THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 16, 1996 TAG: 9601160032
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
DATELINE: PASADENA, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
MAYBE IT'S the jet lag. Maybe it's because I've been out in the hot sun too long - it's seventysomething and blue-sky gorgeous here in the San Fernando Valley.
But I actually looked forward to interviewing Kermit.
Yeah. That's right. I interview puppets.
Kermit showed up at the mid-winter gathering of the Television Critics Association to announce that in about six weeks he will be back on primetime with ABC in ``Muppets Tonight!''
He announced it. Not his boss, Brian Henson. Not the network brass. A dumb cloth and wood puppet had a room of hard-shelled reporters listening to him as if he were a real person, much like the president meeting the White House press to talk about Bosnia.
Question: You have a great movie career going. Why come back to TV?
``I like the pace. It takes four months to shoot a movie. TV is faster, and it's nice to be able to be silly once a week on TV.''
Question: Does this mean an on-camera reunion with Miss Piggy?
``Sure. She'll be around. But not on every show.''
Kermit left the writers with the feeling that not all is well between the two. I can't believe I just wrote that line. I am treating Muppets as if they were flesh and blood, had feelings and said things that really mattered.
Must be jet lag.
One day the president of the network is telling you that ``Roseanne'' will be back for another season on ABC. Then Shannen Doherty (starring in the CBS movie ``Gone in the Night'') is telling you that irresponsible journalists ``done me wrong.'' Then you're hanging on every word out of a puppet's mouth.
That's the wacky press tour.
The big buzz out here so far? Jerry Seinfeld will do another season of ``Seinfeld'' on NBC. ``Murder She Wrote'' may be moved back to the CBS Sunday night schedule. Then again, maybe not. The Mommies (Caryl Kristensen and Marilyn Kentz) are coming back to TV with a morning show on ABC.
When that happens, it's bye-bye ``Mike and Maty.''
Not showing up here to meet the press: David Letterman of the CBS ``Late Show,'' which he tapes in Manhattan.
He faxed something instead - the 10 reasons why he isn't at the press tour. They are:
10. Didn't want to face embarrassing questions about my role in Whitewater;
9. I'm making a fortune back here shoveling show;
8. Don't want to risk missing my favorite show, ``Central Park West'';
7. My flight was canceled due to problems with the Westinghouse jet engines;
6. I'm practicing for my Madonna tryout.
5. Doctors advise against air travel until my hair plugs heal;
4. Attending grand opening of my ``Cap'n Dave'' seafood chain;
3. I'm looking for the real killers of the CBS primetime lineup;
2. Tired of hearing CBS president Les Moonves say, ``You know, I created the show `Friends' '';
1. The people want Whoopi.''
Virtually all of the 11 new shows introduced by CBS last fall have bombed. Ratings are down from last year when the network was No. 4 in some samplings.
With all that gruel on his plate, Moonves won't be a fun interview. Give me Kermit any day. by CNB