Good Guests

[JHDK]

for me, usually around 60 or 70% of the time i fast forward through the guests. i know howard is lauded for his in depth interviews but i often don't want to listen to 90 minutes of someone who i'm not already a huge fan.

that's what makes these past 2 weeks an anomaly. scarlett, craig and hank were all great. i knew craig would be good from previous visits but both scarlett and hank i only know from their work. i liked them both quite a bit.

i thought it was cool how hank would include fred in the conversation about voices. just knowing fred by name shows he's a fan and then knowing he's often the voice guy on the show, shows he's more than just a casual fan.

so i figured i'd start a thread where i and everyone else can talk about guests we enjoyed on the show.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Good thread idea. Hank Azaria actually mentioned something that Howard complains about (I forget what it was), so he's definitely a listener.

ScarJo is a good guest - smart, hot, sexy voice - but Howard totally missed with his questions. She's too well-adjusted.

Chelsea Handler was excellent, totally honest, not afraid to say anything. And when needed, she'd put Howard in his place.

 

[scotchandcigar]

Dana Carvey comes to mind as the perfect guest, he's got a story and impression for any topic, he's endlessly entertaining. He's got that genius mind like Robin Williams.

 

[scotchandcigar]

One more thought: Craig Ferguson's one of those people that Howard used to shit on ("his show is unwatchable"), but now Howard acts like he always liked him.

 

[JHDK]

i agree with everything in those posts except handler. i think i let artie's constant bashing of her get to me cause i don't really know too much about her but she is a guaranteed FF for me.

 

[Neigh]

I didn't catch every minute of those interviews. Although Scarlett Johansson was ready for him, it's too bad she isn't a hard core fan who knows enough about Howard to grill him on his obsessions (jealousy, high school people who looked down on him, money, siblings who also are in show biz ect.) or cut him off when he tried to cut her off. I'm waiting for that star/fan. Alec Baldwin is pretty close to that kind of interviewee. Steinfeld may not be a hard core fan because he knows Howard well.

 

[beaniemac]

the consensus going on a the stern show is that 90 minute commercial interviews with celebrities are always better. I don't feel that way because almost every interview is the same paint by numbers questions he ask everyone else backed by research straight from that person's wikipedia page.

 

[Kryptonite]

Pulling off memory, the FM format of the show was basically:

6-7: Various stuff with a break in the first 15 minutes.
7-8: Various and interviews with numerous breaks. They'd break during the interview.
8-9: Finish of first interview, various or second interview.
9-10: Various and start of news.
10-Finish: Robin's news.

It would be interesting to see how long those FM interviews were, compared to now. Howard also has a lot more freedom now as to when to break. The FM show was set up so that it was something like seven minutes of commercials every 15-20 minutes. Howard continually "went long" and would double-up on breaks.

I have no doubt the interviews are much longer now, but it's nice to actually have time with the celebrity as opposed to one of the late-night TV shows where it's maybe 10 minutes at most.

 

[JHDK]

They'd break during the interview.

this being 11+ years later, that seems absolutely crazy to me now.

 

[scotchandcigar]

this being 11+ years later, that seems absolutely crazy to me now.

It's been happening on every TV talk show interview, every day, since the beginning of time, so I'm not so put-off by it. I actually think I prefer it, as it gives everyone a break - the guest, the interviewer, and the audience. I have a hard time handling a 90-120 minute interview at one time. I have a hard time handling anything for 90-120 minutes.

 

[Kryptonite]

It's been happening on every TV talk show interview, every day, since the beginning of time, so I'm not so put-off by it. I actually think I prefer it, as it gives everyone a break - the guest, the interviewer, and the audience. I have a hard time handling a 90-120 minute interview at one time. I have a hard time handling anything for 90-120 minutes.

The difference with the TV shows is that, a lot of times, the host will say "More with CelebrityXYZ after this.." and then they'll go to break and then come back maybe a minute later. The commercials, from what I hear, are all added later on. It's not like they sit there for 5-6 minutes. Of course, that's all taped, so it's a different thing.

But yeah, for a 30-minute car ride to work, the really long interviews...it's the opposite of the FM show. Now, all you get might be the interview whereas before, all you'd get would be commercials. ... which brings me to another point... since the show starts an hour later, people like me that start at 8:30, don't get any of the interview, so maybe I'm lucky in that regard.

 

[scotchandcigar]

The difference with the TV shows is that, a lot of times, the host will say "More with CelebrityXYZ after this.." and then they'll go to break and then come back maybe a minute later. The commercials, from what I hear, are all added later on. It's not like they sit there for 5-6 minutes. Of course, that's all taped, so it's a different thing.

I went to a taping of Letterman's Late Show. During the commercial breaks, the band plays, while the TV crew (producers, writers, cameramen, staff etc.) swarms Letterman's desk, until about 5 seconds before they go back on-air.

 

[Kryptonite]

I went to a taping of Letterman's Late Show. During the commercial breaks, the band plays, while the TV crew (producers, writers, cameramen, staff etc.) swarms Letterman's desk, until about 5 seconds before they go back on-air.

Conan was recently talking about how his band will play a "real song" during the break and when they come back, they'll shift into a generic song. Of course, one of his schticks is that they have to pay money to play songs on air (true) and they can't afford the fees.

It may depend on the host, what's going on that night, etc.

 

[HecticArt]

I went to a taping of Colbert.
They took the whole "real-time" commercial break.
Same thing as Dave, he gets swarmed with producers and crew. He talks to the guest too. I hear that some hosts don't in order to keep the conversation with the guest fresh.

 

[Kryptonite]

I went to a taping of Colbert.
They took the whole "real-time" commercial break.
Same thing as Dave, he gets swarmed with producers and crew. He talks to the guest too. I hear that some hosts don't in order to keep the conversation with the guest fresh.

That just sounds painful, but that's how the band makes their money.

 

[HecticArt]

They keep it fun.
It's like a party. They want to keep the audience amped up for applause and laughing.

 

[scotchandcigar]

That just sounds painful, but that's how the band makes their money.

I'm not understanding; it's like a 3 minute break in the taping, wherein the band finishes the song they started, and begins the song they'll return from break with. What's painful?

 

[JHDK]

i enjoyed the sheryl interview and songs.

one thing i missed was howard interacting with the band. a lot of times my favorite part of having a musician in studio is when howard will talk with the random band members about what it's like to work with the famous front man/woman. this time he barely talked to them besides saying their names.

 

[scotchandcigar]

i enjoyed the sheryl interview and songs.

one thing i missed was howard interacting with the band. a lot of times my favorite part of having a musician in studio is when howard will talk with the random band members about what it's like to work with the famous front man/woman. this time he barely talked to them besides saying their names.

I take it that Sheryl Crow was in on Tuesday? I missed that. I would like to have heard it.

 

[JHDK]

I take it that Sheryl Crow was in on Tuesday? I missed that. I would like to have heard it.

yup. it's worth a listen. she is a good guest and she did 3 songs.