Conference ljsrv1::tv_chatter

    I could only stand to watch the first half hour.  The Goldie Hawn
    "interview" consisted of reminiscences from their moviemaking days
    together--but it was forced and uncomfortable, like a pair of former
    Significant Others thrown together and trying way too hard to have a
    good time.  THEN it got worse: Goldie, from a distance of maybe 15",
    told Chevy to keep a straight face and then sang him "Look at that
    face, just look at it...", playing it straight.  Awkward and
    embarrassing.
    
    Then they embarrassed Goldie's son, whose birthday it was, by hitting
    him with a spot and Chevy delivering a huge sheet cake--with a pratfall
    destroying the cake.  Stagehand came out with a replacement cake,
    delivered to Birthday Boy's lap, making it impossible for him to comply
    with Goldie & Chevy's request of the audience to stand and dance (to
    some too-slow, impossibly tired old jingle).
    
    *CLICK*
    
    Leslie

    >THEN it got worse: Goldie, from a distance of maybe 15"
    
            More like 5".
    
    Did you also notice how nervous Chevy was, loosing his breath,
    stuttering, etc., etc...
    
    At the end of the show, Whoopie called Goldie back out and "made it
    clear" that "This is Goldie" "I'm Whoopie".
    She said people are always coming up to her and calling her (Whoopie)
    Goldie.  
    I think Chevy must have called her Goldie at some time before the show
    & she didn't like it at all.
    
    Anybody else se the whole show?  What'd you think?
    
    John.
    

If this show lasts longer than Dennis Miller's, I'll be flabbergasted.  The
show has a lot of things going for it:

	bumping Arsenio in a lot of markets

	starting at 11pm, to get a jump on Jay and Dave

However, there is no masking a pretty bad show...  

I watched the debut as well, and instead of laughing at/with Chevy, I felt real
sorry for him, watching him bomb...

-Ron-

    Here is another Chase fan who felt the show stunk so bad I had to shut
    it off.....I taped it but have since tapped over it.  
    
    Chevy is a skit 'artist' not an interviewer and it seems this 'late
    night spot' needed someone strong on both counts.  Seems Conan Obriens
    people had the right idea - let him start late after a few of his
    competition have cancelled themselves out before OBrien leaves the
    starting gate.
    
    Joyce
    

    
    
    I think the show will evolve with more skits and less talk. I caught
    (fridays ?) show . He showed a tape of him working his "day job" in
    a hollywood wax museum. As people would enter his room, he'd come to
    life and scare the unsuspecting tour goers. I thought it was funny.
    Especially when you saw how high some of the people jumped. 
    
     I wouldn't judge his success soley on his 1st show, as it's obvious
    that he still needs to shape the show into something that he's
    comfortable with, and can be funny with.
    
     Friday's show also had his guest Kathleen Turner involved in one of
    his mini skits. My guess is that he'll try to get more guest
    participation into some mini skits or pranks. after all, you can only
    watch so much talk. If he can offer alternative entertainment, he'll
    stand a shot. 
    
    Bob

    Yeah, but the singin' heads need to go!
    
    I was so uncomfortable witht the first show that I was overwhelmed
    with sadness and embarrassment for Chevy.  You could tell that Goldie
    was feeling the pain as well and and tried to cheer her friend, Chevy
    up.  I've caught a couple other shows and am convinced he is doing
    better but not great.
    
    Did I hear somewhere that he bought the Chevy Chase Theater with his 
    own money?
    
    Jodi- 

    Just heard last night (10-17) that the Chevy Chase show is officially
    cancelled, effective immediately.  Reason (surprise!) -- poor ratings.
    Personally, I think Chevy was good on the old Sat Night Live and in a
    couple of his movies (National Lampoon Vacation, mainly) but as a talk
    show host, I have never seen anyone more terrible.  He just wasn't cut
    out for hosting a talk show.  I don't know for sure, but this sudden
    cancellation was a bit abrupt.  I don't think Chevy had so much as a
    farewell show.  Could it be Fox is too embarassed even for that?
    
    Too bad.  Next to fall, I predict -- Arsenio.  Then it will be between
    Jay and Dave.  I won't comment who I think will win that one... 

    I just can't figure out *why* they gave him a talk-show. Must be a
    commentary on how bad tv is when obviously some tv executive thought
    he'd be good at it. (that exec ought to be "cancelled" too)
    
    Ken

  Because he's had major success in the past. 

  Chevy was considered the star of the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" that
made up the regular cast the 1st year of Saturday Night Live. SNL is probably
the 2nd most successful night time TV show after the "Tonight Show". 

  He was also able to make the transition from TV to movies which only some
TV stars seem to be able to make. Most people successful in movies have
little problems making the transition the other way, from movies to TV.

  So there was every indication that he would be successful and it's probably
the case that he could still be successful given the right format.

  George

    But *why* would anyone think that since he was a super comedian he'd
    make a good talk-show host? If he had proven that he could talk to
    people,fine,but he never *did*! I'm still baffled!
    
    Ken

  Some stand up comics make the transition, others don't. Also, some times they
make adjustments to bring out the comic's better traits, some times they don't.

  For example, Letterman is much better doing prepared material than he is
doing interviews so his interviews are short and guests leave when they are
done rather than sliding down the couch. 

  Also, it's a very cheap risk to take. These shows are very cheap to produce
compared to anything else so they can afford to take risks. It's not at all
clear that they lost money on this show, it's quite possible that they came
close to breaking even or even made a small profit based on early bookings by
sponsors. 

  George