OMIGOSH....I found the Charles Grodin "story"

[Catchawave]

:scared: No wonder CNBC is tanking, what a'holes!

Charles Grodin Talked Out
by Joal Ryan
Jun 5, 1998, 1:50 PM PT

The Man is keeping Charles Grodin down.

The droll actor-turned-TV host is out of a job after CNBC abruptly pulled the plug on his self-titled talk show--reportedly because network executives couldn't bear listening to one more night of Grodin's bleeding-heart opinions.

"I had in my mind that they would let me finish out the year," Grodin, 63, tells Hollywood Reporter.

Grodin's mind had it wrong.

CNBC officials were fed-up with Grodin's, in the words of Daily Variety, "nightly denunciation of the capitalist system."

The show, in reruns this week, is canceled effective now. As of Monday, its 11 p.m. (ET) weeknight time slot will be filled by Hardball With Chris Matthews.

Grodin's talk show received a 1997 CableACE Award for Best Talk Show. Its ratings were said to be on the upswing, but not keeping pace with even bigger gains posted by fellow CNBC programs.

Grodin gave up a steady movie career (Midnight Run, the Beethoven movies) to become a TV talk-show host in 1996. He was CNBC's replacement for Tom Snyder, who left the cable network for CBS.

more at: http://talkshows.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eonline.com%2FNews%2FItems%2F0%2C1%2C3115%2C00.html

[Berry Cool]

1. Isn't that funny...

...I was just reading Jeff Alterman's blog (which is great to read when Keith has nothing new) and here's a tidbit he included July 28...

<<So the only MSNBC show remotely describable as “liberal”—in fact, the only one on cable remotely describable as “liberal” and it is pretty remote—is its highest rated program—just as was the case when Phil Donahue had his show, which was also then, the highest rated show on MSNBC. Tucker is in last place.  What does that tell us?  And does it tell Mr. Kaplan the same thing?  You know what kind of minds want to know...

From Drudge:

MSNBC OLBERMANN 331,000
MSNBC SCARBOROUGH 326,000
MSNBC HARDBALL 233,000
MSNBC TUCKER 153,000>>

It's only repeating the same theory many are repeating...that because Countdown is the highest rated program on MSNBC and because it is the one closest to having a liberal viewpoint, it is DOOMED...

[gkhouston]

2. using that logic

Scarborough should be the second most liberal show on MSNBC. Class, do we believe this?

[Berry Cool]

3. Scary thought, isn't it?

But the funny thing is, Countdown ratings have been holding up pretty well this week so far. Usually they drop from the 300,000 range to the 200,000 range. Not this week.

*sigh* Maybe people are getting used to Keith being gone. Maybe when he comes back they'll say "Get off the air, old man. We want that hottie chick who was on last week."

[RevCheesehead]

4. *slap upside of head*

What are ya, nuts? Don't even JOKE about that!!!

I get this awful feeling that they're grooming Alison to be a permanent replacement for Keith. The problem is, the news is ALL snarky, all forced-humor, and rather low on substance.

I'm wondering if Keith's getting into arguments with his producer re: content - especially their insistence on celebrity news. Nobody forces Tweety to cover celebrity crap. Why should Keith?

My vote: Keep Keith, can the producer, and let Keith do HIS show.

[Berry Cool]

5. Ouch, do you really think that's what all this is about?

You don't think this is honestly just more Keith vacation time?

Now you have me worried, dammit.

I too wish Keith didn't have to do celebrity news except for two things: it gives him a chance to exercise snark, and it gives him a chance to have Michael Musto or Mo Rocca or Harry Shearer or someone like that come on and exercise snark. I love those times.

What I hate is when he's forced to do his umpty-umpth runaway bride story.

[gkhouston]

6. Well, I'm not worried yet, but

I agree with the Rev's remarks about the humor seeming forced and the lowered news content. Long term, it's not going to hold me as a viewer. I still watch Countdown when Alison's filling in for Keith, but I don't break a leg to get to the set, and if she replaced Keith and he vanished from the airwaves, I probably wouldn't watch. If she replaced Keith and he went to another show, I definitely wouldn't watch (sorry, Alison) even if they weren't in competing timeslots -- because I simply don't have that much time to spend in front of a TV five nights a week.

[Catchawave]

7. Right now.... I keep cable *only* for

Keith and Jon Stewart. We already know Stewart turned down CBS, which would have neutered him. Yayy Jon for sticking to your creative chops!

Keith, can make tons of money more with a network contract, not to mention reaching more people with honest news. If I were ABC, I'd offer him all the money they offered Letterman AND more to take over Nightline! Of course, in the Countdown format!

Has he taken more vacation days than Bush this year ? IMHO, it's almost as painful !

[gkhouston]

8. I don't get the feeling that money is the right carrot for Keith.

Not that he'd mind having it, of course, but I suspect there are other aspects of a job that would be more important to him than the paycheck. If a network offered him as much latitude as he has now, but he wouldn't have to work as many days per week, and the pay & atmosphere were appealing, that might do the trick... but I don't see that materializing just yet.