"I SAID NEE-HA!"
The Late Night With Conan O'Brien Newsletter #10/04-040
Hi everyone!! I have some really sad news to share with you this week.... No it's nuthin' aboot baseball though we'll get to that later, this will shock and horrify you... JK has left the building. JOHN KNOX has left NBC!! The swell and swanky one has decided to move on, and he's leaving the most conetastic website on the www in the capable hands of Chris (no nickname as yet, suggestions welcome). JK made such a difference to Conan on the web, he changed everything making it all blue and swanky (and so much more) and we thank him for it. We'll miss him, NBC will miss him. What can I say other than that I think that he was the best thing ever to hit NBC online, my second favorite Canadian and I hope that his new employers appreciate him as much as we do...
You know, as a Conan fan, I speak for myself here, but I think you might agree with me, it bugs the k-r-u-n-k out of me whenever anyone tries to copy or rip off parts of Late Night. Thursday night I watched this new TV show on Channel 4 in the UK (the 11 O'clock Show). I was just channel surfing at the time when it was announced it was coming on... The first thing I noticed was their opening titles. You couldn't not notice this. Clutch-cargo-esque images of Clinton, Lewinsky and a few other people. I was silently outraged. I continued to watch. Bo-ho-ring show... later in the second half, they copied Conan again, almost word-for-word in a Channel Surfing segment... What do you think? Can they do that? I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when they're doing it I'm thinking "Grrrrrrrr how dare you!?! How could you do that (and do it badly) to my favorite show?" If they like it that much they should bring the show here. Then they won't even have to think up their own ideas. Rich Hall was a field correspondent for the show, he's visiting Late Night on Wednesday, we'll see if he mentions anything ...
Have a great week everyone (watch out for the baseball) and let's get it awn!
Late Night Linzi Editor
********************************************
CONTENTS -
LATE NIGHT NEWS
TV QUEST: CONAN O'BRIEN WORKS HARD FOR LAUGHS
LATE NIGHT POLL
THE BONE OF CONTENTION by Micah Honees
UPCOMING GUESTS - October 5 - 16 1998
THIS TIME LAST YEAR....
WEEK IN REVIEW - September 28 - October 2 1998
FYI
END QUOTE
********************************************
LATE NIGHT NEWS
ANDY'S ON TOUR: He's appearing at the American University (Washington DC) Family Weekend on Saturday October 17. The show starts at 8:00 pm, tickets are required. You can find out more about this event by contacting Rebecca Rounds at (202) 885-5926 or by e-mail at rrounds@american.edu or call the Office of Special Events at (202) 885-2572.
TAPERS BEWARE: You may have noticed, the baseball playoffs are in full swing, and it could be interrupting Late Night's schedule (again). Watch out for these days, Monday, October 5, Tuesday, October 6, Friday, October 9, Tuesday, October 13, and Wednesday, October 14. Check your local listings and keep an eye on the sports sections to see what's happening. Thanks to John for the baseball info.
CONAN ON BRAVO PROFILES: "Late Night Talk,'' the second of a week-long series of Bravo Entertainment Profiles focuses on mainly Jay Leno and (the real reason for watching) Conan O'Brien. The show takes a look at what's really going on behind the scenes at Late Night talking to Conan, guests (Janeane Garofalo is followed by the cameras as she travels to a "Conan taping", signs autographs and waits for her couple of minutes in the big chair. She tells us that Late Night guests "Must make up anecdotes, talking about their kids and picking up all of those toys. Why aren't they just honest enough to admit that they're not normal people and they pick up no toys?'') and to some behind the scenes people. Conan speculates about why he remains on the air: "I'm probably more profitable to GE than the turbines they sell to India,'' he says.
