Add Brian Williams to the List

There are a few people who, when they appear on any of the late night talk shows, are must see. When I find out they are to be on Dave or Fallon if I am not able to be up I make sure to set up a Tivo recording.

On that list for me are Bill Murray, Bill Cosby, Micheal J Fox, Regis Philbin and Jungle Jack Hanna. There are others who from time to time become something you must see, these folks are people that no matter what they are promoting, or even not promoting, you must see the show.

Brian Williams now must be added the list. He is intelligent on any subject and is remarkably funny. On tonight's David Letterman show Williams did his Regis impression and it, incredibly, it is dead on. As Dave and he talked about the unfortunate incident that Al Roker has been all over the news discussing recently he made this quip " That hasn't happened in the West Wing since Nixon found out he had to release the tapes." Pretty clever stuff.

One of my favorite people: Brian Williams

The Kennedy Center Honors

Widely touted as the best Awards show each year this seasons Kennedy Center Honors broadcast aired the day after Christmas on CBS. As our family was still in the midst of holiday travel our blessed TIVO allowed me to tape this.

As usual this years broadcast featured an interesting group ranging from legendary guitarist Buddy Guy, actor Dustin Hoffman, ballerina Natalia Makarova, talk show host David Letterman and the legendary rock act Led Zeppelin.

On this awards show the inductees do not perform, they do not even speak. They are spoken to, and about, their work is showcased, and in the case of musicians often performed. This can lead to some moments you will not find on other programs.

The actual event is usually a couple of weeks before airing and consists of about three hours, therefore the broadcast at two hours is an edited version of the show. Trying to respect all honorees but pay attention to the audience viewing our ballerina honoree while getting about fifteen minutes did receive short shrift on the broadcast.

Dustin Hoffman was praised for his immense body of work. Looking at Hoffman in a couple of his early movies like The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy and it is easy to see how this man never allowed himself to be typecast. Over recent years we may have forgotten the brilliance of Hoffman's acting but a review of his past work puts that to rest. His presentation also convinced me that I have to view his performance as Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman.

Buddy Guy is an incredible guitar player. Being one of the artists that is more well known in the music community than in the real world has it's advantages, but still it is a shame someone with his talents never found mass appeal. For those who sing and appreciate the blues however Guy is a legendary. A clip of Guy performing with The Rolling Stones years ago and being presented at the end with Keith Richards guitar as if Richards is saying he cannot compete was special to see. I myself remember watching Guy perform with Jeff Beck at the recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anniversary concert, the man is amazing. At 76 years old we can all be thankful that this amazing talent has received one of the highest honers a performer can gain while he is still with us to enjoy it.

Anyone who knows me is aware of my fondness for David Letterman. I love the man and his show. For much of the last ten years Dave has consistently come in second to nobody's friend Jay Leno. It does seem odd to me that this man of the Midwest should lose the ratings in the heartland while Jay Leno an East Coast boy living on the West Coast can with his bland style of humor and interviewing win the mass audience. I'm not bitter though and one guesses Dave is not either. He was visibly touched by this award and in being honored by Ray Romano and Jimmy Kimmel along with countless other of today's talent in spirit Dave is firmly entrenched as today's equivalent of Johnny Carson. This is fitting as Dave revered Johnny and still mists up when he talks of the night Johnny called him over to the couch after his performance. This is the " big breakthrough" for a young comedian, Ellen DeGeneres talks about how it happened for her as well, and it is very rare. It sent Dave on his way. When the men speaking tribute to Dave tell him that as much as Johnny meant to him he means to them it is pretty moving.

Ending the show was the induction of the incomparable Led Zeppelin. Jack Black was in his glory as he spoke of the band, it's influence on him and as he attested " everyone here except those who are here for the ballerina lady." Certainly they have had their influence on both me and my teenage son. The music is really timeless and a great joy of mine has been seeing my son go through his Zeppelin phase. I have even written previously about that transfer of loyalties from a father to a son. Zeppelin was formed in the late sixties around former Yardbirds guitarist Jimmy Page and was met with universal criticism and universal popularity at the same time. It took a long time for music critics to switch sides with Zeppelin, when they were staging the worlds biggest tour in 1975 to support their sixth album, all had been multiple platinum, Physical Graffiti John Paul Jones, their bassist, heard a radio Deejay ripping them and called in to complain. Whether they admitted it or not, as popular as they were, the criticism hurt and wounded. Still the fame, private airplanes, millions, and the attention of countless women will ease the pain of that one supposes. The band ruled the album charts for years and still sells a million of albums a year off its back catalog. When the band, sans drummer Jon Bonham who died in 1980, booked a charity reunion show in 2007 over four million people placed their names in a lottery for tickets. Still it appears they may be the last holdout of the great dinosaur bands of that fruitful period of the late sixties and early seventies, thus far they have resisted all overtures to have one last gobsmacking world tour. The performance that honored the band was a showstopper indeed with Kid Rick and Lenny Kravitz both taking turns fronting a band as Zeppelin songs were performed. Still without a doubt the showstopper, the moment you will remember, was the performance of the legendary song Stairway to Heaven. The song was performed by Ann and Nancy Wilson until about halfway through as small group of about ten to fifteen folks joined them for harmonies as the song sped up. Then about halfway through the song and the curtain went up for an amazing scene, a full orchestra and choir. The performance became spectacle, albeit spectacle in a very not Led Zeppelin kind of way. The camera panned to the band members high above the stage, Page his hair pure white in a ponytail looking like he belongs in a fine wine commercial was thrilled while Jones, still looking youthful was obviously pleased. The reaction that strikes though was Plant's. Ornery probably would be a generous word to describe the bands lead singer, cantankerous might fit better. Plant at his advanced age looks like a character out of The Hobbit, with long curly locks of must be dyed hair, wrinkles and bags around his eyes that if lines are character make him venerable indeed, Plant was stunned silent as the choir appeared. Wiping tears from his eyes and smiling to Page's nods to him one hopes that Mr. Plant found a peace in his popularity that bypassed all the hurtful things said about the band. Finishing up the touches was at the end of the song seeing Jason Bonham, who sat in on drums that performance in 2007 in his fathers stead, and who also played during the Stairway performance here, stand and salute his " uncles" as it were. It would be a harder man than me not to feel the emotion in that room.

So for another year the Kennedy Honors are complete and each year the show keeps getting better. One might assume that the older one gets the more they enjoy the show, which by then will be honoring the heroes of ones youth. It might well be true.

Pete Townsend on David Letterman

Pete Townsend was on David Letterman last night promoting his new auto biography. I have to say that with a reputation as being a bit of a hard case I was surprised to find him very charming, demonstrative, and overall an excellent interview. Letterman himself seemed surprised to see Pete so willing to tell stories and anecdotes including a very funny discussion of Keith Richards and his inadvertent origination of the Townsend windmill guitar move as well when Keith Moon blew up his drum kit and set Pete's hair on fire, literally.

Who fans, Stones fans, even just David Letterman fans should get online and view this clip.

Searching for Sugar Man by Rodriguez

Over the last couple of months perhaps the biggest story in music has been the reemergence of the Detroit singer songwriter Rodriguez. When we say reemergence we really mean it in this case.

In 1970 and 71 the singer released two folk rock, singer-songwriter, albums that, while expected to prove he would be the next big thing, fell flat. Soon he was released from his record label and to almost everyone fell into obscurity. What has precipitated this return. Well the truth is stranger than fiction. He never really went away. In the late seventies and eighties by one of those strange instances that no one can explain the music of Rodriguez caught fire in South Africa where he became incredibly popular. Slowly an acknowledgment of his music filtered back to the United States. While this happened incredibly an urban myth came about that he was dead, some said that he had even died on stage.

This summer a documentary movie, of which this is the soundtrack, was released to stunning reviews. Roger Ebert for one called it mesmerizing. The story of one fan that loved his music the first time around and his desire to find out what happened to Rodriguez. I have not seen the movie, it has not been in my area. I do look forward to seeing it however.

I saw the singer on The David Letterman Show and the man is interesting. Looking like a weathered Carlos Santana and at least 70 years old, the man still can hold an audience spellbound. He can sing and his songs are as fresh and clean today as they were 40 years ago.

