MovieChat Forums > The Arsenio Hall Show (1989) Discussion > Arsenio did what Carson{daly},Letter man...

Arsenio did what Carson{daly},Letter man,Leno,Keenan+ VIBE could NOT!!

posted 18 years ago by luvzpcdnpinknmd
14 replies | jump to latest

There just HASN'T been another late night show that has done what Arsenio has done to late night TV.Regardless as to what the "statement" here may have stated.To me the only one currently that comes close would be Kimmel that knows what questions to get the guests razzled instead of just catering to them to get their crap plugged.When others were afraid to go anywhere near Farrakhan for an interview Arsenio went there.George Wallace as well as other comedians were there often (Wallace was on Tom Joyners Show on WB recently.} Just as Bette Midler was on the Tonight Show & Letterman!! Every comedian loves to be on lates shows OFTEN :::duh!!:::Paramount made their "screw you" to Arsenio known & NO ONE made that point quite clear than Whoopi Goldberg the last night Arsenio was on the air!! Regardless as to how many shows that tried to imitate what Arsenios Show was(Magic,Keenan,Sinbads AWFUL job on VIBE) they ALL flopped as Arsenio out lasted them all.A devout watcher of the show (who pumped my fist & went Woof! Woof!Woof!) In Living Color had ratings for takin jabs at the show,Dave Koz had cd's to sell due to the exposure of the show,Clinton WON over Bush thanks to that damn saxaphone & being more in touch with young people(I voted for him!!)So MUCH the Arsenio Hall Show did for entertainment on an URBAN scale,The WuTang Clan,Hammer,Method Man,Redman,Mary J.Blige,JoDEci,Guy,Heavy D &The Boys,RunDMC ALL performed on there when Tonight Show/Letterman wouldn't have them!! I believe the current hosts of late night (Daly,Letterman,O'Brien,Leno & Furgerson) would not come close to him.I applaud Arsenio for the times he did go on Leno that to me shows he has class.Late night has NOT been the same since his sudden departure.Paramount to ME was W R O N G!TIvo would've RULED if it excisted then!!!

[–] rino7789 18 years ago

His ratings had started to slip in 1992-93 after he turned his show into a forum on inner city problems in the wake of the L.A. riots. His show was pushed back into a later time slot and his audience started deserting him. This is why Paramount pulled the plug.

[–] Carycomic 18 years ago

Well, then, that was Paramount's second biggest mistake (next to all four seasons of "Enterprise"). After Johnny Carson retired, in May of 1992, I WATCHED ARSENIO IN PREFERENCE TO BOTH LENO AND LETTERMAN!

My favorite moment? When Patrick Stewart guested on the show, to plug "Star Trek: Generations." He told of meeting Carrie Fisher on a flight from London to Los Angeles. And, their discussion about possibly doing a "Star Trek/Star Wars" crossover for theatrical release!

OH! If only that had come to pass. :-(

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] anxiety attack 18 years ago

I loved it too. I use to beg mommy to let me stay up to watch Arsenio

Damn!! My posts attract so many nutty B-A-S-T-A-R-D-S! Juicy Gotcha Krazy! http://tinyurl.com/n6tuh

[–] clarence2223 17 years ago

I miss the show.

[–] Ari_one 17 years ago

me too:(

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] RayVolutionNow 17 years ago

The majors (NBC and CBS) pressured FOX to cancel Arsenio. It was never about ratings. That was an excuse. His ratings were never an issue. The powers that be really worked the machine to get him off the air. You can believe whatever, I'm telling you what I know to be true. That's all I'll say.

Phony doctors? Helllloooo...

http://www.myspace.com/therayvolution

[–] Carycomic 17 years ago

Oh, I believe you, bx13! For the boldface reasons I stated in the first paragraph of my earlier message.

[–] Phierce77 17 years ago

Arsenios' show was canceled like 2 weeks after he had Farrakhan on it. and he Knew having him on the show was gonna cause trouble, but he didn't care.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] SteelKeez 13 years ago

@Phierce man you aint never lied...farrakhan's appearance was basically the beginning of the end

The game done changed....Game's the same,just got more fierce..

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 13 years ago

It was Farrakhan's appearence, the ratings slip and a very detailed account about Letterman's arrival to CBS that played parts in Arsenio's eventual cancellation. Basically it all could have been prevented if the suits at CBS/Paramount had just let Arsenio do his thing and not cave under the "pressure" as they did.

"A commitment to cinema means to lead a technically deviant lifestyle."

[–] jackson-219 13 years ago

It was kind of over anyway the steam had run out by that point and alot of people weren't watching anymore. The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show and Vibe were just hopeless there was no way those shows would survive as they were carbon copies of Arsenio to a T, even the recent Monique Show ripps off Arsenio. Wayans show didn't have good enough guest and Vibe had bigger guest but they just couldidn't get the right hosts so it tanked. By the mid late 90's alot of black entertainers already were in high circulation so it seemed utterly ununique. When Arsenio came along he was one of a kind, he even came out before In Living Color or at least alittle bit before so by that time black shows just weren't unique anymore.