Bravo Profiles: The Entertainment Business Monday 9-10 p.m., Bravo
ON THE WEB: Do you suffer from LATE NIGHT ADDICTION? Not sure? Want to find out? The Official list of Late Night Addiction Symptoms, containing over 200 signs that you might be addicted to Late Night were compiled over two years by a dedicated group of fans. Now online at: http://www.angelfire.com/ny/lacob/lna.html
Eleven new pictures have been added to a brand new gallery (#9) at Mayaan's site. Go to: http://www.geocities.com/televisioncity/set/8022/index.html
Late Night's website received yet another conetastic review in Willmott's Web. Read the heaping praise at: http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/insites/willmott/dw.htm
********************************************
CONAN O'BRIEN WORKS HARD FOR LAUGHS
By Jay Bobbin & Hugh Hart,
TVQuest
Conan O'Brien, the blustery host of late night's wildest party, insecure? Strange but true. At least when it comes to maintaining quality on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien" the former "Simpsons" writer-turned-front man describes himself as "a little fevered" in his behind-the-scenes approach. "I'm a worrier. I think there's something in the genes of people who do these kinds of shows.
You worry about the crowd. You worry about the comedy that night. If last night's show was good, you wonder if you can do it again." Tongue firmly in cheek, O'Brien adds, "It's a miserable existence, and you should pity me."
Aided by his invaluable, willing-to-do-anything-for-a-laugh sidekick Andy Richter, O'Brien has managed to overcome nearly universal skepticism that greeted him when he replaced David Letterman five years ago in NBC's late night slot. "It was an insane thing to go through," he allows. "My debut in late-night had all the feel of Evel Knievel's jump over Snake River Canyon. I remember very clearly what it was like in the early days, when the studio audience didn't really know who I was. I think half of them got in line because they thought they were going to see Dave. I'd come running out and say, 'He'll be back."'
Letterman himself gave a gracious boost to O'Brien, who competes with the Letterman-owned Tom Snyder talker on CBS, by appearing on the red-head's show. "Dave coming on as a guest in February 1994 was huge," he recalls. "That was at the height of the late-night wars, and I think that was a reason for a lot of (reviewers) to look again."
Magazine covers and kinder articles followed, but O'Brien maintains, "I wouldn't be presumptuous enough to say, 'Well, it's done and we won.' The thing about these shows, which is hard for anybody who doesn't do them to understand, is that it's every day. You're only as good as your last show, and when we do a show I don't think is up to our standards, I'm predisposed to feel like I'm on my way down. We are always trying to make the show better."
O'Brien isn't concerned just yet about comedian Craig Kilbourn's impending arrival at CBS to take over for Tom Snyder on "The Late Late Show." "The most stupid thing I could do right now," he reflects, "would be to react to a show that isn't there. I ran into Craig in a restaurant and we chatted about it. If he's going to do any of the stuff they've been doing on 'The Daily Show,' it'll still be quite different. He actually might bring some other people to the table, which happens often in late-night TV."
The late hour gives O'Brien a freedom he feels few talk hosts have. "You have a license to try different things and put on different kinds of guests, and that's where our show sometimes has its soul. (Movie director) Abel Ferrara acted insane on our program, and people were calling the NBC stations because they thought, 'Someone's about to get shot. This is intense.' That's great television."
O'Brien occasionally turns up on the tube before most of America has gone to sleep. He had a cameo on the now-gone "The Single Guy," is profiled in an upcoming Bravo special on late night talk shows, and earlier this month hosted a primetime version of his show, which he described as "an opportunity for our show to be seen by people who are awake and fully alert."
Copyright: TV Quest. No infringement of legal copyright is inferred or intended. The article appears here for the benefit of fans, not for profit.
********************************************
LATE NIGHT POLL
THIS WEEK'S POLL QUESTION: What's most embarrassing to be caught watching by your parents/grandparents, the Masturbating Bear or The Gaseous Wiener... or something else?
