Welcome, gentle reader, to the very first “This Week's Talk Show Buzz,” in which I, your lovable and likable host, take you a tour of what everyone’s talking about from this week’s collection of shows to what everyone’s anticipating for next week’s offering.
I have to warn you, this is a fast moving ship, and sometimes things go by unnoticed. Do not fret! The ephemera and photo ops that slip under the hull will no doubt turn on the daily blog. Or maybe they’ll show up in the nets next week.
In other words, consider this collection of stories the best catches from the week – the things that will stick with you for a little while. That is, if they don’t become classic moments in talk show history.
With that, let’s move on to our first topic of discussion, Ann Coulter.
Runnin’ with Ann Coulter:
It began innocently enough. Another trip to , another sit-down with hunky Matt Lauer. Who’d-a-thunk by the end of the interview, Ann Coulter would be spinning her wheels and calling Matt “testy.”
This was all in the face of her new book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, which Ann was oh, so, innocently plugging. But after Lauer read this quote from the book:
"These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by griefparrazies. I have never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much."
…storm clouds were brewing for Coulter.
It wasn’t long before Letterman was calling her the second most “unhinged lunatic” in the world – promoted to No. 1 after the death of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.
Where will it go from here? Well, with an appearance on The Tonight Show alongside the extremely opinionated George Carlin – well, anything can happen.
‘Today’ Offers a Better ‘View’ for Vieira:
It was last week, but the talk has been non-stop over the weekend. The shifts have occurred and Meredith Vieira has left The View for green pastures across town at The Today Show.
Vieira replaces Katie Couric, who left Today to anchor the CBS Evening News.
Her cast mates, including Barbara Walters, Joy Behar, Elissabeth Hasselback and Star Jones Reynolds, toasted her with champagne and gave her a loving roast.
Vieira begins her ‘Today’ stint in September.
Talk Show Hosts Helping Talk Show Hosts:
It was revealed this week that David Letterman and The Colbert Report Stephen Colbert have entered a money making scheme.
Okay, sure, it’s totally legal and is nothing more than David Letterman's production company funding Colbert’s joint project, “Strangers With Candy: The Movie.” But still, you can’t help seeing through the charade that is the secret society of talk show hosts.
Maybe I’m channeling Colbert a little too much.
At any rate, it was revealed by movie producer, co-creator, star and director Paul Dinello (along with Colbert and Amy Sedaris) that Letterman’s company stepped up and financed the film after “secret investors” pulled out of the project. The filmmakers received complete creative control.
And if you’ve seen Strangers With Candy, the TV series, then you know that that’s a very scary thought.
Finally, do you like this 'Buzz'?:
Specifically, the title? I'm still thinkin' about it and am open to suggestions, so feel free to drop me a note or chat about it in the forums. If someone's got something more clever (and, let's admit it, shorter and to the point), I'm more than happy to steal the idea and run with it!
Until next week!
Tom
