{"id":78400,"date":"2020-09-30T01:11:45","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T22:11:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/dennis-miller-peeing-on-live-tv-and-other-tales-from-comedy-centrals-start\/"},"modified":"2020-09-30T01:11:45","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T22:11:45","slug":"dennis-miller-peeing-on-live-tv-and-other-tales-from-comedy-centrals-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dennis-miller-peeing-on-live-tv-and-other-tales-from-comedy-centrals-start\/","title":{"rendered":"#Dennis Miller peeing on live TV and other tales from Comedy Central’s start"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Dennis Miller peeing on live TV and other tales from Comedy Central’s start<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

\n In 1993, Art Bell, marketing head for the fledgling Comedy Central network, commissioned an ad campaign to run on New York City buses for a new show called \u201cPolitically Incorrect,\u201d starring comedia<\/a>n Bill Maher. In his previous role as co-head of programming, Bell greenlit the show, giving Maher his big break.<\/p>\n

Just after the campaign debuted, Bell took a call from a clearly irate Maher, who asked him, \u201cWhat the f\u2013k were you thinking with those bus ads?\u201d<\/p>\n

The ads featured politically incorrect statements on the side of buses directed at the passengers, such as, \u201cDoes this guy\u2019s head look pointy to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you think this is good advertising, then you obviously don\u2019t know what the f\u2013k you\u2019re doing,\u201d Maher said. \u201cI\u2019ve made some calls, and I\u2019m trying to get you fired.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bell shares this and countless other anecdotes in his new memoir, \u201cConstant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humor\u201d<\/a> (Ulysses Press).<\/p>\n

Bell started thinking about an all-comedy network consisting of short, funny clips from movies<\/a> and TV shows while pursuing an MBA at Wharton. While doing economic modeling for HBO in 1987, his dream became reality when he successfully pitched the idea to CEO Michael Fuchs.<\/p>\n

\"\u201cConstant
\u201cConstant Comedy: How I Started Comedy Central and Lost My Sense of Humor\u201d (Ulysses Press).<\/span>Courtesy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bell named it The Comedy Channel, and HBO lawyers negotiated with the major entertainment unions for the rights to air clips.<\/p>\n

Fuchs announced the channel on May 17, 1989. But two days later, Bell\u2019s excitement was quashed when MTV announced their own all-comedy network, which would feature old sitcoms, called HA! The TV Comedy Network. Then, eight weeks before The Comedy Channel\u2019s launch, the Director\u2019s Guild rescinded their permission to use clips. An organization board member balked, and it was \u201crumored to be Woody Allen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bell\u2019s entire strategy collapsed, as they could now only use clips that aired on HBO.<\/p>\n

Over the next two months, Bell bought short film libraries and added original programming.<\/p>\n

The Comedy Channel launched on November 15, 1989. Critics hated the repetitive content, with New York Magazine calling it \u201cthe biggest cable flop in years.\u201d<\/p>\n

While trying to keep the channel afloat, Bell also discovered the challenge of dealing with talent.<\/p>\n

Their clip show \u201cShort Attention Span Theater\u201d was hosted by comedians Patty Rosborough and Jon Stewart. Channel executives quickly realized only one of them was necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe immediately recognized that Jon Stewart was a standout performer and destined for bigger things,\u201d Bell writes. \u201cHe and Patty were cute together . . . but Jon was the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

But when Rosborough was fired, Stewart quit in solidarity. It was left to Bell to talk him down.<\/p>\n

\"Jon
Jon Stewart<\/span>AP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t do this!\u201d Stewart yelled. \u201cYou can\u2019t just fire Patty without even talking to me about it. We\u2019re partners, we\u2019ve been working together for three months. If Patty goes, I go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stewart ultimately agreed to stay \u201c. . . to be fair to you, and my commitment to SAST.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, HA! launched on April Fools Day, 1990, also to poor reviews. Many called for the networks to merge, and it was little surprise when the merger was announced around Christmas.<\/p>\n

Comedy Central debuted on April Fools Day, 1991.<\/p>\n

In early 1992, they hired Al Franken to mock the State of the Union speech as it happ<\/a>ened for a heavily-promoted special called, \u201cThe State of the Union: Undressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

This show became the first step toward Comedy Central developing a unique identity.<\/p>\n

\"Art
Art Bell<\/span>Courtesy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The night of the speech, Bell was at the studio watching Franken and producer Billy Kimball prepare. By 7 pm, Kimball said to Franken, \u201cAl, you need to get to makeup. We go live in two hours.\u201d<\/p>\n

Franken shot Kimball a glance.<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you just say, \u2018We go live?\u2019\u201d Franken asked. \u201cI thought we were taping it. No way I\u2019m doing this live.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe started walking toward the studio door and said to nobody in particular, \u2018I\u2019m calling my manager,\u2019\u201d Bell writes.<\/p>\n