At the time he was called the new Dylan, what a curse that was for many, but the truth is his music is spellbinding and it is fresh, unlike most of the music of that era it has not been played to the point of wishing you never heard it again. When listening to Rodriguez I hear a mixture of Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan. The voice similar to Stevens but the lyrics much more like Dylan's.

When listening to this soundtrack you do not have to go far without just shaking your head with a silent Wow. How does this happen. How does someone who write songs this good, sing this movingly, stay obscure for forty years. It is something it is hard to comprehend.

The whole album is strong. The title cut stars the album well but the songs that will astound you are Crucify Your Mind and Cause. The rest of the album is strong, I Wonder and Like Janis makes it a plethora of riches but those two songs are all you need to know that sometimes great talents is never recognized. Fortunately for us Rodriguez is still with us and as he is giving concerts in small halls around the country the general consensus is that we are lucky to have found him before it is too late.

This album will be on all The Top Ten Lists at the end of the year, except the billboard of course. That in itself might signify how something like this happens.

Jack Hanna on David Letterman

I have written on this subject before but have to again. I have had a hard couple of days. Not feeling well and frustrated with the constant issues with my health.

Last night however I woke my wife up laughing between 1130 and 1230. Why? Jack Hanna was on David Letterman. This never fails to make me smile. My wife does not really get it, she thinks that Mr. Hanna might be a little loopy.

For me the interplay between the two is like watching a vaudeville team. Letterman needles Hanna, asking him dumb questions while Hanna attempts to handle wild cats or birds. For me it is one of the funniest things on television.

Hanna, either in character or actuality really is funny. Befuddled is a word that constantly comes to mind in describing him. Last night he said in an exasperated voice to Dave " I can't know everything about every kind of animal out here when I bring out ten animals. " In itself that is funny, he is after all Jungle Jack Hanna, shouldn't he know.

Then when it seems Hanna is ready to snap in frustration Dave says something comparing the use of the camel in cultures where it is prevalent with the many uses the American Indians had for the buffalo and Hanna's jaw drops and says "Dave that is a very powerful statement."

Some things as my Mom used to say " just tickle your funny-bone." For me Jack Hanna and David Letterman together are can't miss television.

American Masters : Johnny Carson

I should say that this review will be in no way objective. It would be impossible for me to do so because I revere Johnny Carson. I am sure that the fact that I grew up at a time when Johnny was the King of Late Night would make that a likely scenario but for me Johnny was more than a late night host.

I always had trouble sleeping as a kid. As a teenager I did what most teenagers did in the summer. I stayed up late. Remembering that I grew up in a rural town there was no cable television. The choices for late night programming were minimal. Even if there had been choices once you watched Johnny it was just Johnny you wanted to watch.

For me being the last child of parents who were Senior Citizens, as much as they were good to me, could sometimes be a lonely experience. They were tired. So being up late at night was a solitary affair. When I think of the times that my son comes down late at night from doing homework and watches a bit of Letterman with me I wish I could have had those moments with my Dad.

Being a solitary affair however made Johnny Carson my late night guest. Johnny was funny but more importantly he was just dependable. He was there. Johnny made the kind of wry humor that I enjoy. A play on words or a double meaning made a teenager feel more mature than he really was. The most important thing about Carson was the steadiness. It was so hot today, That lady is so fat and other dependable ask and answer parts of the monologue.

If I told you that I can still remember certain jokes such as when the Air Traffic Controllers struck Johnny said " They were so desperate for help that Ronald McDonald was in the tower helping land planes." It does not seem that funny now but at the time it was. That was the joy of Carson. Watching Johnny be amused made something funny. His laughter was sometimes as funny as whatever made him laugh.

For me Karnac the Magnificent was perhaps the ultimate segment I enjoyed. Again watching Johnny smirk as he loaded up a good one always increased the anticipation. Is it odd that 30 years later I remember this joke. Answer : Cis Boom Bah. Question : The Sound It Makes When a Sheep Explodes. And you have to remember that after this Johnny was in tears, he could not pull himself together.

The monologues were perfected by Carson. The precursor to Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, David Letterman, all comic who review the news and headlines for comedy Carson was the best, his mannerisms, from the Jack Benny school will never be bettered.

