talk show, part comedy, part newscast: on the half hour, venerable newscaster Edwin Newman would come on all serious with the latest. Rich Hall was also a regular. HIs schtick was taking plastic farm animals and making them bounce around in a stereo speaker. I couldn't imagine what middle America was thinking when they saw this show. Now I know.

Driscoll did exactly this type of local morning show around 1977-78, only he was wearing a loud check sport coat and plastic novelty buck teeth while doing it.

 

[Senator Jack]

Check coats and plastic buck teeth. Okay, now I have a mission to find archive footage of that.

 

[KY Gentleman]

I've become so tired of late night shows (all of them) making snarky political quips and comments I haven't watched any of them since the election.
I realize political humor is the engine that drives these shows but I'm DONE.
I want some mindless entertainment for awhile, you know?