Bell thought he was kidding, but he wasn\u2019t, and Bell watched him leave in \u201cconfused horror.\u201d<\/p>\n

Laurie Zaks, the network\u2019s VP of Talent, hurried after Franken, and got him to return a few minutes later. She never revealed how.<\/p>\n

And with that, Comedy Central had its first hit.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I watched, I felt we were entering unclaimed comedy territory and planting our flag,\u201d Bell writes. \u201cIt was our first foray into using news<\/a> and politics as a platform for comedy. That night was a turning point: we discovered what we were good at.\u201d<\/p>\n

Comedy Central covered political conventions and returned to the State of the Union. But the live broadcast format would also cause more problems.<\/p>\n

The 1996 edition found Dennis Miller handling the comedy.<\/p>\n

\"Dennis
Dennis Miller hosts Comedy Central\u2019s third annual \u201cState of the Union: Undressed\u201d in 1994.<\/span>Frank Micelotta<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The broadcast went smoothly until an hour in, when, Bell writes, Miller interrupted his commentary to tell the live TV audience, \u201cI have to take a leak real bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once again, Zaks watched, then followed, as their host bolted out of the studio, but this time it was live on the air.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh man, where\u2019s the bathroom?\u201d Miller said on live TV, still wearing his headset. \u201cThere\u2019s gotta be a men\u2019s room around here somewhere. Or a woman\u2019s room. Hold on. This\u2019ll have to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sound went dead as the audience at home watched the State of the Union, unmocked, while, Bell writes, Miller peed into a garbage can in the hallway.<\/p>\n

Miller aced the rest of the broadcast, but when it ended, he \u201cripped off his headset, slammed it onto the desk, and stormed out of the camera frame.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cF\u2013k!\u201d he screamed. \u201cOh God, what have I done?\u201d<\/p>\n

He ran into the men\u2019s room, and Bell followed to talk him down.<\/p>\n

\u201cDennis was sitting on the floor between the sinks and the stalls, his back against the wall, his head down, and his hands over his face,\u201d Bell writes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat have I done? I just killed my career,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"Dennis
Dennis Miller on \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d in 1988.<\/span>NBCUniversal via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cYou were great out there,\u201d Bell said.<\/p>\n

\u201cArt, I took a leak into a garbage can. On TV. In front of what, two, three million people?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAudio only,\u201d Bell replied, before finally convincing him the damage wasn\u2019t that dire. They left, and Zaks gave Miller a comforting hug just as a woman who worked for her ran up and said, \u201cGuess what? The switchboard\u2019s lighting up like a Christmas tree \u2014 tons of people are calling about Dennis peeing!\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite this, the episode generated solid viewership, the reviews were positive, and Miller lived to pee another day.<\/p>\n

But if Bell survived the debacle, outlasting entertainment industry politics was another matter.<\/p>\n

Around this time, MTV executive Doug Herzog took over Comedy Central and brought his staff with him. Bell was fired shortly after.<\/p>\n

He spent several years consulting before becoming president of Court TV and helping shape that network\u2019s future.<\/p>\n

\"Bill
Bill Maher in 1999.<\/span>ABC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not only was Bell\u2019s concept for a 24-hour comedy channel a great success, he also got some revenge on Maher.<\/p>\n

While Maher was trying to have Bell fired, the bus ad\u2019s creator, Allen Kay, informed Bell that the campaign was nominated for a Effie, the award for the most effective advertising in the industry.<\/p>\n

That year\u2019s Effie\u2019s were hosted by Bill Maher.<\/p>\n

As Maher read the nominees, a picture of each campaign appeared on screen behind him. When he read the name of his own show, he turned, saw the bus campaign, and said to the crowd, \u201cNow that\u2019s advertising!\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he read the winner: Korey Kay and Partners for \u2018Politically Incorrect.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

At the end of the night, Kay and Bell accepted congratulations as Maher walked by.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the corner of my eye I saw Bill walking through the crowd toward our table,\u201d Bell writes. \u201cI started to stand up. When he reached our table, Bill looked right at me, nodded slightly, and continued walking without saying a word.\u201d\n <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

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Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“#Dennis Miller peeing on live TV and other tales from Comedy Central’s start” In 1993, Art Bell, marketing head for the fledgling Comedy Central network, commissioned an ad campaign to run on New York City buses for a new show called \u201cPolitically Incorrect,\u201d starring comedian Bill Maher. In his previous role as co-head of programming,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":78401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/09\/dennis-miller-2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70897],"tags":[73426,73600,26010,73601],"class_list":["post-78400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-9-29-20","tag-bill-maher","tag-comedy-central","tag-dennis-miller"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78400"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78400\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}