Talk Shows

TV critic Bianculli reviews the new HBO show, as satirical comedy that feeds off the current talk show frenzy.

Comedian and actor Garry Shandling stars in HBO's television parody, "The Larry Sanders Show." It features Shandling as a veteran talk-show host. His guests have included Mimi Rogers and Robin Williams, playing themselves. Starting December 7, "The Larry Sanders Show" will compete with late-night talk-shows by presenting a different episode each night for ten days.

Former staff members on The Johnny Carson Show, Mike Huber and Barbara Bowen. They were, respectively, correspondent and co-correspondent for Carson and had the job of reading letters sent from fans and non-fans of the show. They collected the most memorable ones in the new book, "Dear Johnny."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "Late Night with David Letterman," at least as we know it. In August, the host moves his show to CBS.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the debut of David Letterman's new talk show which premiered last night.

Writer Anne Lamott tells us about her real-life nightmare defending single motherhood on national TV.

Critic David Bianculli talks about former "Tomorrow" host Tom Snyder's move from CNBC to a late show on CBS.

Playwright and satirist from South Africa Pieter-Dirk Uys. He has a television talk show in South Africa with an unusual twist: instead of hosting his show as himself, he dresses in drag as an Afrikaner dowager named Evita. His guests have included such leaders as Nelson Mandela.

Veteran television announcer Bill Wendell retires this week after 37 years at NBC. Wendell is currently the announcer for "Late Night with David Letterman." He's famous for adding the long "A" in his introduction "Here's...Daaay-vid Letterman" Wendell also emceed several games shows and was the Tonight Show announcer in 1956 and 1957.

Host of Comedy Central's "Politically Incorrect," Bill Maher. The former stand-up comic's new book is "Does Anybody Have a Problem With That: Politically Incorrect's Greatest Hits," (Villard) With panelists of diverse ideologies (Patty Hearst to Al Sharpton to G. Gordon Liddy...) and sometimes explosive conflicts, the show has been described as "the McLaughlin Group on acid." Beginning in January, "Politically Incorrect" will air right after Nightline on ABC.

Terry continues her interview with Jay Leno. He talks about his early career and how he developed his style of humor.

O'Brien took over David Letterman's spot in 1993, and his "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" has just celebrated it's third birthday. Previous to that, he was a writer for Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the season premiere of the satirical HBO comedy. Bianculli says it was worth the wait.

TV critic David Bianculli previews the final episode of "The Larry Sanders Show" on HBO which airs this Sunday.

TV critic David Bianculli reviews this weekend's premiere of Michael Moore's new series "The Awful Truth" on the Bravo channel. Moore is best known for his film "Roger and Me."

Comedienne Joy Behar. She can be seen regularly on the ABC women's talk show, "The View." She also appears as a neurotic patient on "Dr. Katz: Professional Therapist for Comedy Central." She has a new book, "Joy Shtick: or What is the Existential Vacuum and Does it Come with Attachments?" (Hyperion)

Jon Stewart is the co-producer and anchorman of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” The show is an alternative take on the news. Previously Stewart had a part on HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show.” He also hosted Comedy Central’s “Short Attention Span Theater.”

TV critic David Bianculli remembers Steve Allen who died Monday at the age of 78.

He wrote and starred in his films which include the hipster comedy Swingers and Made (which he also directed). In each film he teamed up with fellow actor and friend Vince Vaughn. Recently he also starred in the romantic comedy Love and Sex. His latest project is a new talk show series Dinner For Five which he created and hosts for the Independent Film Channel

Actress, writer, comic Ellen Degeneres is soon to begin a stand-up tour. Her five-year sitcom Ellen won an Emmy for her much-anticipated coming-out episode. At the same time Degeneres' character realized she was gay, the entertainer revealed her own sexual orientation. Degeneres talks about coming out, her former relationship with actress Anne Heche, and why she resists becoming a lesbian role model. Degeneres is the author of the book, My Point... And I Do Have One.