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Conan the decennarianComedian goes prime time for anniversary
By Todd Leopold
(CNN) -- It's easy to forget how difficult the transitions on NBC's late-night talk shows have been. Hosts who seemed like naturals when we got used to them were originally questioned when they first appeared. For example, people who loved Steve Allen took awhile to warm up to Jack Paar. Then Johnny Carson had to hold onto Paar's fans, even though Carson was already a well-known TV figure himself by the time he took over Paar's "Tonight Show." David Letterman had already failed in the morning before taking his shtick to late night, where there was no guarantee of success. And Jay Leno floundered for months -- for Pete's sake, he actually booked thoughtful people like writers! -- before he found his ratings stride by making his version of "Tonight" as rimshot basic as possible. So when NBC signed Conan O'Brien to succeed Letterman, the showbiz knives came out. NBC gave him 13 weeks. Some critics didn't give him 13 minutes. Ten years later, he's still here -- along with Triumph the Comic Insult Dog, a Claymation show, and accolades that he's "the funniest man on television." O'Brien celebrates his decade with a 10th anniversary show Sunday. And "Eye on Entertainment" pays tribute. Eye-openerO'Brien benefited from something few TV programs get nowadays -- patience. When he started on "Late Night," O'Brien was simply a lanky, Harvard-bred ex-"Simpsons" writer. He'd never hosted a show before and was virtually unknown to the general public. And the first year was awkward. The bits that didn't work seemed worse than they were. O'Brien's banter with sidekick Andy Richter and bandleader Max Weinberg was uneven. His celebrity interviews could get more uncomfortable than Letterman's -- and that's saying something. But producer Lorne Michaels believed in his talent, and NBC went along. Soon, college students were gravitating to Conan the way they once watched Dave. "Late Night" became sillier, more absurd, richer -- and a solid hit. The 10th anniversary show, taped at New York's Beacon Theater, will include the usual clips and laughs. But with O'Brien's off-the-wall sense of humor, expect something a little extra -- such as some of the most innovative television out there. The "Late Night with Conan O'Brien Tenth Anniversary Special" airs Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET, NBC. On screen• In "Matchstick Men," Nicolas Cage plays a tic-infested con man who suddenly has to play father to a long-lost daughter (Alison Lohman) and embark on a scam with his partner (Sam Rockwell). The film was directed by Ridley Scott ("Gladiator," "Blade Runner"). • Robert Rodriguez directed, wrote, scored, and probably set up light scrims for "Once Upon a Time in Mexico." The movie stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Johnny Depp in a continuation of Rodriguez's "El Mariachi" films. On the tube• "That '70s Show" made the 1970s seem funny by focusing on the bad fashions and goofy trends. Now "The Mullets" tries to do the same with a hairstyle. Starring Michael Weaver, David Hornsby and Loni Anderson. Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, UPN. Sound waves• David Bowie's new album, "Reality" (Sony), is due Tuesday. Paging readers• To paraphrase Bishop George Berkeley: If Madonna fell in a forest and nobody was there to cover it, would she make a sound? And to paraphrase Christopher Lehmann-Haupt's 1973 review of Thomas Pynchon's "Gravity's Rainbow": Forests have gone to the blade to make the paper for Madonna's children's book, "The English Roses" (Callaway). Should we read the book or mourn the trees? You can make your decision Monday. • On the other hand, Jonathan Lethem's book "The Fortress of Solitude" (Doubleday) manages to infuse more music, imagination and city smarts in its pages than any six Madonna albums. The highly touted novel is due Tuesday. Video center• The pairing of Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson didn't please many critics, but it didn't hurt "Anger Management's" take at the box office. The comedy is due on DVD and video Tuesday. (Read Paul Clinton's review.) • Edward Burns, Rachel Weisz and Dustin Hoffman lead the cast of "Confidence." The DVD and video are due out Tuesday. (Read Paul Clinton's review.)
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