Oscars Thrust Abc Into The Spotlight
They call it Hollywood’s night of nights, but it’s also ABC’s night.
The Academy Awards mean a ratings bonanza for the network with the Oscars at 6 followed by ABC’s annual “Barbara Walters Special” at 9.
This year marks Billy Crystal’s return as host, and he’s sure to get a warm welcome. And I’ll be disappointed if there isn’t at least one David Letterman joke in his satchel.
Remember “Umma, Oprah. Oprah, Umma” and all the other Letterman material that bombed? Crystal has won three Emmy Awards as an Oscar-night host and writer.
As for the awards themselves, many movie critics I’ve read in the past few days are saying that it’s anybody’s guess who the big winners will be in Oscar’s 69th year.
Consider, for instance, the diversity of the Best Film nominees: “The English Patient,” “Fargo,” “Shine,” “Secrets & Lies” and “Jerry McGuire.”
As usual, a stellar collection of presenters will be on hand. But who put Beavis and Butt-head on the list? Talk about yesterday’s news.
Madonna, Celine Dion, Natalie Cole and Kenny Loggins perform the Best Song nominees. There’s also a production number saluting the nominated title song from “That Thing You Do!”
Producer Saul Zaentz (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Amadeus”) will receive the academy’s Irving G. Thalberg Award, and choreographer Michael Kidd (“Guys and Dolls,” “Hello Dolly”) will go home cradling an honorary Oscar.
Walters’ guests this year are reclusive Harrison Ford and two of this year’s nominees, Lauren Bacall and Woody Harrelson.
Highlights
“Cosby,” CBS at 8: Laughs come easy when Roscoe Lee Browne is on the screen. He gueststars as Hilton’s (Bill Cosby) overachieving brother, who has a doctorate in engineering. Hilton, meanwhile, is turned down for a job at Bernie’s Happy Burger because he doesn’t have a college degree. Repeat.
“Cops,” FOX at 8: FOX counterprograms the Oscars with a two-hour-long “Cops” block featuring visits to Miami, Seattle-Tacoma and Providence.
“Hard Target” (1993), NBC at 9: Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as an out-of-work merchant marine who discovers that homeless veterans are being used for sport kills by a wealthy sadist (Lance Henriksen, “Millennium”).
This action-thriller offers plenty of excitement, but after watching it you may be hungry for a good movie. It won’t be confused with any of the films up for Oscars on ABC.
“Chicago Hope,” CBS at 10: Watters (Hector Elizondo) attempts to escape the bureaucratic burdens of hospital administration by returning to the operating room, where he attempts a highly experimental liver operation on a comatose mother of three.
Also, Shutt’s (Adam Arkin) homophobia is put to the test when he befriends a gay researcher who has had more than a professional interest in the surgeon.
Cable Calls
“The Star Chamber” (1983), TBS at 7:05: Michael Douglas stars in this thriller about a young judge drawn into a secret society bent on “correcting” injustices caused by legal technicalities.
Perhaps master conspiracy theorist Oliver Stone could have made this a better movie, avoiding the pitfalls of predictability and certain lapses in logic.
Hal Holbrook (“Designing Women”), Yaphet Kotto (“Homicide: Life on the Street”), Sharon Gless (“Cagney & Lacey”), James B. Sikking (“Hill Street Blues”) and Joe Regalbuto (“Murphy Brown”) co-star.
Talk Time
“Tonight,” NBC at 11:35: Actress Sharon Stone, Jeff Foxworthy (“The Jeff Foxworthy Show”) and daredevil Robbie Knievel. Repeat.
“Late Show With David Letterman,” CBS at 11:35: Ellen DeGeneres (“Ellen”) and actress Raquel Welch. Repeat.
“Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC at 12:35 a.m.: Actress-model Isabella Rossellini, comedian Jeff Stilson and columnist Art Buchwald. Repeat.
“Politically Incorrect With Bill Maher,” ABC at 12:35 a.m.: Martin Mull, consumer advocate David Horowitz and Sierra Club President Adam Werbach.