THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 26, 1995 TAG: 9507260035
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
DATELINE: PASADENA, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
IT'S JUST ONE THRILL after another on the Television Critics Association press tour.
First, I picked up some fashion tips from the cast of ``Beverly Hills 90210.'' Then I lunched with the actors on ``Friends.'' Then I was offered a very long, expensive cigar by Dennis Franz of ``NYPD Blue.''
And now this:
David Letterman let me in on the big news about his mother.
She's been cast as the wacky next door neighbor on the new Friday night CBS sitcom, ``Dweebs.''
Just kidding.
This is what is happening with Dave's mom for real: She is writing a cookbook.
``Mom thinks she has died and gone to heaven,'' Letterman said of his seventysomething mother, who did wonders for his ratings when she worked the winter Olympics as special corre-spond-ent.
When the cookbook is done, said Letterman, look for mom to be out selling it ``on every television show in North America.''
The announcement about mom's cookbook was it - as far as Letterman handing TV writers a blockbuster scoop was concerned. He didn't say if he could or would host the Oscar telecast again. And if he is shaken by the fact that his rival in late-night television, NBC's Jay Leno, beat him in the weekly ratings not long ago, Letterman did not show it.
He was witty (``It's a little known fact that we got the idea for our Top 10 lists from the Bible.''), critical of his interviewing techniques (``I'm constantly trying to improve myself.'') and a wee bit boastful (``Since last September, we have been dominant in our time slot, more or less.'').
In nearby Burbank, NBC did everything short of shooting off fireworks to remind writers that Leno for the first time beat Letterman in the ratings - by less than a percentage point, however.
Letterman acknowledged that he is feeling the heat from Leno, whom he never has seen hosting ``The Tonight Show,'' and will respond by ``generally sharpening up our program.''
He also recognized that when the ``Late Show'' lost director Hal Gurnee to retirement, and head writer Rob Burnett to the new Bonnie Hunt sitcom on CBS, the ``Late Show'' suffered.
And he admitted that he and his writing staff have of late run dry of great ideas. They are pushing hard to create the offbeat bits and pieces that made his show unpredictable and irreverent on NBC and in the early months on CBS.
He said he doesn't lose sleep worrying about how he will come off in an HBO movie based on a book about the Letterman-Leno late-night wars.
``It will probably be the largest waste of film since my wedding photos,'' he said.
Then Letterman gave way to a man who has been running CBS Entertainment for exactly six days - Les Moonves, who used to work for a company (Warner Brothers) that supplies many hours of programming to the networks.
Now he's the buyer and, as such, announced two projects that will interest the average couch potato:
Talk-show host Montel Williams will soon be starring in a weekly drama for CBS.
The network is thinking of airing four-hour revivals of ``Knots Landing'' and ``Dallas.''
And everyone at CBS, from Letterman behind the ``Late Show'' desk to Moonves in the executive suite, is waiting to see if the rumors of Westinghouse's $5-billion offer to buy CBS become fact.
Moonves was introduced in jest as a potential Westinghouse ``employee of the week.'' Letterman said if the deal with Westinghouse happens, everyone on the press tour will be awarded a frost-free freezer for their kitchen or garage.
Like I said. It's been one thrill after another. MEMO: Columnist Larry Bonko is in Los Angeles for the twice-yearly Television
Critics press tour. by CNB