European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Letterman gets no cd a Cue to hear offers by John Carmody the Washington Post Abc a in a Good Faith Effort to move their negotiating process Forward a has Given David Letterman a the right to explore opportunities outside of the Letterman a part of the bargain is an agreement to extend his contract to Host late night with David Letterman on the network until june 25,1993. Originally Letterman a contract was due to run out in late april and the right to Start talking to potential bidders was to have kicked in in late january. In an announcement Abc said a David Letterman emphasizes that his announcement does not represent a final decision regarding his future with Abc a while Abc a reiterates its desire to continue its Long standing relationship with David Letterman and remains hopeful that it will extend his contract beyond next Abc sources pointed out that under terms of his contract Letterman must come Back to Abc with any outside offer he wishes to sign to give the network the right to match it. The network has late night plans for Dana Carvey once saturday night live ends its season next Spring so the pressure to keep Letterman has probably eased. So another chapter begins in the late night drama of Abc and a disappointed Letterman who was rejected two years ago As a replacement in favor of Jay Leno when Johnny Carson announced his retirement from the tonight show. Letterman who has been with Abc 11 years recently signed with Michael Ovitz the most powerful Deal maker in Hollywood. With Ovitz a creative artists Agency behind him Letterman is reportedly due to consider offers from Abc lbs Fox and several syndicator who want to try the late night Market a but not too late. Letterman wants to get out of the 12 35 . Time Slot he occupies. Lbs whose audiences skew considerably older would be a Tough sell. A tightly held secret at Abc in recent years had been the fact that Letterman a Appeal to a younger audience was the lure for late night advertisers who had become underaged by Johnny Carsons older viewership. A Sara James an Anchor of since last november has been named a general correspondent by Abc news. She showed up on today As a substitute news Anchor last month and obviously passed the big test. A a Crew from Abc news 20/20 is in trouble with . Customs after dropping a Taco in a marked bag from an air plane to test the governments anti drug efforts. A customs special agent in Tucson said the , attorneys office will determine whether to prosecute reporter Tom Jarriel and the Crew for smuggling a a package of mexican after the drop from a Cessna 182, simulating a drug smuggling operation near the tiny Border town of Sasabe a customs plane followed Jarriell a aircraft while a customs helicopter followed the network Van used to pick up the Taco which was wrapped in an Abc news Pouch. No arrests were made and the Fate of the Taco is figures he lands punch lines on All the chins by Vernon Scott up Hollywood reporter comedian Jay Leno says late night comics and talk show hosts had Little influence on the choices voters made this year. The Host of the tonight show and the no. 1-rated to comedian disagrees with lbs news poll findings that late night comedy programs were a source of real information in the Campaign. According to lbs 60 percent of 18 to 29-Ycar-Olds who watch Leno David Letterman and Arsinio Hall say the three influenced a Twenty something voters. A i done to know How seriously voters respond to humor about candidates and issues a Leno said. A the first responsibility of a comedian is to be funny. If a joke has some basis in fact it makes it funnier. A it is important to remain As impartial As possible. I seem to get along with All the candidates because they sense i treat them All equally a the Best jokes Are not biased. One of my favourites the whole Campaign is like the wizard of of a Perot needs courage Bush needs a heart Quayle needs a brain and Clinton just wants to meet Dorothy. A to me that puts Etc Mything in perspective. There a a basis of truth in it. A a lot of times on the tonight show audiences favored Clinton and they a groan when i told a Clinton joke. Then id say a hey fairs fair a and they a go a of of you be got to keep a sense of balance. A a few years ago when Dan Quayle went to South America there was a quote going around that he said a i wish i had Learned latin in school so i could talk to these a i did no to believe it. It was too dumb. I called Quayle a people who denied it. I tracked it Down to the original reporter who filed the Story. I was told Quayle said it to somebody As a joke on the bus. But it was picked up in seriousness. A i did no to use the joke and Felt Good about that. There a enough real Quayle stuff out there that you done to need the phony ones. A even if you re telling Republican jokes in front of republicans laugh if there a a sense of truth about the material. A you done to change anybody a mind with comedy you just reinforce what they already believe. When you try to change minds you re not doing comedy. You re making a speech. People done to laugh at things they done to already agree with. A i done to believe you Sway voters with jokes. Sometimes it tends to work the other Way. In my mind the recent emmy show helped republicans because people wondered about so Many mean spirited Quayle jokes. It is convinced the Media often underestimates the intelligence and political awareness of . Voters. He also believes some comedians try to influence. Public opinion a and fail a through humor. A Only older people think comedians have influence on Young voters a he said. A if you re 18, you done to think like that. Its like pornography when pc ple say a in be never been damaged by it but i know it could damage its like Madonna a Book a i can look at it rationally As an adult but this should not be seen by others because they would not know what to do with a when i talk to College kids they Are much More concerned about the environment than my age group he a 42. Also people think the elderly can be swayed on social Security issues because they done to know what to think. I done to believe that a valid. A a it a like the cliche that women will vote for the handsome candidate. It was proved More women voted for Nixon than for the lbs poll found that 30 percent of republicans and 12 percent of democrats believed George Bush impersonations Hurt the presidents candidacy. A is there any bad publicity a Leno asked. A any time they spell your name right is a plus. Remember when Nixon went on laugh in and said a sock it to me when Bush walks into a room and people smile because they re thinking of Dana Carvey a impressions is that Good or bad i done to know. A if you re going to be funny about politicians i think you have to humiliate and degrade them All equally. That a my goal. You re out there to make people laugh not use a show As a bully Jay Leno says he so out there to make people laugh a even president Bush in the Oval office last year. Neq november 8, 1992 sunday a Page 11
