I like the variety show format, if done right (like Carol Burnett and…uh, Carol Burnett), but really, Rosie O’Donnell? I did find various points of interest in this article.
A mere 5 million viewers tuned in for the 8 p.m. premiere of “Rosie Live,” with the program earning a 1.2 preliminary adults 18-49 rating. The telecast matched ABC’s recently canceled “Pushing Daisies” as the night’s lowest-rated program on a major broadcast network.
Ouch! As usual, I’ve heard a lot of bitching on various web boards about how ABC was stupid to cancel Pushing Daisies because it was a great show. Seriously, if you’re old enough to type, you should be old enough to realize that “great show” doesn’t automatically translate to “show lots of people want to watch.” It’s amazing ABC brought the show back if those were the ratings it was pulling. How come nobody ever says “Thanks for trying” when networks even bother with offbeat shows like this, instead of bitching when, as the odds dicate, 98% of them fail?
And why did the Rosie Show not draw an audience? (Aside from the fact that its host is an insane truther who spent the last several years actively working to alienate half the country?) I think the following paragraph provides some clues:
Segments included Kathy Griffin impersonating Nancy Grace, Alec Baldwin hitting Conan O’Brian with a pie, O’Donnell singing “City Lights” with Liza Minnelli and Jane Krakowski doing a product-placement-themed striptease for White Castle burgers and Crest Whitestrips.
Rosie and Kathy Griffin together? How could this have failed? And what, Margaret Cho was busy last night? Then there’s this:
Critics were not kind. The NY Times described it as “hokey comedy with an enemies list.” TV Guide called it a “ghastly ego trip.” And the LA Times asked, “Rosie, what on earth were you thinking?”
Actually, if it were that bad, now I’m sorry I missed it. And here’s a clue, if the friggin’ New York Times thinks you went overboard attacking people like Donald Trump and Bill O’Reilly, you might want to reign things in a bit. The Times also mentioned this bit:
spinning cowboys danced with ropes (albeit in tune to a 1980s hit by Dead or Alive, “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”)…
Pink Lady and Jeff, you are avenged. Man, I hope this thing is on Hulu or something. I will say, though, that I think I found another reason that the New York Times is shedding readers. I mean, imagine paying money to get this from a supposedly authoritative critic:
The usually funny comedian Kathy Griffin…
The what now?
UPDATE: Talk about a picture being worth a thousand words:
