PAUL MCCARTNEY BEST ON HOWARD STERN SHOW
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THE GLORIOUS CORNER
By: G.H. Harding
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Howard Stern
MACCA ON STERN --- I’m a big Howard Stern fan … always have been. Even in the early days with a wispy mustache and aviator shades, he was the real deal. The two things that always impressed me the most, was #1: he came prepared, and #2: it was always a show. Sure, he gave the term shock jock a whole new meaning, but he was always funny; and on-point. Face it, he'd dared to ask the questions all the other talking heads wanted to … and, got away with it pretty much Scott free. It’s no surprise that he’s so good on TV; the surprise was, that it took so long.
Stern hosted Paul McCartney last week in his Sirius compound and it was, without a doubt, one of the best interviews Howard’s ever done. His questions were thought provoking (he even asked about Jane and Peter Asher!), astute and very well prepared. He certainly didn't hide his admiration for Macca and his preparation was astounding.
If they gave Emmy's for radio interviews like this, he'd win several. It was supposed to be just a half hour, but it went to just under an hour. Just tremendous; it’s on YouTube … if you're a fan, I'd give it a listen. Priceless!
MICKY & RITA --- Rita Wilson (Mrs. Tom Hanks) put out an album last year AM/FM, and it was pretty good. Her interpretations of such songs as “All I Have To Do Is Dream,” and “Never My Love,” were very welcomed inclusions. She also did a terrific version of “Cherish” and Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman,” which featured the writer on piano. Though the album may have been initially termed a vanity project, it won everyone over.
She appeared recently here in NYC at 54 Down Under and won over the crowd, and now, on November 5th, she'll appear in L. A. at Walt Disney Hall with a terrific supporting cast of players, including, Jackson Browne, Jimmy Webb, Richard Marx, Kara DioGuardi, from American Idol and Micky Dolenz; who is just wrapping up his Teen Idol 3 tour with David Cassidy and Peter Noone.
Rita should be great and I'm sure Forrest Gump will be in the wings.
Check out the link HERE.
CLOSING NOTES --- I caught up somewhat on the new season TV watching this week and the results were as interesting as always: Saturday Night Live, back for their 39th season, with 6 new cast members ran both hot and cold. I watched the season opener with Tina Fey and thought it was pretty funny, though Fey (looking more relaxed and sexy than I ever seen her) really didn't do any of her old characters and instead essayed some new ones. Arcade Fire were the musical guest and basically stole the show. The six new players were alternately funny and just getting their sea legs. Cecily Strong, Seth Meyer’s new co-anchor at Weekend Update was spot-on funny. My initial thought: She could be the next break-out player for SNL. 39 years: amazing! Gotta' to hand it to Lorne Michaels; who seems to be virtually running the network now. Congrats … Aside from NBC’s The Blacklist (with James Spader) most of the new shows have been a bust. Sean Hayes’ Sean Saves The World and the self-titled Michael J. Fox Show have been pretty much stillborn. Surprisingly, I think the most captivating and well-written and acted show to return has been CBS’ Hawaii 5-O, starring Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan. Last year ended with a great cliff-hanger and while that was resolved, there were three other ones set in motion. Great writing all around. The team behind this is essentially the same as was the team for the great-show Fringe. Excellent all around … Congrats to Q104.3's Jim Kerr who hosted a special show with none other than Paul McCartney last week for his new album New. Jim's one of the best out there and the entire show will be played today on Q104.3 today. He also hosted last year's Micky Dolenz Live At BB King's concert which is out today as an album. Producer/writer/artist Dave Stewart is about to launch his own web TV show called The Ringmaster. The show will be a bi-weekly show featuring “music and bizarre things” with special guests. The first guest will be actor Andy Garcia (The Untouchables, The Godfather Part III). “He is a real mad Cuban music fanatic,” Dave tells Noise11.com. “When he heard I was doing the show he wrote a theme tune, The Ringmaster, and he comes on the show and he plays it on the piano”.“Then I have a guest called Elijah Kelley who is in The Butler with Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker,” he says. “He is a great actor but also a great musician and record producer. Then he brings on these two girls from Somalia that he has produced”.The Ringmaster will also have its own regular house band. “I have a band on the stage with Sheila E playing drums and the band Ozomatli,” he says. “I can do what I want and invite whoever I want. It is really good fun. It has music and bizarre things.” Dave Stewart will premiere of the first episode on the BiteSize Network soon.
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