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January 26, 2004
Dennis Miller Time
Dennis Miller's new show on CNBC debuts tonight at 9 pm amid some buzz. Miller returns to the peacock network where he got his start on NBC's Saturday Night Live in 1985. His work on SNL's "Weekend Update" paved the way for his own late night show that flopped, but Miller resurrected his career with the HBO series Dennis Miller Live. The show won five Emmy Awards before Miller left to sit in the broadcast booth for two seasons of ABC's Monday Night Football beginning in 2000.
Based on his hit-flop-hit-flop track record, something tells me Dennis Miller is due for a success this time around. But Miller's seemingly new found conservatism has some media pundits puzzled. Is Miller going with the flow or going with his heart? The trend of shows with conservative hosts on Fox and MSNBC gives critics fodder, but a look at Miller's political stances throughout his career would prove otherwise. Dennis Miller has also gone on record that 9/11 put a lot of things into perspective for him.
"I don't think of myself as a classic conservative. I think of myself as a pragmatist. And these days, pragmatism falls into the conservative camp. We have to depend on ourselves in this country right now because we can't depend on anyone else. We are simultaneously the most loved, hated, feared, and respected nation on this planet. In short, we're Frank Sinatra. And Sinatra didn't become Sinatra playing down for punks outside the Fontainebleau [Hotel]." - Dennis Miller, interview in The Weekly Standard
Now I must admit, I've been a Dennis Miller fan for years. He is the visual version of the writings of P.J. O'Rourke that I have enjoyed for many years. Both went through a conversion from more liberal leanings in their youth to a seasoned pragmatism about the world around them. Miller has always been a socially liberal and economically conservative person, and that essentially fits with my own leanings.
For me the real item of controversy is Dennis Miller's announcement that a monkey will wear color-coded T-shirts according to the terror alert level and will bound across the studio from time to time. Tony Kornheiser originally postulated the humor value of a chimp before Pardon the Interruption debuted. Somebody get Mr. Tony's lawyer on the phone.
January 26, 2004 in Media Mayhem | Permalink
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Comments
it's pretty unwatchable. clicked thru last night, who cares what martin short thinks about politics. the format doesn't work well, for me at least. but then again, it's just the first week...
Posted by: ed cone at Jan 30, 2004 8:47:48 AM
MSNBC needs to fire Dennis Miller and replace him with Al Frankin.
Al Frankin is one of the funniest and smartest people on TV-- maybe smarter than
that sell-out media whore Dennis Miller.
Remember when Dennis Miller used to be liberal and funny?
Dennis has gotten so desperate for laughs on his show that he's had to recruit a
monkey to climb around his set.
"CNBC plans to keep 'Dennis Miller' on the air
www.syracuse.com/entertainment/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1095239783164422.xml
Despite a tepid launch in January and a near-immediate hiatus for creative
retooling, CNBC has renewed 'Dennis Miller.'
Keeping the monkey, adding a studio audience, expanding the number of
correspondents and improving the caliber of guests appears to have worked
for Miller, as the comic and commentator will remain with CNBC
through 2005."
That makes TWO trained monkeys on MSNBC chewing up the scenery for their
Republican masters.
It's painful to see Dennis Miller like this. It's like watching your mother
waste away from cancer, only with less laughs and a smaller audience.
I used to be a big fan of Dennis Miller. I've watched nearly every episode of
every one of his shows that was yanked out from under him.
I've bought all of his books; and bought them on tape, because I wanted to hear
Dennis read them to me himself.
When Dennis Miller had his Fox talk show, I'd told my boss I would put in as
much overtime as they needed, so long as I was home by 11 PM to watch Dennis.
My ex-girlfriend even... uhm... "found" one of The Dennis Miller Show signs on
the subway, and I proudly displayed the poster in my dorm room until I
graduated.
But that was before Dennis Miller drank the Republican Kool-Aid.
Four more years of Bush, and you won't be able to tell Dennis Miller from
Zell Miller.
I say dump Miller and replace him with Al Frankin and Randi Rhodes.
Dennis must have fallen asleep with a giant pod under his bed and been replaced
by a Republican mouthpiece shilling for discount long distance, satelite TV,
and talking M&M's.
There is no Dennis Miller anymore.
Of course that's just my opinion, and I could be wrong.
Sincerely,
Rev. Ian Brumberger
Brockton, MA 02302-3013
Posted by: Rev. Ian Brumberger at Sep 30, 2004 2:03:19 PM
I read the piece by Rev. Ian Brumberger and came to the conclusion that Rev. must stand for Revenue. (as in Internal _____ Service) It couldn't possibly be Reverend, but then there are alot of cults out there aren't there. (statement, not question) So I suggest to Revenue Ian, that after the next "gathering" with your glassy eyed followers, you go grab a Berger and fly away on your Brum to a place more suited to your liking.
Posted by: Renita at Aug 18, 2008 2:21:45 PM
