I was an invited guest at Wednesday's Academy of Television Arts & Sciences dinner honoring new inductees into the Hall of Fame -- and it didn't dawn on me, until dawn the next morning, that I had forgotten to take notes. I was there because of, and to support, Tom and Dick Smothers, and just enjoyed the evening thoroughly. For a TV critic, historian and professor, the whole night was a dream...

2010

Jan

CONAN, TAKE 2: HERE'S MY OPINION PIECE FOR CNN.COM By David Bianculli

After posting my own Conan-Jay blog yesterday on TV WORTH WATCHING, CNN.com called and asked me to do one for them. So I did, and it's been posted. Was Conan screwed - and if so, by whom? Is Conan doing the right thing? And will NBC reverse course, or is Jay Leno the "new" Tonight Show host -- again?...

2010

Jan

NEWS FLASH: CONAN REFUSES NBC'S POST-MIDNIGHT "TONIGHT SHOW" OFFER By David Bianculli

Bill Carter of the New York Times, who wrote the authoritative "Late Shift" book about the previous late-night TV upheaval, has just written the latest chapter of an obvious sequel: Conan O'Brien has rejected NBC's offer to continue to host The Tonight Show, but in a 12:05 a.m. time slot...

2010

Jan

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER PRIME-TIME SHUFFLE: THIS TIME IT'S SIMON COWELL, LEAVING "AMERICAN IDOL" FOR HIS OWN FOX SERIES By David Bianculli

Beginning tonight at 8 ET on Fox, the ninth season of "American Idol" begins with a notable absence: from now on, no more Paula Abdul. What Fox announced yesterday, though, was a coming change of much more significant proportions: Simon Cowell will be leaving after this season, and launching his own talent-search series, an American variant of his British hit, "The X Factor", in fall 2011. And just like the latest Leno shuffle, this move has major TV implications...

2010

Jan

NBC CONFIRMS LENO MOVE, BUT TWO QUESTIONS REMAIN: WHITHER CONAN, AND WILL LENO'S LATE-NIGHT FANS RETURN? By David Bianculli

NBC confirmed Sunday that it's canceling the prime-time Jay Leno Show, and moving the former "Tonight Show" host back to his old 11:35 p.m. time slot. But one question is, will Conan O'Brien stay with The Tonight Show, and with NBC? And another question is, or ought to be: Will Leno have the same drawing power when he returns, or, as a prime-time flop, is he now damaged goods?...

2010

Jan

LENO RUMORED TO RETURN TO 11:30: NBC'S LATEST MORONIC MOVE By David Bianculli

How many colossal, crucial mistakes can one network make before its executives (in NBC's case, chiefly Jeff Zucker) pay the price for their own hubris and mismanagement? My guess: With Comcast coming in to merge with NBC-Universal, and with this latest rumored Jay Leno move, not many more...

2010

Jan

SMOTHERS BROTHERS BOOK UPDATE: MOSTLY GOOD NEWS, AND ONE MISSED OPPORTUNITY By David Bianculli

Lots of news to pass on today, starting with this: I just learned this morning that another New Jersey bookstore is hosting a signing and mini-lecture event for my Smothers Brothers book, this time in February (Thursday 18) at my neighborhood Barnes & Noble in Cherry Hill, NJ...

2010

Jan

COMING UP FOR FRESH AIR, I END UP DOING A LOT OF "FRESH AIR"... TODAY, GEORGE LUCAS! By David Bianculli

My first week of the New Year, what was supposed to be my first actual week off in about a decade (blame the book), has turned out to be a mini-marathon of guest hosting for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Terry has been sick, so I've been filling in - and today's show features my interview with George Lucas, which I recorded yesterday afternoon...

2010

Jan

MY SMOTHERS BROTHERS BOOK TOUR IS COMING SOON TO A CITY NEAR YOU -- BUT ONLY IF YOU LIVE IN NEW YORK OR NEW JERSEY... By David Bianculli

Happy New Year! This month brings a few more publicity events for my Dangerously Funny book on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. In January, I'm booked to appear at one Barnes & Noble, one Borders, one college campus and a synagogue... PLEASE come see me, if you're in one of these areas...

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