From time to time, we get commenters telling us that we write like we're jaded and don't like our jobs. Of course, this couldn't be further from the truth; we all feel very grateful that we get paid to watch and report on one of our favorite things to do in the world. And anyway, there are other writers out there who actually do sound bitter about having to write about TV, and that they'd rather be doing anything else but.Take Tom Shales, the sourpuss who the long-time Washington Post TV columnist. His writing always conveys a sense that he'd rather be writing for the travel or food section, but he's been doing the TV beat so long, he's stuck. On his blog on TVWeek.com, he seems to have conjured up some sort of "feud" between David Letterman and his longtime band leader Paul Shaffer, and he uses that speculation to take a couple of cheap shots at Paul's comedic and musical abilities (Bob mentioned the post this morning in his review of TV-related blogs).
According to Shales, Letterman got visibly annoyed at Shaffer when "The Bald One" wouldn't shut up about an old ventriloquist. It was the start of the second "Ventriloquist Week," see, and I guess Shaffer was just relating a story about somebody from that profession who Ed Sullivan used to bring on his show. I'd imagine Paul was mentioning it because The Late Show films in the Ed Sullivan Theater and there was that connection, and blah blah blah.
Anyway, Shales took this cue to speculate that Shaffer was put in his place the rest of the week after Letterman -- or more likely, one of his henchman -- "read the riot act" to the band leader. From there, Shales went on to talk about how Shaffer has become a grating annoyance on the show:
"More and more, however, Shaffer's attempted cracks and quips curdle, and those dreadful shrieking "songs" he devises to introduce various segments are as helpful as sandbags falling from the rafters. He's a show-stopper, but in the wrong way."
Project much, Tom? What this sounds like is a writer blowing a minor argument between Shaffer and Letterman out of proportion because he so badly wants to see the band leader off the show.
He did say the two men "complement each other beautifully" most nights and praised Shaffer for his encyclopedic knowledge of popular music. But what he doesn't mention is that this wasn't first time nor was it going to be the last time that Dave got annoyed at Shaffer; heck, Dave gets annoyed when a joke doesn't land right or when he doesn't have enough coffee. The man's a grouch, pure and simple. And, yes, Shaffer sometimes goes off the deep end, but that banter between Dave and Paul is one of the things that has made the show great for so long, and it seems unlikely that dynamic will ever change, even if Dave gets a little irritated at his bald buddy every so often.
I guess, like all of us bloggers, Mr. Shales just needed something to write about on what I guess he thought was a pretty slow day for TV-related news. But he's making a mountain out of an anthill here.
What do you think? Is this a big deal at all? Let me know in the comments.
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Have any questions for Vik Sahay of Chuck? Ask them here!
Mike Henry and Daryl Hall on a Cleveland Show Thanksgiving
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-21-2007 @ 5:43PM
Jackie said...
I think he's just grasping straws for a rumor. I've been a Letterman fan since his early Carson appearances. I think Dave and Paul can sometimes get a bit irked at each other, but those two seem to have a very close relationship and respect for each other.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 5:56PM
David said...
I saw this episode, and while the back-and-forth between Letterman and Shaffer was very stilted, I had the impression that it was because both were trying to find a way to make the banter funny. It wasn't antagonistic. Any tension was purely melodramatic, contrived if you will, for the purposes of making everyone laugh. They couldn't, however, find a way to do that, so it came off as a badly acted exchange. But to take the event and turn it into a bona fide feud, seems to be stretching the truth considerably.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 6:19PM
Kiko said...
Letterman gets mock-annoyed at Shaffer almost every show. Remember the time Paul asked Julia Roberts if she was getting laid these days, shortly after she broke up with somebody? Dave started walking over to Paul as if he was going to kick his ass and Julia had to "restrain" him.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 6:37PM
BigTed said...
Dave and Paul have been pulling this shtick for years. Yes, Dave sometimes gets annoyed at Paul's comments, especially when an ill-timed one interrupts the flow of an interview (or when a guest starts having a conversation with Paul instead of Dave). But anyone who watches the show knows that getting annoyed is part of Dave's act. Even when it's genuine, he exaggerates it because he knows it's funny.
Shales isn't so much making a mountain out of an anthill as he is making a negative out of a positive.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 6:38PM
TomB said...
Dave getting annoyed with Paul is part of their chemistry. It has been since the show went on the air.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 7:27PM
jeff said...
I don't read him much, but Tom Shales is one of the worst TV critics
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 8:09PM
Tim said...
Shales does this all the time in his reviews. He picks some minor point about a show or performer and then beats it to death for the rest of the column.
If the Post had any brains they would let him write for the food section and make
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 10:29PM
rick said...
I read that blog post the other day and absolutely agree with your 'trying to make something out of nothing' assessment. It's a shame because I think Shales is a good writer. It's just that one has to seriously question if he's even watching the television on which he's been commenting.
Last week he seemed to think that ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos seriously dropped the ball by not mentioning the Anna Nichole Smith death.
Was that the only program he watched that week, because after about a day I think we all started to realize the coverage was getting ridiculous.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 11:16PM
David D said...
Didn't Shales write a column last year telling us how far, far superior Leno is to Letterman? This should tell you something about this alleged "feud."
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 11:20PM
WasatchMan said...
I've actually read where Letterman has said that if Shaffer ever retired from the show, he would stop doing it too. That may be just public relations, but it feels true to me given their long and apparently affable relationship. I think Shales was just reaching for something to write about.
Reply
2-21-2007 @ 11:35PM
Jim said...
"If you think Tom Shales is a good critic, chances are I don't like you as a person."
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 12:03PM
Preston said...
I think that Tom Shales is getting sick and tired of Paul Shaffer interrupting David Letterman in his
(Dave's) monologues. That week, Paul went on and on about this old ventriloquist--hardly made me laugh and he didn't have no punchline to make it funnier. I think tht Dave doesn't like to be distracted in his monologue.
Reply