European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Dan rather and Connie Chung rehearse last june soon before teaming up for their cd broadcasts. Rather Chung turns into bad news for lbs by Frazier Moore a television writer if anything they bring out the worst in each other on the lbs evening news with Dan rather and Connie , with her coquettish flair and once upon a time Way of Reading her copy seems All the More lightweight beside the Hardy rather. And As for rather whose taut White knuckle style worked Fine in his past life As a full time correspondent but has never served him Well As an Anchor Chung crowding his left Elbow seems Only to heighten his unease. The pairing of these two superstars last june was hyped by lbs As a to news breakthrough. It want even in theory. Nor has it proved to be in practice. Instead the Dan and Connie show is distinguished by How it detracts from the process of re porting the news. With a partner woman partner at that beside him at the Anchor desk rather himself seems distracted should he be warm chivalrous professional meanwhile he has pushed to the limit the chief asset of any journalist credibility. Despite an understandable desire to do More on the scene reporting after a dozen years Solo in the Anchor chair his claim of being a very Happy and very excited Dan rather just did t Wash when the rather Chung team was announced last Spring. He was also Pooh poohed for echoing the company line that this arranged marriage was not a ratings based it might As Well not have been at least up to now. In second place behind Abc s world news to night when Chung came on Board the lbs evening news quickly dipped to third place where it resides. But Here a destroy it to save it sort of rationale takes Over numbers suggest that since Chung arrived the broadcast has shed older viewers Many welcomed by the Abc nightly news now no. 2while strengthening its audience in the 25-to-54 demographic Many advertisers prefer to reach. That s the Long term news viewing audience of the future says David pol track lbs top research executive. Maybe Chung is indeed the cure lbs is seeking. Even so it remains to be seen whether she will have a remedial effect on rather s lapses into wackiness. She was off one night recently for a particularly Odd outbreak of what has come to be called Dan apparently feeling the urge for a Little cats kills humor rather came out of a 3vi-minute report on attention deficit disorder with this crack lbs this morning s going to have a lot of Good stuff tomorrow he deadpanned but for the life of me i can t remember what it but seriously folks rather knows Well the difference Between Glitz and solid journalism. And in a much reported speech to the radio and television news directors association last septem Ber he called both his colleagues and himself on the carpet for lapses into fuzz and Buzz we Veall succumbed to the Hollywood nation of the news he said. These were Strong words especially from a news Man who considers himself to be principally a re Porter yet who retains even now the High office High salary and High profile of an Anchor. In giving the news a face and a voice the Anchor also makes news. And not Only by making a speech but sometimes just by sitting there at the Anchor desk. That s the Case squared on the lbs evening news. An Anchor team with scant chemistry and minimal journalistic reason for being the Dan and Connie show makes news by distracting its viewers from the real thing. -. Have you seen these games the museum of television and radio is searching for copies of to broadcasts of the first two super bowls. Both National football league championship games received network coverage and aired across the country. Super bowl i in fact was broadcast on two networks. Yet despite a Well publicized search and years of private research by the new York City based museum nobody has come Forward with a videotaped copy of either event. If you have one Call the museum at 212-621-6600. Other programs the museum wants in its collection include Johnny Carson s debut on tonight one of several Pilot episodes for All in the family and to coverage of Pitcher Don Larsen s perfect game in the 1956 world series. Hanks Williams Good picks to take Oscar Host Job though it was Only recently announced that Billy Crystal would not be returning for fifth year As Host of the March 21 Academy awards telecast Hollywood insiders say the producers of the show have been searching for his replacement for More than a month and they have already been turned Down by such personable luminaries As Bette Midler Steve Martin whoops Gold Berg and Host emeritus Johnny Carson. Gilbert Cates who began producing the show the first year Crystal appeared would not comment on his search for a new Host. But just two years ago he had the perfect candidate All set and ready to step in if Crystal bedridden with the flu had been unable to make it to the stage. Three Days before that 1992 telecast Cates called Tom Hanks and asked him if he would sub for Crystal if he was needed. And Hanks to the producer s great Relief agreed. Now that Crystal has taken himself out citing a bad Case of hos Titus he has also emceed three grammy and six comic Relief even Scates should consider redi Aling Hanks number and offering him the Job with two months notice. The producer s instincts were right about Hanks As Host he has Charm dignity wit intelligence and it s Worth mentioning he s a movie Star you would rather have Howard Stern Robin Williams would also make a great Host. He s Robin William an actor he s funny and everyone loves him. He has also been up there before sharing the Host duties. But Academy sources think he s a bit too unpredictable for a 3v6-hour Solo on live television. If they could get Williams they would be fools not to turn him Loose and take their chances. The Academy awards shows we remember with the greatest fondness Are those that almost got away and attempts to make it comfortable for network executives have nearly ruined it for everyone else. Hanks has apparently not been approached i ther on the reasoning that it would be inappropriate for someone nominated for an Oscar As he is certain to be for his performance in Philadelphia to double As Host. That could be working against Williams As Well though the Odds on his receiving a nomination for mrs. Doubt fire Are much longer. In any event the Academy routinely has present ers on the show who Are also nominees and other awards shows have survived such scandals. If not Hanks or Williams who because Carson had such a successful run As Oscar Host people Are throwing out the names of to talk show hosts Jay Leno David Letterman and Arsenio Hall. Even Regis Philbin has volunteered for the Job from the pulpit of his own morning to show. Weirdly Chevy Chase the 1987 Oscar emcee seems to have been disqualified for having bombed As a to talk show Host himself. The Academy of motion picture arts and sciences ought to remind itself that though the Oscar show is a television event the subject is movies. The Host does t have to be a professional Wise Cracker. Lionel Barrymore did it in 1932. Send Jack Nicholson or barbra Streisand up there. Hollywood is in even worse shape than we thought if it can t find a genial Host among its own members. January 30,1994 sunday Page 11
