Summary

One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented as part of The Museum of Television & Radio's 12th Annual Television Festival in Los Angeles. Held at the Directors Guild of America Theatre Complex, the festival celebrates the excellence and diversity of American television, and is dedicated to television's creative community. Moderated by Museum President Robert M. Batscha, the evening begins with a collection of video clips of Snyder's NBC late-night talk show, "Tomorrow." Clips include: Snyder explaining the "Tomorrow" show during the premiere broadcast's opening moments (1973); interviews with talk show host Johnny Carson (1974); young comics David Letterman, Merrill Markoe, and Billy Crystal and Los Angeles comedy club proprietor Rick Newman (1978); Arch Oboler, a writer for the network radio drama "Lights Out" (1974); film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel (1981); film director Alfred Hitchcock (1973); film director Orson Welles (1975); actress Bette Davis (1976); Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee and author Grace Lichtenstein (1981); author Ayn Rand (1979); murderous cult ringleader Charles Manson (1981); "Joey" the Hitman (1974); Martha Mitchell (1974); journalists David Shipler, George MacArthur, Dennis Troute and Ron Moreau (1974); rock composer John Lennon (1975); punk group the Clash (1981); boxer Muhammad Ali (1981); television personality Barbara Walters (1981); and Snyder's sign-off on the program's final broadcast in 1981. Following the clips, Snyder recalls the diligence of his small staff on the "Tomorrow" show, and marvels at the sheer quality of some of the work they accomplished. Batscha and the audience then pose questions to Snyder. Snyder's comments include: his identification of the "Tomorrow" program as a "show of the '70s"; his description of his interview with murderous cult ringleader Charles Manson as "a naked grab for ratings"; his realization that the intimacy of "Tomorrow" was gone after a live audience and rock music acts were added; Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics exploding an automobile on the show; his surprise about the overwhelming popularity of a show he conducted on the Amish; his admiration for the work of broadcasters Christopher Glenn, Ted Koppel, and David Letterman; his opinions of the "Later with Bob Costas" program and its host; his desire to interview comedian Dan Aykroyd, whose savage parodies of Snyder became a hallmark on "Saturday Night Live"; why Snyder has become a less confrontational interviewer; the difference in the amount of work he must do to prepare for his CBS "Late, Late Show" program and his earlier CNBC show; his assertion that he is "not a team player"; why he watches late-night talk shows other than his own broadcast; his dislike of raunchy afternoon talk shows and his belief that "the topics they put on television are deplorable"; and how fellow late-night gabber David Letterman interceded when NBC wanted to erase all the "Tomorrow" shows in 1987. Snyder concludes the evening by introducing many of his former "Tomorrow" show staff who are in attendance.