TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {BOB HOPE, BILL MAHER, HELEN HUNT} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are comedian Bob Hope, comedian Bill Maher and actress Helen Hunt.
In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: bandleader Doc Severinsen's festive coat; the latest unusual inventions from humorist Leopold Fechtner; the approach of both Easter and Passover, occurring within the same week; the fallout from former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Al Campanis' racially insensitive comments regarding baseball players; Democratic Presidential hopeful Gary Hart's recent fundraiser, from which $30,000 was then seized by federal marshals to pay off some 1984 campaign debts; "Wheel of Fortune" star Vanna White's new book, "Vanna Speaks"; and a Montreal hotel's unusual method of self-promotion.
Carson then introduces a series of foreign television commercials shown at the recent 27th International Broadcasting Awards, including some British spots featuring comedian John Cleese.
The first guest, Hope, then joins Carson to chat about his famous "theme song," "Thanks For the Memories," first heard in his film "The Big Broadcast of 1938" (1938); his hundreds of televised comedy/musical specials, dating back to 1947; "what keeps him going" in the world of show business; his upcoming holiday special "Bob Hope with His Beautiful Easter Bunnies and Other Friends," co-starring Lynda Carter, Vanna White, Stepfanie Kramer and Gloria Loring; his past as an amateur boxer; and photos from his past comedy specials. A preview clip from "Easter Bunnies" is then shown.
Maher then takes the stage and performs a stand-up routine, joking about his ten-year college reunion and unimpressive performance as an English major at Cornell University; why "standards have dropped" for current high school and college students, as demonstrated in the popularity of the Beastie Boys' song "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"; and Reagan's unconvincing excuses for his part in the Iran-Contra scandal. Maher then sits down with Carson and comments on his half-Jewish, half-Catholic upbringing in New Jersey and NBC's "tacky promos" for the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977), which aired over three nights during the preceding week.
Finally, Hunt joins Carson and discusses her close relationship with father Gordon Hunt, an acting teacher; her new film "Project X" (1987), for which she had to audition alongside her chimp co-star; learning American Sign Language for the film and her amazement at the animal's grasp of the language; and her brief roles on many TV shows, including "the hospital floozy" on the medical drama "St. Elsewhere." A clip from "Project X" is also shown. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: April 17, 1987 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:50:24
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:43895
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: Talk/Interview; Comedy/Variety
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Anheuser-Busch beer
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Contac cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Dry Idea antiperspirant
- TV - Commercials - Hershey's chocolate
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - JCPenney stores
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Pepperidge Farm cookies
- TV - Commercials - Rice Chex cereal
- TV - Commercials - Schaefer beer
- TV - Commercials - TeleCheck financial services
- TV - Commercials - Visa credit cards
CREDITS
- NBC Orchestra, The … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Announcer
- Bill Maher … Guest, Performer
- Bob Hope … Guest
- Helen Hunt … Guest
- Beastie Boys
- Al Campanis
- Lynda Carter
- John Cleese
- Leopold Fechtner
- Gary Hart
- Gordon Hunt
- Stepfanie Kramer
- Gloria Loring
- Ronald Reagan
- Vanna White