Last night, I couldn’t sleep. This isn’t an uncommon experience. I leave the warmth and comfort of my bed to lay on the couch hoping the drone of the television will lull me to sleep. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. It does, however, save me from wanting to poke my husband, who is slumbering soundly, with a blunt object.
Anyhow, last night is when I came up with the idea of climbing on my soap box. There are so many things in life that make you ask, “What are they thinking?” that I decided I would use this as an outlet. Topic of choice from last night: Late Night Television.
Dave Letterman. Johnny Carson. Jimmy Kimmel. Conan O’brien. Jay Leno. The list goes on and on. Each of these people have fought for the title of King of Late Night TV.
I ask you… who cares? They all follow the same format: cheesy band, big “look at me” introduction, live audience, interviewing the rich and famous. Where is the key differentiator? Are viewers so numb that they don’t care? What about the advertisers who are throwing millions toward supporting the programs?
Like anyone else out there, I appreciate humor; I occasionally enjoy living vicariously through the lives of the troubled actors; but I am over everything being so completely formulaic. Band? Check. Sitting duck host in a snazzy suit? Check. Famous girl in a too-short skirt? Check. Let’s roll it out. We’ll make millions.
What are your thoughts about this rant? Do you have another you’d like to share? I promise… I have more!
I think it’s interesting that you threw Johnny Carson in there, because I grew up watching the end of Carson’s reign.
I liked Johnny Carson from 9th grade summer until he went of the air 10 years later. That’s not so easy, to keep a viewer from 15 to 25, but he did, and he also appealed to my parents through that same span who were in their 50’s.
There’s not may shows that still can do that.
I think Johnny understood his appeal better than his later-day replacements.
Johnny was funny to everyone, without ever getting offensive. He was silly without being an ass. When he interviewed celebrities, it seemed more like friends talking than yet another movie pitch. I think part of that came from his real-life connection to the celebrity lifestyle, they really were just friends talking.
He also had regular people on, who he didn’t mock, but made them feel at home.
For me, it comes back to trust, I trusted Johnny Carson. I can’t really say that about the current crop.
Phil,
I agree with you completely. Johnny totally got it right, and every one else glommed onto his model because it was successful. The problem is that just because one person does it well, doesn’t mean everyone else will (or should even try).
There is something to be said for imitation being the highest form of flattery, but I think the producers have gotten lazy. Johnny had his own personal appeal and style. His successors were recreated to fit into that same model, with no creativity. If you look at the sets, even they are the same.
A show, led by personalities you can trust or relate to is successful for those reasons. I miss the days when that played into it.
Ohhh… Looks like I climbed back on that soapbox!
~Lorana