Programming: Talk, Talk, Talk

• Share

(2 of 2)

1,470 Guests. For producers, the big problem of the new talk season is obviously going to be: get the guest. To do this, each show employs a guest scout, complete with his own staff, who combs through lists of Who's in Town and Who's Doing What (or more cynically, Who's Plugging What). Prime sources: new movies and new books, since stars and authors are usually available to chat about their products. Then there are the so-called talk-show "regulars," Hermione Gingold, say, or Nipsey Russell. Between now and year's end, however, Griffin, Carson and Bishop will churn out 294 shows: at an average of five guests a program, they will need at least 1,470 people. Obviously, some familiar faces are going to become overfamiliar.

Behind the competition for guests lies the competition for ratings. Where, oh where will Griffin's audience come from? NBC thinks that he will steal from Bishop, and ABC thinks that he will steal from Carson. All three networks—particularly CBS—hope that he wins the viewers who used to watch movies. There may be a good chance, since prime time this year will be so full of movies that viewers who stay up past the 11 o'clock news might just be sick of them. Then, too, despite the plethora of talk shows, there is always the lion-and-Christians impulse, which may make viewers tune in to see Truman Capote call Jacqueline Susann a "truck driver in drag" or Don Rickles find a new way to insult Johnny Carson.