Suddenly everyone seems to be talking about TV Variety Shows. First there was something called "Americas Got Talent" - I'm not sure if the title is grammatically correct but it is sort of catchy. I watch very little TV (except Law & Order reruns, and now something called NCIS) so I never actually watched the show. I missed Rosie O'Donnel's recent foray into the variety show scene, and quite honestly I have never actually figured out the appeal of "Ellen" - who, I see from the show plugs, has a variety-type show too. Now, this morning comes the announcement that Jay Leno - soon to be forced by contract to give up his late night "Tonight" show is signing a 10-year contract for a nightly Variety-style show on NBC for 10:00 pm. Not that it means he can now get to bed earlier - everything is on tape these days, and produced in the afternoon for broadcast later at night.
Will this "old-new" format work? Only time will tell. I hope so, because the old variety shows (Ed Sullivan, Red Buttons, Steve Allen, Carol Burnett, Sid Caeser, etc.) not only were very popular, they also catapulted to fame many of the cabaret performers of that era - a number who were playing in the DUPLEX, UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, RENO SWEENEY and other clubs. In those days, producers were out and about night after night at the nightclubs, supper clubs and cabarets, hunting for talent to people the stages of these many (at that time NYC based) variety productions. And the crowds followed to the clubs, hoping to be able to proudly say later "I knew her when ...." about folks like Streisand, Rivers, Newhart, and more.
Here's hoping.
HUGS
STU
