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Williams To Be 1st Guest For Letterman's TV Return
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Published: January 1, 2008
Robin Williams will be David Letterman's first guest upon the return of his "Late Show" on CBS on Wednesday, while NBC's writer-less "Tonight" show welcomes GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
The appearance of a Hollywood A-lister who can talk a mile a minute may be Letterman's way of quickly trying to draw a distinction between his show and his late-night rivals, who are working without striking writers and may also have trouble booking major entertainers.
The most closely watched late-night duel will be between NBC's Jay Leno and Letterman.
Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, reached an agreement Friday to have his show return with writers despite the ongoing writers' strike, which began Nov. 5.
Leno, along with Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O'Brien, return Wednesday under an air of mystery. They won't have writers and are restricted under union strike rules from performing many familiar comic bits, including traditional monologues.
Meanwhile, Letterman's signature "Top 10" list arrives intact.
Hollywood's major actors' union has put out signals encouraging its members to visit Letterman and fellow CBS host Craig Ferguson. Ferguson's show also is owned by Worldwide Pants and is covered by the same special deal with writers.
"Screen Actors Guild members will be happy to appear on the 'Late Show' with David Letterman and the 'Late Late Show' with Craig Ferguson with union writers at work and without having to cross picket lines," said Alan Rosenberg, guild president.
The Los Angeles-based union represents nearly 120,000 actors.
Until the Huckabee announcement, neither Leno nor late-night shows hosted by Kimmel and O'Brien had said anything about who they will book.
There's no word on whether Huckabee will bring his electric guitar. Leno's return after two months of strike-related reruns couldn't come at a better time - the night before the Iowa caucuses and six days before the New Hampshire primary - for Huckabee.
Comedy Central's topical nightly comedies, "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart and "The Colbert Report" with Stephen Colbert are set to return Jan. 7 without striking writers.
Mindy McCready Released From Jail
Mindy McCready, who was sentenced in September for violating probation from a 2004 drug arrest, has been released from jail.
The 32-year-old country singer was released Sunday morning, said a clerk at the Williamson County, Tenn., jail.
The violation occurred in July when McCready was accused of scuffling with her mother and resisting arrest at her mother's home in Fort Myers.
She still must serve two years' probation.
Her attorney, Lee Ofman, said McCready has learned her lesson and will stay out of trouble.
She had a No. 1 single in 1996 with "Guys Do It All the Time."
Today's Birthdays
Author J.D. Salinger is 89. Rock singer-musician Country Joe McDonald is 66. Rapper Grandmaster Flash is 50. Actress Embeth Davidtz is 42. Actor Verne Troyer is 39.
Source: The Associated Press
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