THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 21, 1994 TAG: 9407210078
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: By Larry Bonko, Television Writer
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
WHO SHOULD pop up unexpectedly here in the land of perpetual aftershocks but none other than that reclusive, reluctant celebrity Woody Allen.
When I say Allen was here, I mean he wasn't close enough to shake his hand or watch him sign autographs. Allen chatted with TV critics by way of closed-circuit television from his home in Manhattan.
He appeared pale and thin.
But, hey, closed-circuit Allen was good enough because Allen has been avoiding reporters since his scandalous squabble with former lover Mia Farrow became public. We'll take Woody Allen any way we can get him.
Not only did Allen consent to answer questions from members of the Television Critics Association but he also didn't pull off his microphone and stalk off camera in a huff when Farrow's name came up in the questioning. (Allen's reason for meeting the press long-distance was to promote his film ``Don't Drink the Water,'' which he made for ABC. Allen's never condescended to do a made-for-TV movie before. I guess legal fees are really draining his bank account).
It's been an extraordinary press tour for this reason: People who don't usually come down from Mount Olympus to talk to the common folk in the press - movers and shakers such as Allen; Fox Broadcasting owner Rupert Murdoch; and CBS president, chairman and chief executive officer Laurence A. Tisch - have been here chattering away like magpies.
Murdoch at his press conference described CBS programming as ``tired'' and suggested that CBS has a fall schedule so uninspiring it could cost the network it's No. 1 rating. Tisch couldn't wait for his day before the TV critics to come.
He lit into Murdoch, the man who outbid CBS for the Sunday afternoon National Football League telecasts and staged a successful raid on nine CBS affiliates.
Tisch implied that the Fox network under Murdoch will never be accepted as a full network until it establishes a news division. Tisch also attempted to link up the free-spirited style of some Fox programming with the tabloid New York Post, also one of Murdoch's holdings.
``You can see that there is a lot of difference between Rupert Murdoch and CBS,'' said Tisch, who still regards CBS as the Tiffany network.
Hot damn.
Watching these two media giants go at each other was more fun than playing Nintendo.
And after all of that, we got Woody Allen, too.
Reporters who questioned Allen here wondered if he would avoid answering a question about a miniseries planned by Fox about the men in Farrow's life, including Allen.
He couldn't wait to respond.
``It's more than a miniseries,'' he said, firing an arrow at Farrow. ``I guess there's a taste for this sort of television, but I find it silly. I hope I am cast in an appropriately exciting way, not in animation or something like that.''
You got the idea that Allen, as well as Murdoch and Tisch, really liked the give-and-take with reporters.
``I'm shy in general,'' said Allen who didn't act bashful at all in this appearance. After all these fireworks, CBS gave us more - a preview of the upcoming ``Scarlett'' 8-hour miniseries with Timothy Dalton playing Rhett Butler.
Woody Allen, Rupert Murdoch, Laurence Tisch and Rhett Butler in one week. That was so cool. MEMO: Television Columnist Larry Bonko is in Los Angeles for the twice-yearly
press tour.
by CNB