When David Letterman moves to CBS in August, he can't take the title "Late Night" with him. That belongs to NBC.
So they've come up with a new title. Instead of "Late Night with David Letterman" it will be the "Late Show with David Letterman."If that sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because back in 1986, Fox's ill-fated late-night talk show was titled "The Late Show starring Joan Rivers."
Hmmm. Not a good omen.
At any rate, the "Late Show with David Letterman" will premiere on CBS on Monday, Aug. 30.
And the plan at local CBS affiliate KSL-Ch. 5 is still to carry Dave at 11:05 p.m., after "M.A.S.H."
COURIC FALTERS: Katie Couric is the darling of NBC News. She's helped revive the ratings on "Today," and she'll co-anchor a news magazine with Tom Brokaw.
But during her interview with First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton last week, Couric proved to be just a bit too darling.
She did ask some tough questions, but when they were deftly deflected, Couric was unable to get a straight answer. And her attempts to be chummy with Hillary - she never did call the first lady Mrs. Clinton - were nauseating.
Couric giggled her way through questions about when Chelsea would get her ears pierced - and if the 13-year-old would get her nose pierced! - and whether Hillary Clinton was afraid she'd spill grape juice on the White House furniture.
She looked like an overeager little chipmunk with a degree from the Arsenio Hall School of Journalism, where she majored in sucking up to and fawning over guests.
Not to mention that, seeing Mrs. Clinton surrounded by female aides, Couric asked about her about her "all-chick" staff.
Imagine the uproar that would have ensued had Brokaw asked a question about "chicks." Or if, as Couric did, he'd gone on to make comments about how the one male staffer "makes a great cup of coffee."
To paraphrase the character of Lou Grant in the pilot episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," Couric has spunk.
I hate spunk.
OLD FACES, NEW PLACES: NBC is adding a pair of familiar sitcom faces to a pair of familiar sitcoms in the fall - Loni Anderson will join the cast of "Nurses" and Marsha Warfield has signed on with "Empty Nest."
Anderson, the soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Burt Reynolds - best known for her role on "WKRP In Cincinnati" - will play the new hospital administrator on "Nurses," a woman who is "determined to change the image of Miami's Community Medical Center."
Warfield, who played court matron Roz on "Night Court," comes to "Empty Nest" as a doctor "who invites Dr. Weston (series star Richard Mulligan) to join forces with her at her inner-city clinic."
SUMMER SWITCH: Beginning this week, NBC is moving the series "Sisters" from Saturdays to Thursdays at 9 p.m. for the summer.
And, taking a page out of Fox's book, the Peacock is going to have "Sisters" cast members Swoosie Kurtz, Julianne Phillips and Sela Ward "host" the NBC lineup this Thursday and next Thursday - doing little bits between the programs. How cute.
(By the way, "Sisters" returns to Saturdays in the fall, and "L.A. Law" will be back on Thursdays.)