By Lisa de Moraes
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
While scary fans of "The Sopranos" continue their raging debate over the Final Scene as Last Supper/Onion Rings as Eucharist theory in an effort to make peace with the finale's on-screen non-death of mob boss Tony Soprano, HBO put out word that the show's star, James Gandolfini, will return to the premium-cable network on Sept. 9.
But not in the special " 'The Sopranos' Finale: World's Biggest Hoax Revealed," as the premium-cable network ought. Instead Gandolfini has executive-produced a documentary about U.S. troops who narrowly escaped death in Iraq.
It will be Gandolfini's first project after "The Sopranos" and the first production for his Attaboy Films, HBO said.
Gandolfini, who has been to Iraq on behalf of the USO, interviewed 10 GIs about "their feelings on their future, their severe disabilities and their devotion to America" for the documentary, "Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq."
"Alive Day" is an expression used by service members wounded in Iraq, referring to the day they were nearly killed. According to HBO, 90 percent of the wounded survive their injuries, but a great percentage of Iraq casualties return with amputations, traumatic brain injuries and severe post-traumatic stress.
"Alive Day Memories" is the third docu HBO has telecast about the war. Sadly, it will not be seen by nearly as many viewers as watched the final episode of "The Sopranos" -- unless some "Sopranos" maniac puts out word on the Internet that clues as to Tony's fate are embedded in the film, which may sound loopy to you and me, but maybe not so much to someone debating Onion Rings as Eucharist.
When one of HBO's other Iraq documentaries, "Baghdad ER," premiered in May '06, it was watched by about 1.6 million viewers, though, of course, it garnered more in its rerun telecasts. The unveiling of the "Sopranos" finale clocked 12 million viewers.
After six seasons, "The Sopranos" called it a day a week ago Sunday. The finale's drawn-out last scene -- Tony, Carmela and deadbeat son A.J. eat onion rings at Holsten's diner while daughter Meadow masters the art of parallel parking out front and creepy guy at counter heads to men's room, presumably to pick up a gat -- was all set up for Tony to get whacked. But then the camera cut from Gandolfini's face to a black screen. Hence raging debate.
So passionate is Gandolfini about this documentary, he's agreed to plug it next month during HBO's day at Summer TV Press Tour 2007, where he will face the TV Critics Association -- some members of whom are part of the Inner Circle of Onion Rings as Eucharist movement.
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Speaking of navel-gazing, the blather-osphere was humming yesterday with word that NBC Universal President/CEO Jeff Zucker and NBC Entertainment Co-Chairman Marc Graboff had taken Jon Stewart out for an actual meal, along with his agent.
The dinner was described as "exploratory" by the trade publication Broadcasting & Cable, which broke word of the meal.
Which is to say the suits didn't come right out and ask whether Stewart wanted their 12:30 a.m. time slot in 2009, when either NBC's "Late Night" host Conan O'Brien will replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show," per O'Brien's contract, or Leno will stay on and O'Brien will take the reported $40 million the network would owe him for going all Never Mind on him.
The publication said the "slow and easy" approach mirrors Zucker's successful play to snare Meredith Vieira to replace Katie Couric on "Today."
Of course, it also mirrors the kind of conversation you can legally have with someone who's under contract to another network. "Daily Show" anchor Stewart's contract with Comedy Central is up next year.
Meanwhile Jimmy Fallon went on Howard Stern's show yesterday to remind people he has a talent-holding deal with NBC, presumably to take over O'Brien's 12:30 a.m. hosting gig.
Which, ironically, is what Stewart had with CBS lo these many years ago, in taking over the post-David Letterman time slot when Tom Snyder bowed out.
Only CBS decided to let Stewart's hold lapse and went instead with that dweeb Craig Kilborn, who was at that time host of "The Daily Show," causing Comedy Central to hire Stewart to replace Kilborn, and the rest is history.
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Rosie O'Donnell confirmed Bob Barker's comment at the Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday that she is meeting with the producers of "The Price Is Right" to discuss the possibility of taking over for Barker as host.
"I believe they're going to have a meeting with Rosie," Barker said backstage at the trophy show, where he won his 19th Emmy.
"R u going to?" one of Rosie's fans asked her on O'Donnell's Web site yesterday.
"Yes this week," she responded.
Barker, who retired last week from the gig he's had the past 35 years, said Friday he had no doubt O'Donnell was up to the job, but added, "Whether they want a lady host, I don't know. . . . As far as I know, they've only auditioned men."
The list of possible replacements had included Todd Newton of the E! network, Mark Steines of "Entertainment Tonight," George Hamilton and John O'Hurley.
Another Rosie fan online asked her whether she'd take the job.
"If asked i will do my best, i love that show," she wrote back.
One of Rosie's detractors, going by the name Kami, weighed in, saying she'd "just emailed CBS and let them know of a 50 state sponsor boycott [if] they put you on to host 'TPIR.' " Kami added, "No way that you are going to gay that good show up."
"Kami kami kami poor sad kami, the only thing i want to gay up is u," Rosie shot back.
CBS declined to comment.
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