Sour Talk

Some readers may recall the failed attempt by the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1993 to put Chevy Chase on late-night television. As a talk-show host, Chase was terrible and The Chevy Chase Show was canceled after five painful weeks.

Unfortunately, the most memorable, and agonizing, parts of the show were the last-ditch efforts by the network to save it from cancellation. On program after program, high-profile celebrities were paraded on to "discuss" how wonderful the guy Chevy Chase is.

As an example, I recall one maudlin segment with Goldie Hawn congratulating Chase on his creativity and his sense of humor while I distinctly heard someone cough in the distant back of the live audience. Nobody enjoyed the show, not even live-audience super-fans of Chase.

So much for Bad Memories Lane and, frankly, I'd forgotten about it until this morning. Cue up the sentimental praise for Chevy Chase except change the name to Don Imus.

For those who don't know, Don Imus shot off his irreverent mouth and called the Rutgers University women's basketball players offensive names. As a result, some people are calling for his head to roll. He's already been given a two-week suspension by MSNBC. Others want him fired -- now.

So, what's Imus doing? On this morning's show, Imus seems to be interviewing everybody who has ever had a nice thing to say about him. I don't believe that's a large demographic but Imus found enough to keep the program full of compliments for himself.

Yes, Don, you're great. Yes, Don, you're generous. Don, you're a wonderful guy. Don, you've done a lot for the kids. Yes, you helped those cancer patients, Don. Nobody has contributed as much as you, Don. Don. Don. Don. Don. Yadda-yadda-yadda.

Shades of close-to-cancellation Chevy Chase, I think.