Send your response before Thursday to: LateNightPoll@hotmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LAST WEEK'S POLL QUESTION: What was your favorite of all the new fall characters and why?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
IGNACIO -
I like the reporter that has no follow-up skills, AKA Jeremy they should have the real Jeremy as the reporter, not the guy who plays him in some goofy outfit.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ali -
It's gotta be the reporter with no follow-up skills. I'd love to see a real reporter like that!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Scott -
I really enjoyed the man who thinks Captain Crunch is illegal simply because he has a toilet in his kitchen.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sprwoody -
my fav's gotta be salt/pepper mouth. sure, maybe he didn't actually enjoy eating either salt or pepper, but he definitely gave it a shot!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jenna -
My favorite fall character was "The Guy Who Thinks Cap'n Crunch is Illegal" because I love a guy who has a toilet in his kitchen. Am I the only one who noticed that? His name should have been "Guy Who Hired Bad Architect".
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sarah -
My favorite new fall character was Kevin Morose- the guy who thinks that Captain Crunch is illegal- because it is so incredibly evident that he is fully Conan inspired. I mean, we all know that Conan's favorite cereal is Captain Crunch, and he is surely the only non-fictional person that is so in love with the cereal that he truly finds guilt in it, to the point that he thinks it is "illegal".
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Alexandra -
That would be those hilarious men in black outfits that are from another planet. That makes me crack up uncontrollably every time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Claas -
I didnīt like most of them, but The Awkward Vampire was somehow funny...whatever.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mike -
All of the new charachters ROCK! I wish they would let Will Ferrel on the show so he could do more of his Harry Carry impressions!!
********************************************
THE BONE OF CONTENTION by Micah Honees
Some weeks this is slim pickins. Others it is really effing easy. This week's KNEE DEEP FREAK OF THE WEEK has to be "The Hulk's Sexy Girlfriend" herself, Fran Drescher.
Silly me. I thought this was going to be a little easy-going political dissertation. When Fran told the world she had recently penned an article called "Waiting for Dick" for Harper's Bazaar, a magazine you probably have never read, I said to myself "Finally! Someone agrees with me that with all the political upheaval surrounding our President that we need to get back to guys like Richard Nixon, guys who were shady and grumpy-looking but at least you knew they were just screwing the country instead of beret-wearing interns with knee pads!"
I never have been so wrong.
Ms Drescher's article is-get this!-about finding a man. I know! I didn't believe it myself at first, but it is true. Seems that The Nanny's been looking for someone to rotate her tires and chose Our Boy's show for full disclosure over how hard it is to find someone. Well, boo-hoo. Poor widdle Nanny. Then it really hit me: if Bubba had only been this forthcoming and honest before Ken Starr got his crotch bunched into this, the whole Harmonica thing would be in the past. The cigars, too. Cubans? Ask her.
But she didn't stop there. That's what we so like about The Nanny. No, siree. Not content to take the host's advice to "not think about it...that's when everything comes your way" (I'm so NOT thinking about a million dollars right now-can't wait!) Fran proceeded to talk of this certain book she'd been reading with a certain shall-we-say erotic same-sex scene in it. The Nanny (not surprisingly, at this point) admitted it was arousing to her but that it (sex with women) was sort of a tease...and even punctuated it with a rousing rendition of everyone's favorite standard "I mean, don't you just want to feel a MAN on top of you?!?" that pretty much sent our host into silent convulsions. He handled it well, though, and I was proud of him. Conan, non-plussed, just replied that many times in five years he'd been stuck for something to say but that "man" phrase had never once come up. Not even once. Now THAT would make the papers. You think that anniversary thing was big!?!?
The foolish of you out there know I have omitted some of the tomfoolery for brevity's sake but I could not resist the cherry on top: People's Exhibit C: The Spice Channel. When Conan quipped-right after the "man on top if you" disclosure-that the rest of the show would be broadcast on the Spice Channel (i.e. porno), Fran felt the urge again to interject, as I am pretty sure she most often does. The Nanny had made the discovery that since she now has a satellite at home that when one sits down (or whatever) to view a bit of the fine upscale programming available on porn satellite that one needs to call the company to order the programming, thus killing an spontaneity one could enjoy from the fine folks at Spice.
Spontaneity. Hmm. The Pizza people don't seem to have any problems with spontaneity. I mean, really. If I'm hungry, they get a pizza to my house ASAP-often breaking traffic codes to do so-if I get the urge. Sure, you gotta call them, too but they got these new delivery bags that are-are you ready for this?-just like an oven to keep your pizza hot and the cheese stuck to the top of the box, just as you like it. I guess what I'm saying here is thank you, Pizza people. Thank you and your ever so careful driving team. Now send this pie over to Fran Drescher's house for me...
