Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 19, 1993 TAG: 9306190309
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-16 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DAVID BIANCULLI NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
In this new series, apparently, publicity tie-ins are of Paramount importance.
Another Paramount series, "Entertainment Tonight," is the showbiz source from which both co-hosts John Tesh and Leeza Gibbons have sprung. In "John & Leeza," their first-name star status is presented in an attempt to make them the new Regis & Kathie Lee, even though the ones we have are just fine, and more than enough.
But "John & Leeza" has Universal appeal, as well. Tuesday's show included a taped piece about a visit to the newest Universal theme-park ride, "Back to the Future" - and a live interview with Steven Spielberg, who suggested the concept of the ride, and who also was ready to deal with questions about his new Universal blockbuster movie, "Jurassic Park."
If the first two days of "John & Leeza From Hollywood" are any indication, the pattern for celebrity interviews is clear. The bigger they are, the less chance they have of actually showing up on the "John and Leeza" set.
Tuesday, Spielberg made his appearance via satellite (which brought him in all the way from a different part of Los Angeles). That left the show's studio audience to make do with the likes of Park Overall and Mother Love. The premiere show, too, featured a satellite-delivered guest - though he, at least was in another city entirely at the time.
The inaugural episode included a satellite interview with Paul McCartney, who, unfortunately, didn't sing, and an in-person visit with former "Cosby Show" co-star Raven-Symone, who, unfortunately, did. She rapped, in a way that left only Tesh and Gibbons rapt.
Also in that first show, we learned, from entertainment reporter Sam Rubin, what Arnold Schwarzenegger had for breakfast. As a followup Tuesday, Rubin let viewers know that Wednesday he was going to eat breakfast with Schwarzenegger. Keep those breakfast updates coming in, folks . . .
The premiere show could have had a lot of nervousness injected, but the second show didn't run any more smoothly. Tesh and Gibbons still treat each other too gingerly, and Gibbons, in more than one instance, seemed to derail Tesh in mid-punchline.
The show needs a slightly harder edge and sharper focus, or else doggie heaven will be a fitting destination for it, too.
It's one thing for Tesh and Gibbons to sit there and act enthralled by a singing youngster or a risque oldster (one matronly woman, asking a question of Mother Love, wanted to know where to pick up very young men).
They're paid to look interested, and, besides, they haven't quit their day jobs. But viewers will demand something more than breakfast bulletins and pointless pleasantries in order to stay tuned.
by CNB