Letterman Gets A Taste Of Humility
David Letterman concedes that “things are evening up now” in the late-night ratings war between him and Jay Leno, but he insists he didn’t rush to kiss up to TV critics attending a convention just because Leno beat him two weeks ago.
“I had to be here anyway for some deposition with that (Heidi) Fleiss thing,” he cracked.
Besides, Letterman pointed out, that Leno win “was the first kind of outright, clear-cut victory that they’ve had in the nearly two years we’ve been on the air,” so he congratulates them and wishes them luck in the future.
Anyway, Letterman figures Leno’s big win was spurred by his “scoop” in getting actor Hugh Grant on the show that week, just after his arrest for that incident with a Los Angeles hooker and a full week ahead of Grant’s visit to Letterman’s show.
“You’ve always got to be thinking one or two steps ahead in this business,” Letterman joked, “so what we’re doing now is supplying most of our guests with hookers and just hoping they get arrested.”
Letterman says “I’m done whining” about the fact that CBS’ sagging prime-time ratings have hurt his late-night numbers. He suggested that’s a temporary thing that will right itself sooner or later, but “perhaps not in my lifetime.”
Though it seemed apparent that Letterman was in Pasadena to generate a little positive spin from TV critics, he did seem in pretty good spirits - and perhaps a tad more humble than usual.
Citing the impact of losing his longtime director, Hal Gurnee, who retired, and head writer Rob Burnett, who left to supervise Bonnie Hunt’s new CBS sitcom “The Bonnie Hunt Show” for Letterman’s production company, Letterman admitted his show has been going through “some adjustment” lately.
“Combine these circumstances with just the daily rigors of trying to do a show and I think you’re going to have some ups and downs,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re starting to get up again a little bit.”
Letterman said he feels he’s been treated very generously by audiences over the years, perhaps “far more than I merit,” and that the only way you learn anything about yourself is when you get a new perspective through criticism and competition.
He’s contemplating streamlining his show by getting rid of some things that may be growing a little tired and breaking up his formula a bit. One possibility: cutting back on his “Top 10” lists to just a couple of times a week.
As for “The Late Shift,” the upcoming HBO movie about the Letterman-Leno rivalry from New York Times TV columnist Bill Carter’s best-selling book, “It’s got blockbuster written all over it, doesn’t it?” Letterman said with considerable sarcasm. He said he enjoyed being interviewed by “that turncoat weasel” and thinks Carter did a good job on the book, although he hasn’t read it and doesn’t intend to anytime soon.
“Regarding the HBO project,” Letterman added, “my personal feeling is it’s probably the single largest waste of film since my wedding photos.”
Letterman said the possible sale of CBS to Westinghouse Electric Co. was similar to the situation when General Electric took over his former network, NBC, but he reminded the TV critics that “if this deal goes through before you folks leave here tonight, everybody could have a new freezer.”
In the meantime, Letterman continues to needle present CBS owner Laurence Tisch, saying he wanted to do something nice for Tisch, who has been so generous to him, and decided the best thing for a man who has everything was a gag gift.
“So I sent him a $9 pair of socks,” said Letterman. “I got a note back two days later saying, ‘Dear Dave: Thanks for the lovely socks.’ Apparently, Larry didn’t understand it was a joke.”
As CBS’ biggest star, Letterman seems likely to prosper no matter who’s running the network. His clout allowed him to produce the show following his, starring his personal choice, Tom Snyder. His new Hunt comedy represents the second time CBS has let him try to launch his friend in a prime-time series.
Letterman kids about the “leverage” he has at CBS because his “Bonnie” will follow a new series called “Dweebs” on Friday night, which is dominated by ABC comedies.
“There’s your leverage. Man, that’s money in the bank,” he says. “We’re picking out property on the moon!”
Even if Leno is closing the ratings gap, Letterman’s going to keep getting his way for quite some time.
“We’re also developing a fishing show for Bea Arthur,” he grinned, “so look for that.”