********************************************
UPCOMING GUESTS - October 5 - 16 1998
MONDAY, October 5 (Repeat of 7/24/98):
Edward Burns,
Louis CK,
Bob McCoy
TUESDAY, October 6:
Yasmine Bleeth,
Kevin Sorbo,
Duncan Sheik
WEDNESDAY, October 7:
Peter Gallagher,
Charlton Heston,
Rich Hall
THURSDAY, October 8:
Jeff Goldblum,
Barenaked Ladies
FRIDAY, October 9:
Steven Baldwin,
Stockard Channing,
Jon Stewart
-----------------------------------------------------------------
MONDAY, October 12 (Repeat of 8/5/98):
Tony Danza,
Joseph Gordon-Levitt,
Patrice O'Neal
TUESDAY, October13:
Jeri Ryan,
Mark Leyner
WEDNESDAY, October14:
Sandra Bullock,
Scott Thompson,
Rasputina
THURSDAY, October15:
Lucy Lawless,
Tate Donovan,
Kenny Rogerson
FRIDAY, October16:
Isabella Rossellini,
David Arquette,
Cake
********************************************
THIS TIME LAST YEAR....
Ahh. The sweet smell of success. On Monday, October 6 (repeat of 7-29-97) proud Conan announces that Dirty Dancing--the greatest movie ever made--is to be re-released in August. Conan and Andy also look into the future ("The future Conan?") and guests that night were Dennis Franz, the fabulous Scott Thompson and female basketball star Rebecca Lobo made her first appearance on the show.
Author-slash-actress-proud wig-wearer Joan Collins, appears on the show on Tuesday, October 7, alongside Russell Crowe and Music from Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys. Conan and Andy take a look at celebrites before they have all that cosmetic work done on them, and later on, for the babies, and the parents watching... Conan sings a lullaby coz "It's a funny thing you know.... Their comprehension is very low. It doesn't matter what you say....."
Wednesday October 8th 6A was visited by Paul Reiser and Janeane Garafalo, muso guest was Steve Winwood. Conan and Andy had a good old fashioned staring contest and Stacy, Andy's sister visits... and is embarrassed by Andy's revelation that she has a crush on the big red one.
On Thursday October 9th Conan was visited by two old friends, Bill Clinton and Bob Dole live via satellite. Andy premiers a new idea for an introduction to the show. Instead of Conan running out and jumping, Andy is carried out wearing a swanky gold outfit. Third Rock actor John Lithgow, and comedians Dave Chapelle and Paul F. Tompkins are guests.
********************************************
WEEK IN REVIEW - September 28 - October 2 1998
NOTE: This week's week in review is slightly patchy, so I apologize to you in advance for that... but the completed one will appear on the website for this issue as soon as it can be done...
MONDAY, September 28 (Repeat of 6/19/98):
Marilu Henner,
Greg Fitzsimmons,
David George Gordon
Conan corrects a historical inaccuracy,
Running of the Characters,
Before Plastic Surgery,
Bud Light Lead In.
TUESDAY, September 29:
Fran Drescher,
D.L. Hughley
WEDNESDAY, September 30:
Stanley Tucci,
Nick Turturro,
Billy Bragg & Wilco
The return of Stacy
THURSDAY, October 1:
Kelsey Grammer,
Chastity Bono
Conan's #1 Fan Contest
Mayor McCheese
FRIDAY, October 2:
Gina Gershon,
Dylan McDermott,
Squirrel Nut Zippers
If They Mated
********************************************
FYI
"NEE-HA!" #40 is here with thanks to Micah Honees, Robin Banks, John.
"NEE-HA!" is on the web at:
http://www.angelfire.com/ny/lacob/conan.html
********************************************
END QUOTE
"I'm gonna rock your body you whore!" - Stacy
********************************************