Maher challenges confabs with a ‘Real Time’ specials
Melania’s speech produces so-so audience
NEW YORK, July 20, (Agencies): When did Bill Maher hatch the idea for special “Real Time” broadcasts during the political conventions?
“Maybe when Donald Trump began talking about riots,” Maher replies with a puckish grin.
That was way back in March, when the now-presumptive GOP presidential nominee warned of riots at the convention if any efforts arose to snatch the nomination from him.
Such a thing now seems unlikely, but this week’s Republican convention in Cleveland, followed by next week’s Democratic shindig in Philadelphia, still promise to be “crazier and more outrageous and more interesting than ever,” says Maher, almost smacking his lips.
No wonder he’s supplementing his weekly “Real Time” hour (Fridays at 10 pm EDT on HBO) with half-hour pop-ups this Wednesday and Thursday as well as July 27 and 28 for a rapid response to each night’s goings-on.
Also available to non-HBO subscribers by live-streaming on the “Real Time” YouTube channel, each edition will include a monologue as well as Maher’s signature “New Rules” commentary and, in between, discourse led by Maher with his in-studio guests (on Wednesday, documentary filmmaker Michael Moore, political correspondent Joy Reid and advice columnist Dan Savage; on Thursday, economic equality advocate Heather McGhee, California Lt Gov Gavin Newsom and economist Robert Reich).
Each program is scheduled to air live at 11 pm EDT — that is, unless significant stuff is still happening: “You can’t interrupt a riot,” Maher cracks.
He isn’t the only observer who will cast a special comic eye on the proceedings.
Comedy Central’s Trevor Noah will originate “The Daily Show” from Cleveland’s Breen Center for the Performing Arts this Tuesday through Friday at 11 pm EDT and next week from the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Pennsylvania.
CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (11:35 pm EDT) will broadcast live from its New York studio with teams on-site at each convention delivering reports. (Each week of live shows will be specially themed: “The 2016 Trumpublican Donational Conventrump” and “The 2016 Democratic National Convincing.”)
NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m. EDT) will go live this Thursday, following the presidential nominee’s acceptance speech.
TBS’ “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (Mondays at 10:30 pm EDT) presents a road-to-Cleveland special interviewing regular Americans along the way. It airs Wednesday at 10:30 pm EDT, with hopes for another special pegged to the Democrats’ convention.
■ On MSNBC, “Saturday Night Live” co-anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che will host special editions of “Weekend Update” this Wednesday and July 27 at approximately midnight. They’ll also be seen on NBC’s “Today” show “reporting” on the Republican and Democratic conventions.
“I think the Democrats will be interesting,” Maher says. Despite Bernie Sanders’ endorsement of presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton last week, “it’s not a united party. I just don’t think it will be the convention Hillary would like it to be.”
But Maher knows real comic gold when he sees it, and he can’t wait to mine it from Trump and company.
“I hate to pile on the Republicans, but it does seem like it only gets worse with them,” he says. Starting with President Richard Nixon, he chronicles a time line of major GOP figures leading up to the current-day expected nominee.
“It’s like the evolutionary chart in reverse,” he says. “Not that THEY believe in the evolutionary chart.”
Melania Trump’s big night at the Republican National Convention failed to draw bumper television audiences despite networks boosting their coverage of the gathering and husband Donald Trump promising a “showbiz” feel to the week.
According to preliminary ratings data on Tuesday from the six leading broadcast and cable networks, some 22.5 million people watched Monday evening’s highlight during the 10 pm to 11 pm hour when the wife of the Republican White House contender delivered her speech.
The focus of the convention shifted on Tuesday from the formal anointing of her husband to accusations that sections of her speech were strikingly similar to an address by Michelle Obama at the Democratic convention in 2008.
The early viewing figures were on a par with the audience for the first night of the Republican convention in 2012. Updated figures, along with those from smaller networks, were expected later Tuesday.
US television networks have boosted coverage of the Republican convention this year after Trump, a New York businessman, drew huge audiences during the 2016 presidential debates. Trump, the former star of “The Apprentice” TV show, has promised to throw out traditional political convention scripts and “put some showbiz” into the mix.