That is, if you still use a TiVo. I had to switch over to streaming for my TV viewing because I had to dump my cable provider and…well, it's a long story that has nothing to do with Bob Newhart. This post is to make sure you know that CBS is airing a tribute to him at 8 PM on Monday evening. Wonder how long ago they started working on this.
Here's a story that also has nothing to do with Bob Newhart: It involves a certain older performer — I shall withhold his name — whose work I loved and who was still around but showing signs of failing health. His agent told me that this certain older performer was in really poor shape and had but a few weeks (at most) to live. I mentioned this to a friend who worked for the TV show Entertainment Tonight — which is the entity that produced the Newhart tribute.
I told my friend — who also loved the work of this certain old performer — because I thought E.T. might want to assemble some brief video clips to air when, as seemed imminent, they had to assemble an on-air obit for the c.o.p. My friend thanked me for the tip and said, "I'll make sure they get it ready now. If we wait until he dies, we might be too busy to do it or to do it right. But if we already have it assembled, they'll air it."
So they scurried about and found the clips and edited them into a fine short video tribute and waited for the certain old performer to die. When he did, they didn't air the clip package. My friend was no longer working there and neither was anyone who knew they had it ready to go…or where it was. You see, it was twenty-three years later.