THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 27, 1994 TAG: 9406250029
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
DATELINE: 940627 LENGTH: Medium
Just when I thought I had seen every messed-up family in the world on talk shows hosted by Oprah, Phil and Sally, Lake introduced me to overweight women who are jealous of their thinner sisters.
{REST} And guys who cheat on their pregnant wives.
And grandmothers who meddle. And moms who snoop.
Just when I thought America couldn't and wouldn't tolerate one more daytime talk show, Ricki Lake comes along with her hour of chat that is pulling in more young female viewers than anyone else accept the Queen of Talk, Oprah Winfrey.
During the recent May sweeps, the 25-year-old Lake - a recent bride - has seen her show pull down better ratings than other more experienced, more savvy talk shows fronted by hosts who have been around for years.
The ratings for ``Ricki Lake'' in Hampton Roads are sensational - an 8 rating and 19 share at 5 p.m. on independent WGNT. Lake finished second in that time period, leapfrogging over two locally produced news strips. (WGNT also carries repeats of ``Ricki Lake'' at noon).
In a summer when talk shows hosted by Joan Rivers, Vicki Lawrence, Bertice Berry, Les Brown and Jane Whitney have been canceled, ``Ricki Lake'' is a go for next season on 140 stations. When Lake started her talk show in Manhattan last year, her producers went out on the streets to beg people to sit in on a taping.
Nowadays, the studio audience gives Lake a standing ovation.
``It's as if I have someone watching over me and taking good care of me,'' said Lake.
The producers of ``Ricki Lake'' tried to attract young viewers to a syndicated talk show in 1992 with Jane Pratt of Sassy magazine. She flopped in a trial run. The producers then considered Melissa Rivers, among others, before settling on Lake, who was an experienced, accomplished actress long before she turned 25. She's been in 12 films, a TV series and three made-for-TV movies.
Remember her nifty dancing and singing in ``Hairspray''?
Co-producers Garth Ancier and Gail Steinberg said they wanted a host who had an edge - but was adorable, too. ``We wanted a personality that was a little bit off-center,'' said Ancier. ``Ricki is a little bit off-center in a most delicious way. She's friendly and interesting and has a range of experience.''
Lake thinks nothing of pinching an annoying guest who won't stop talking.
When the subject of a recent program was total geeks who can't pick up women, Lake joined her studio audience in booing the geeks' terrible pick-up lines, such as, ``Roses are red, violets are blue. Write your name on this cocktail napkin so that I can call you.''
``Puh-leeze,'' said Lake.
It is a talk show for the young and young at heart.
Typical topic: ``You're not my friend, you're just using me.''
``Because our show is targeted to people in my age group, I'm involved in writing questions, researching issues and other elements of the show. At my age, I have something solid to contribute,'' said Lake.
Would you believe that it can be hard to get a date when you're too pretty, too handsome? Ricki acquainted us with the curse of being too beautiful. (She's become a babe herself since losing 115 pounds and melting down to size 8).
If it weren't for Ricki Lake and her producers, we might never have met the men who only want sons, people who hate other people just because they're fat, people who fall in love with their roommates, women who are obsessed with lifeguards, and a love-starved bachelor who hasn't had a date IN NINE MONTHS!
Lake calls her talk show a clear voice for her generation.
I happen to think it's one disorganized mess, one of the worst hours on television, day or night. There are times when it looks like the show is getting away from Lake, that it is about to gallop off on its own.
But, hey, what do I know? I haven't met anyone who's sleeping with her friend's husband, and if I did, I wouldn't give a hoot about it.
by CNB