Regis Philbin, who saved ABC’s butt several years ago with Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, is hoping to strike gold again as the new host of This Is Your Life. “My network needs me! I’m there,” the peppery Live! With Regis And Kelly host said in an ABC release.
This Is Your Life was a popular (if somewhat sappy) series back in the ’50s with original host Ralph Edwards surprising famous (and sometimes fading) stars such as Laurel & Hardy, Buster Keaton, Eddie Cantor and Gloria Swanson. Once they were ambushed, usually at a restaurant with friends, Edwards would trot out former school mates, teachers and loved ones to tell the star’s life story.
It didn’t always go well: Newsman Lowell Thomas wanted no part of Edwards and his camera crew and had an on-air tantrum. Maybe Reege will goon his old pal David Letterman and get heaved off the Sullivan Theater roof!
Edwards’ son Gary is among the producers of the new edition. No word yet on when the series may premiere.
THE TRIBE HAS SPOKEN: In a week of repeats, Survivor: Guatemala emerges as Canada’s most-watched show, with 2,828,000 Global viewers. The reality series was just renewed for 13th and 14th editions which will carry the show through the end of the 2006-2007 season.
PRISON RULES: Global’s Prison Break continues to be the No. 1 new series in Canada, ranking No. 17 overall last week with 1.4 million viewers, ahead of both Ghost Whisperer (No. 21) and Invasion (24) on CTV. Prison Break does even better in Canada’s two largest cities, Toronto (No. 7) and Vancouver (No. 6).
ABC’s Commander In Chief (No. 14 with 14.6 million viewers) continues to be the No. 1 rookie Stateside.
RATINGS INQUEST: Da Vinci’s City Hall slipped to its lowest numbers yet Tuesday, down to 429,000 viewers. Better news for CBC was Shania: A Life In Eight Albums, which drew 1,187,000 viewers Monday, behind CTV’s Corner Gas but still a decent draw and proof that, given quality alternatives, Canadians will watch Canadian fare. Sunday’s Waking Up Wally, a CBC biopic of Wayne Gretzky’s dad, did a sleepy 767,000.
EXTREME MAKEOVER SUSSEX EDITION: Hoping to help “winterize” 24 Sussex Drive, Rick Mercer goes shopping with prime minister Paul Martin on next Tuesday’s Rick Mercer Report (CBC, 8 p.m.). Hey, what if it clashes with what Jack Layton wants? Mercer’s third season premiere Tuesday drew 748,000 viewers.
RECOUNT: What was with that lame Ellen DeGeneres credit card tie-in on last Sunday’s live presidential debate on The West Wing? She should have her cards revoked if she had more than 20 minutes notice for that sketchy product placement blather. A disappointing 9.6 million U.S. viewers tuned in for NBC’s live West Wing, which finished a distant third in its timeslot.
TONIGHT: Potential Liberal slayer Jack Layton gets goofed on again on The Royal Canadian Air Farce (CBC, 8 p.m.). Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys (Mike Smith) is a “special correspondent” on tonight’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes (CBC, 8:30). And cranky Daily Show commentator Lewis Black is the featured comic on tonight’s Just For Laughs (CBC, 9 p.m.).
