Tonight's the last debate. You all know that but I figured you'd enjoy reading those words. In fact, I'll type them a few more times just because it feels so good: Tonight's the last debate. Tonight's the last debate. Tonight's the last debate. Tonight's the last debate. Tonight's the last debate.
Trump lost big in the polls after the first one because, I think, Hillary looked like a leader while he looked like someone on a bad reality show, ginning up phony emotion and anger. He obviously didn't see it that way because for the second debate, he ramped up the nasty, thrilling his base but probably not attracting anyone new to it. Depending on which pollster you believe, he either lost a little more ground or merely didn't gain. And when you're running behind, not gaining is losing.
So you'd think he'd try something different. Scowling, hurling threats and practically stalking his opponent on stage didn't help him so for a brief, delusional moment, I thought he'd stop hating on the Clintons and President Obama and would instead try convincing America that he has the disposition to deal with conflict and a lot of solid ideas. Then I read this…
President Obama's Kenyan-born, half-brother Malik will be in the audience in Las Vegas Wednesday night when Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton square off in their third and final debate. Malik — an American citizen who lives in Washington, DC, when he's not in Kenya — says he will be a guest of Trump, the Republican nominee he supports for president.
Looks like we're in for more stunts and personal accusations. What was that definition of "insanity" again?
By the way: Tonight's the last debate. Maybe ever with anyone.
I'm getting more e-mails from folks who've been to NBC who question my assumption that that clip from The Steve Allen Show (this one) started and ending on Stage 1. They may be right. The fine announcer-person Randy West thinks…
They leave 1, parallel the midway, then make a 90-degree right-turn where the cable was being pulled, and where the cable will now be fed out. They walk through what later became studio 10 (local news) and out to the hallway and into 4, where Dinah was.
Quite possible. I'm not all that familiar with that section of the building. I did shows on Stage 1 and Stage 3, and am pretty sure that the action starts in 1 and that Steve and Eydie emerge from the corridor that runs between 1 and 3. I visited the other stages — I think The Flip Wilson Show was on on Stage 4 — but I don't remember the numbers that well. Then again, it's also possible that some of the layout of that place was altered between the time Steverino did his show there in '58 and when some of us were there.
By the way: As noted, that episode of The Steve Allen Show aired on February 9, 1958, which was a Sunday. Steve's show was on from 8 PM to 9 PM and then it was followed at 9:00 by The Dinah Shore Chevy Show — so this was not only a neat bit of video magic but it was also a cross-promotion to stay tuned for Dinah. Wonder if Steve or any of his guests were part of Dinah's program that night.
Last night, Stephen Colbert had an odd parlay of guests: Barack Obama and Bill O'Reilly. Obama took part in a sketch recorded somewhere else at some other time so he wasn't in the studio when O'Reilly was. Jeri Kline wrote to ask me why Colbert, who clearly does not share O'Reilly's political viewpoints, keeps having that man on.
Well, I think that's part of the reason. A variety of opinions is not a bad thing. Also, though O'Reilly does not appear to be a particular fave of Conservatives, having him on does do something to counteract the claim that Colbert's show is just left-wing propaganda. It forces the folks who'd say that to instead say, "Almost all left-wing propaganda."
But I also think he has O'Reilly on because he likes the banter that results and he also seems to have a certain respect for the guy. Folks in show business often respect someone else just because they've been able to build a successful franchise. Letterman felt that way about Rush Limbaugh, O'Reilly and a few others. Didn't agree with them but he couldn't pretend they hadn't done a great job of amassing a following and connecting with those followers. And I also suspect that O'Reilly's past appearances probably registered enough of a ratings uptick that someone said, "We've got to have that guy back."
There was one interesting moment near the end of the interview. It was time to plug O'Reilly's new book and of course, they were playfully insulting each other. O'Reilly said of his book, "You desperately need to read this book…or have someone read it to you!"
I don't claim to be able to read minds but I have the feeling that the retort that flashed into Colbert's mind at that moment was: "Well, maybe I can get the guy who actually wrote it for you!" Then, I'm guessing, he instantly decided that was a bit nastier than the level at which he keeps his verbal jousting with O'Reilly so he said what he did say, which was: "Will you?"
Of course, I could be wrong…