A few weeks ago a reference was made to Johnny on Letterman, and I love Letterman, and Paul and the band kicked into the Carson theme song. It brings back so many memories, even the multicolored curtains that Johnny would come through are solidified in my brain as if it were yesterday. Hi Ho and the Golf Swing. Johnny's impact on popular culture may not be understood by people who have come of age in the last twenty years but for all of us who grew up in that thirty year window of Johnny we know that he was was a gigantic figure.

So for PBS to do a tribute to Carson as part of it's Masterpiece Series was a great choice. The retrospective was very good. Comments from today's comedians, tributes from friends. We learned that Johnny lived his whole life feeling like he was never good enough for his Mother. After his Mom died he found a box of clippings that she had kept of his publicity and he kept that box in his closet in his bedroom for the rest of his life. It seemed he had made his Mom proud.

Carson had marital troubles, three divorces and evidently he might have been estranged from wife number four when he died. Truthfully I did not need to know these items. For me Johnny was not the person he was off the air, he was my friend late at night.

Watching Drew Carey choke up talking about his first time on the Carson show, watch Ellen talk about being asked over to the desk on her first visit to the show and Garry Shandling break into tears talking about when he heard the news that Carson had died you get a sense of the love and admiration he had from these people.

From me as well. I remember when he died,against all reason it was as if a friend or a treasured uncle had died.

We will never have a barometer of popular culture like we had in Johnny. We are too splintered. Johnny held us together.

He was and always will be The King of Late Night




S

Mika Brzezinski on David Letterman

I have to admit something. My wife, I am pretty sure, already knows this but I have to admit publicly that I have a crush on Mika Brzezinski. I am sure that says something about me, not all of it I am sure allows me to stay in the he man club.

Mika as some know is the cohost of the Morning Joe program on MSNBC and plays the Democrat to Joe's Conservative. Her father is Zbigniev Brzezinski who was President Carter's National Security Adviser, who in fact often appears on the show as a guest.

Mika is incredibly intelligent, politically minded and engaged, a Democrat but not a knee jerk liberal and possessed of a very wry sense of humor. She broke with the administration and expressed dismay over the Catholic church as employer being forced to provide birth control and can often take the left to task. Much like Joe she is a member of her party but shows respect and the ability to appreciate the other sides opinion.

When you are 47 and you list intelligence as the most attractive thing about a woman you know you have aged. She is attractive but not in a typical way. Bottle blond and with wrinkle lines when she smiles she is a grown up.

So now that I have confessed this I want to talk about her appearance on Dave last night. Interestingly she was obviously nervous. I find it interesting that any one, herself included, who handles with such aplomb Presidential candidates and international figures would be nervous being interviewed by David Letterman. I guess it just goes to show that anyone taken out of their normal environment can change.

I watch Morning Joe most every day. I respect Scarborough, find him intelligent and rational, but I think that Mika with her sense of humor, enormous wit and intelligence, and her lone female in the boys club ability to fend for herself is the star of the show. A modern woman who recently wrote a book about women in the workplace and pay equity amongst other issues Mika is a role model for our daughters. A woman, respectful of her church, but willing to question when she feels necessary, attractive without being objectified, incredibly intelligent and conversant in the issues of the world and a mother and family woman as well who by all accounts is able to maintain a work life balance. And she has a great relationship with her father filled with respect and obvious affection.

Yes Mika is the star of the Morning Joe show, underrated as the glue that holds the show together but also an incredibly strong role model for women, especially young women, everywhere.

The Return of Ron Burgandy?

For those of you reading this and who understand the significance of the question mark it is very likely that the news has found it's way to you already today. Last night on Conan O' Brien Ron Burgundy made a surprise announcement that a new movie will be released telling more of his life story.

Yes it is true. Will Ferrell, appearing as possibly his biggest character, Anchorman Ron Burgandy made a guest appearance with Conan last night. Playing his flute as he entered Burgandy wasted no time advisng Conan that he " looked awful " and looked like someone stuck " an orange wig on a skeleton."

As funny as that was we soon learned the real reason for the visit. Later this year the sequel will begin filming with a planned 2013 release. Sequels usually are not as good as the original. This movie however will have one thing going for it. Having such a cult following the movie has grown to have a large fan-base that the opening alone is all but guaranteed to be huge.

