FOX Eyes Joe Buck For Late Night - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-08-2007, 10:07 AM

October 8, 2007 -- JOE Buck, Fox's No. 1 sports announcer, is quietly being tested out as a late-night TV host.

According to a report in today's edition of Broadcasting & Cable magazine, Fox re cently shot a half- hour pilot in New York to see how Buck handled a sit- down talk show.

"The format cur rently under considera tion would include both interviews and comedy and be set in front of a small studio audience," the authoritative trade magazine reports.

It is the latest move by Fox in its push to create a new late-night series to compete with Jay Leno and David Letterman.

Late-night and early-morning TV shows are, by far, the most profitable kinds of programs on network TV - and the absence of both on Fox has been a drag on network profits ever since Fox began in 1986.

Now Fox appears poised to launch an 11 or 11:30 p.m. show in 2009, no matter what.

That's when NBC says Conan O'Brien will take over the "Tonight" show from Jay Leno. NBC promised the show to Conan - and agreed to a $45-million penalty payment to him if it backs out of the deal - to keep him from signing with another network.

The move has caused a lot of head-scratching in the TV business and all eyes are on Leno right now.

Leno, TV's reigning late-night ratings king, has been making thinly-veiled jokes on the air about being pushed out of the job and has not yet agreed to stay with NBC in some other capacity.

The Post's Cindy Adams reported last week that Fox was ready to sign Leno if he decides to jump ship.

But the look-see at Buck, 38, indicates that Fox is preparing to move into late night with or without an established name.

A spokesman for Fox yesterday declined to comment.

But it appears the network would like to ease Buck into the new role with, perhaps, a weekly half-hour show.

Buck is the son of the late, famed baseball announcer Jack Buck.

And he has some entertainment-business chops.

He twice substituted for Craig Kilborn as host of "Late Late Show" on CBS in 2004 - and acted in a series of funny beer ads a few years ago.

Fox has tried twice before, without success, to start late-night shows - in 1986 with Joan Rivers and again in 1993 with Chevy Chase.

Zoneboy · 10-08-2007, 11:23 AM

Joe Buck is one of the worst sports commentators ever, The only ones more annoying are Billy Packer & Dick Vitale. Needless to say that if he gets his own show, I won't be watching.

Scoobiedoo30 · 10-09-2007, 02:03 AM

so we might have 2 Late Night Talk Show's Jay Leno at 10:00 pm Central Time and Joe Buck at 11:00 pm Central Time

TJL · 10-09-2007, 06:31 AM

Joe Buck? Really?

FOX should just give up on trying to get a piece ofthe late night comedy pie. Nothing they have tried has ever worked.

Scoobiedoo30 · 10-09-2007, 11:37 AM

I belive FOX had a late night talk Show befor but it got cancelled because of Low ratings

TVFactFan · 10-09-2007, 12:58 PM

Buck will be the DETROIT LIONS of Late Night TV

TV Knowledge Fan · 10-15-2007, 03:07 PM

...into fronting his own late night series was Pat O'Brien, with a three-week "trial run" on CBS in August 1990 called "OVERTIME". It was a combination of sports interviews, features, and whatever else they could "dig up", produced by the "CBS Sports" division. Needless to say, it didn't work, for one big reason-- Pat did not have the "wattage" to became a successful late-night talk host...and he STILL doesn't. Every time I occasionally glance at him on "THE INSIDER", I cringe. I believe Fox is in for a major disappointment if they try to groom Joe Buck into the same kind of format- didn't they learn ANYTHING from that awful Magic Johnson syndicated disaster in '98??? They have a PERFECT host on Saturday nights after "MAD TV"- yet they're "wasting" Spike Feresten there.

10-08-2007, 10:07 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	FOX Eyes Joe Buck For Late Night October 8, 2007 -- JOE Buck, Fox's No. 1 sports announcer, is quietly being tested out as a late-night TV host. According to a report in today's edition of Broadcasting & Cable magazine, Fox re cently shot a half- hour pilot in New York to see how Buck handled a sit- down talk show. "The format cur rently under considera tion would include both interviews and comedy and be set in front of a small studio audience," the authoritative trade magazine reports. It is the latest move by Fox in its push to create a new late-night series to compete with Jay Leno and David Letterman. Late-night and early-morning TV shows are, by far, the most profitable kinds of programs on network TV - and the absence of both on Fox has been a drag on network profits ever since Fox began in 1986. Now Fox appears poised to launch an 11 or 11:30 p.m. show in 2009, no matter what. That's when NBC says Conan O'Brien will take over the "Tonight" show from Jay Leno. NBC promised the show to Conan - and agreed to a $45-million penalty payment to him if it backs out of the deal - to keep him from signing with another network. The move has caused a lot of head-scratching in the TV business and all eyes are on Leno right now. Leno, TV's reigning late-night ratings king, has been making thinly-veiled jokes on the air about being pushed out of the job and has not yet agreed to stay with NBC in some other capacity. The Post's Cindy Adams reported last week that Fox was ready to sign Leno if he decides to jump ship. But the look-see at Buck, 38, indicates that Fox is preparing to move into late night with or without an established name. A spokesman for Fox yesterday declined to comment. But it appears the network would like to ease Buck into the new role with, perhaps, a weekly half-hour show. Buck is the son of the late, famed baseball announcer Jack Buck. And he has some entertainment-business chops. He twice substituted for Craig Kilborn as host of "Late Late Show" on CBS in 2004 - and acted in a series of funny beer ads a few years ago. Fox has tried twice before, without success, to start late-night shows - in 1986 with Joan Rivers and again in 1993 with Chevy Chase.
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10-08-2007, 11:23 AM	#2
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,434	Joe Buck is one of the worst sports commentators ever, The only ones more annoying are Billy Packer & Dick Vitale. Needless to say that if he gets his own show, I won't be watching.
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10-09-2007, 02:03 AM	#3
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	so we might have 2 Late Night Talk Show's Jay Leno at 10:00 pm Central Time and Joe Buck at 11:00 pm Central Time
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10-09-2007, 06:31 AM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Joe Buck? Really? FOX should just give up on trying to get a piece ofthe late night comedy pie. Nothing they have tried has ever worked.
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

10-15-2007, 03:07 PM	#7
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	The last time a network tried to build a sports commentator... ...into fronting his own late night series was Pat O'Brien, with a three-week "trial run" on CBS in August 1990 called "OVERTIME". It was a combination of sports interviews, features, and whatever else they could "dig up", produced by the "CBS Sports" division. Needless to say, it didn't work, for one big reason-- Pat did not have the "wattage" to became a successful late-night talk host...and he STILL doesn't. Every time I occasionally glance at him on "THE INSIDER", I cringe. I believe Fox is in for a major disappointment if they try to groom Joe Buck into the same kind of format- didn't they learn ANYTHING from that awful Magic Johnson syndicated disaster in '98??? They have a PERFECT host on Saturday nights after "MAD TV"- yet they're "wasting" Spike Feresten there.

10-09-2007, 11:37 AM	#5
Scoobiedoo30 Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Jun 27, 2002 Location: KENNER, LOUISIANA Posts: 27,654	I belive FOX had a late night talk Show befor but it got cancelled because of Low ratings

10-09-2007, 12:58 PM	#6
TVFactFan Member Forum Junkie Join Date: Aug 17, 2002 Posts: 99,102	Buck will be the DETROIT LIONS of Late Night TV