Ferrell is incredibly funny. He has, apparently no limits to what he will do for a laugh. Physical comedy is a specialty but Ferrell also does imitations, stereotypes and political humor. He has become what I call a big event comedian. His visits to a late night show are, for example, not ones to miss. Like Bill Murray on Letterman, Ferrell on Conan is a cannot miss. Who will ever forget his appearance as a Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band leader on the last Conan episode at The Tonight Show.

Look forward to the movie and anytime you need a laugh check out Ferrell's website Funny or Die. You will always find something worth a laugh out loud.

The return of Ron Burgandy? One more reason for us all to love lamp.

Kevin Spacey on David Letterman

Last week Kevin Spacey appeared one night as an unannounced guest on David Letterman. I like Spacey but I was not aware of how strong his impressions were. Twice he appeared on stage and did his best Johnny Carson.

Spacey has the voice, did the golf club swing and then we heard Paul and the band go into The Tonight Show theme.

It was very enjoyable. Moments like this make me aware of as much as I love Letterman we all miss Johnny. He was the absolute best. Watching a documentary on Bill Clinton last week we saw a clip of Clinton appearing on Carson after his diasterous 1988 convention speech. Clinton saved his career that night. Carson just did what he always did. He was the perfect host.

Kevin Spacey reminded me of how much we miss Johnny Carson.

Jack Hanna on David Letterman

At my house we watch Dave most of the time. Must see viewing time however is when Jack Hanna is on. Back to the days of Carson the late night hosts have had animal experts on and these segments always prove popular.

Jack Hanna is an interesting individual. My wife in watching it with me, she is usually in bed so was not familiar with the segment, and asked if Hanna was intelligent. He, by my token, is intelligent but the interplay with him and Dave is quite funny as Hanna surely gets flustered.

Dave is very adept at the comedy that comes from the unpredictability of animal segments. This past Monday Hanna got bit which does not sound funny but was. These segments are funny, I find them as most enjoyable, can't miss television.

Politcally Incorrect

Bill Maher has returned for another season of his HBO show. Maher is well known for his pro pot, anti religion, can you believe these guys on the right, sense of humor.

At times I find him quite funny but at other times I think that he, like most current comedians, lean on crudity and lewdness in exchange of well worded humor.

Still Maher does have good guests, usually a wide range of entertainers, politicians and others. Most of his guests are from the left side of the spectrum but not all and those from the right who go on deserve extra credit for being willing to suffer Maher's gaze.

This is a worthy show. One I enjoy. Still anyone who thinks what he is doing is harder than what comedians who have to work inside boundaries and still be funny would be wrong. The more lines are around you the harder it is to be funny. Bill Maher's success at what he does should make us appreciate the Jon Stewart's and David Letterman's even more.

Bill Cosby on Jimmy Fallon

Last night I was reading late in the living room. My son joined me about 12:30 as he had been preparing for finals. As per normal when David Letterman was over I switched over to NBC and Jimmy Fallon.

A great night to see the show as Bill Cosby was the guest. Cosby must be at least 75 now and he looks like one of those men whose features have never stopped growing. Cosby is a large man. He has big hands, a big head, big ears and an enormous nose. And he still may be the funniest man on the planet.

Cosby features are stretchable like the jello he used to do advertisements for. Last night Cosby told a routine about joining the army, and the horrors of basic training and how they fueled his desire for education. Having not been a good student as he passed through high school this was a challenge for him.

The fact is that Cosby can talk about anything and be funny. Fallon in his role as Superfan which comes so naturally to him appeared as excited, perhaps more so, than you or I would be.

Perhaps the best part of the performance was that my son watched it with me. Cosby, who works clean, made my son laugh. His exposure to Cosby is mostly in passing and of the famous Bill Cosby. Last night my son learned how funny a person could be just being funny. No profanity, no insulting, just simple stories told in a way that made them fall down funny.

Cosby is a legend for all the right reasons. Anytime he is scheduled to be on television we would all be wise to watch.

Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

When I first heard this song when I was kid the song seemed as much a novelty as anything else. I did not know who Warren Zevon was and it really was years before I did. Over the last ten to fifteen years however Warren Zevon has become a strong presence in my rock and roll hierarchy.

Zevon's performances on Letterman were legendary. He wrote a book, admitting that he has whole gaps of time in the seventies and eighties that he does not remember. When he found out he had terminal cancer he recorded an album called The Wind that includes some heartbreaking songs including a version of Knockin' on Heaven's Door. His last appearance on David Letterman could bring tears, especially when he gave Dave a guitar.

Zevon was a talent, an underrated one. Lawyers, Guns, and Money, Excitable Boy, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner were all great early songs but the song that most of us were first introduced to him with was Werewolves of London.

London is a song you can sing along with, it is a song which we all have known the words to for years and years. A song that even now when it comes on the radio you stop scanning, that you turn up the volume...Werewolves is one of those songs.

Owwoooo...we miss you Warren Zevon. My Ride's Here was an Ironic album near the end of your career before you knew you were sick. We wish you missed that ride for a few more years but are thankful for all that you left us.

Brian Williams on David Letterman

I write about my man crush on Brian Williams everytime he makes an appearnace on Fallon or Letterman but I am going to do it again tonight. Appearing as the only guest on Dave tonight Williams was on his game. Simply put this man is funny, not just funny but with a sense of wry humor that never fails to make me laugh.

Tonight Dave made him do his Regis Philbin impression. Perhaps he is so funny because of the contrast between serious newsman and what he does with Dave. That said he is a smart and funny man. For me his appearnces on Dave or Fallon are Must See TV

Lisa Lampinelli on David Letterman

Last night Lisa Lampinelli made her first appearance in her long career on The David Letterman show. She is a funny lady but her brand of crude humor is often not what one would find on Dave.

Dave seems to like odd funny but not especially crude funny. Still Lampinelli was funny, skewering both Letterman and Paul Schaffer.

Dave seemed a little uncomfortable and indeed a few of her comments were squirm inducing. It will be interesting to see if she is invited back.

Regis Philbin Retires

I love Regis. I have written about this before but with his " retirement " it is a subject to visit on again. The question is what is it about Regis that we love for certainly I am not the only person to regret his leaving his show.

He is cranky. It seems everyone has a Regis impression and most of them include him being grumpy. So why do we love him.

I think I like him because he is who I could see myself being. In another life that is. Out to dinner everynight, name dropping on his show but truly one of the more positive people you will meet.

Moreover there is something about the chemistry he had with Kelly Ripa. I saw both shows and perhaps it is my increased age but I found the show to be much better with Kelly than Kathy Lee Gifford. Perhaps because with Kelly it is clearly Regis that is in control of the show.

Regis lives his fans. Regis is a great guest. David Letterman loves to have him on his shown.

Regis is just someone that you would like to talk to. To have dinner with. Can you say a much better thing about an entertainer.

The X Factor

Having watched three editions of this new Simon Cowell led enterprise I think we have a pretty clear picture of what it is and what it is not.

With Simon and Paula Abdul, some fellow responsible for acts such as Justin Bieber, and a rotating fourth judge this show is not different from Idol in any significant way.

It is my understanding that the format might change once the show is down to the chosen artists. Taking a cue from The Voice perhaps each judge will be responsible for a select group of contestants. That will bring some good interactions and might be enjoyable to watch.

Still these shows are singing shows and people who watch tune in to see and hear that. It is easy to be cynical about these shows and indeed at times I find myself being so. Then however a person comes on stage and everything changes. Last night an unkempt gentleman from Ohio, thirty years old, rattily dressed and stating his Mom drove him because she would like to see him do something with his talent. He currently slings burritos as he put it.

The man told Simon he would be singing " At Last" a song Simon has stated he would like to see banned from proposed song lists. The man opened his mouth and it was magic. What a voice. What a gift. Will that translate to success in the later parts of the show. We cannot know. Still moments like that are why these shows are successful. Unlike much of what we see on television occassionally you can be surprised and uplfted by success from an unlikely place.

Paula Abdul got frustrated with David Letterman last week when he insisted that the show was really not different from Idol. The truth is, it is not but anyone who has seen the ratings would want to explain why it should be. This show will be successful.

The only possible concern is that with these shows X Factor and Idol now on back to back is will there be an eventual burnout amongst the core audience.