Fox News set to pick up “The Half-Hour News Hour”; Update: 13 new episodes?
posted at 11:55 am on March 7, 2007 by Allahpundit
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I figured we’d know this week. And now we know.
They had no choice. The ratings are huge:
The second pilot rang in 1.4 million viewers and 443,000 in the 25-54 demo at 10 p.m. on Sunday night, matching the perf of the first pilot, which lifted FNC’s numbers in the slot 69% over its first quarter average.
If sustained, those numbers would make it the top show in cable news on the weekend, an indication of the market for a satire show that speaks to conservatives.
Desperate not to be blacklisted in the industry because of this, co-anchor Kurt Long a.k.a. “Kurt McNally” swears to the Boston Herald that he’s a “political neophyte” and that this is “just another acting gig for me.” Good dog!
Exit question: Good news or bad news? I’m honestly not sure.
Update: Jossip says it’s a baker’s dozen.
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Well, at least it’s proven that there’s a market out there for this type of comedy, something Comedy Central would likely have disbelieved before.
The show can only get better. Right?
Esthier on March 7, 2007 at 12:01 PM
I watched parts of the second episode and found it a rather painful experience. The canned laughter and lame humor was fingernails-on-the-blackboard painful. But, then, I find Letterman and the other late-night shows exceedingly trivial and banal, so maybe I am a bad source.
old_dawg on March 7, 2007 at 12:01 PM
It still hurts from being hit over the head with the jokes from last week’s show.
I get it! The terrorists you named are all Muslims!
I kept waiting for the commentator to put on the glasses with the fake nose and mustache and then slip on a banana peel.
Maybe they could make it better if a DJ mixed the laugh track:
Ha Ha *whicka* *whicka* Ha Ha!
sweetlipsbutterhoney on March 7, 2007 at 12:06 PM
Comedy without moonbats. What can go wrong?
They’ve got time to work on it and improve. I’ve not seen any whole episodes yet, but some of the clips give me hope.
flipflop on March 7, 2007 at 12:07 PM
Let’s hope there’s a stride out there waiting for them to hit it.
Pablo on March 7, 2007 at 12:08 PM
If you are ever in Chicago and want to see how a comedy news show should be done check out Whirled News Tonight at IO. John Glynn is in the cast, he is conservative, and he would do a much better job than Kurt Long.
Bill C on March 7, 2007 at 12:11 PM
How do those ratings compare to other comedy shows like the Daily Show, Colbert Report, CBS Evening News, Olbermann, etc.
faraway on March 7, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Exit answer: Bad news. As useful as a satire show is, this one is at best a mixed bag of some humor and unmitigated dreck. It’s like SNL only without a back in the day feature that allows you to wistfully recollect the show before it was removed to make way for a dollar-sucking, comedy-avoiding pile of excrement.
Give me somethign with bite. SOmething with an edge, but a conservative edge. And isn’t it redundant. Doesn’t South Park fill the role pretty well on an average day?
Respect my authoritay!
Ennuipundit on March 7, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Will Vice president Coulter be allowed to throw the other f-bomb? Just asking…
Halley on March 7, 2007 at 12:24 PM
I could go without ever seeing another new episode of HHNH, but Red Eye is really starting to grow on me.
rw on March 7, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Please FNC, if you’re going to do this, drop your writing staff and get Dennis Miller in there to assemble a writing team.
RightWinged on March 7, 2007 at 12:38 PM
RedEye rules.
Gut/Levy in ‘08!
ScottMcC on March 7, 2007 at 12:42 PM
And this is why the show will always suck. There is no conviction in it. It’s just reading the lines they are given.
lorien1973 on March 7, 2007 at 12:45 PM
That Kurt guy will be gone from this show in under six months. It’s career suicide.
Enrique on March 7, 2007 at 12:47 PM
OK guys, everybody can see the show is a little rough. But with every show that ever existed in reruns on of the 5,000,000 channels we’re blighted with you’ve seen one of your old favorite shows and realized it was that funny. I know I have. Using SNL as a reference, look at the first few shows, they are painfully unfunny. BTW, you guys are starting to sound a little like left-wing blue-bloods looking down your noses at the peasants. I think the show has potential and if it doesn’t get canceled it could turn into something awesome. One can hope.
dostrick on March 7, 2007 at 1:01 PM
Good, I like the show.
RightWinged..I’m not so sure he isn’t involved in some capacity.
Pam on March 7, 2007 at 1:01 PM
I’m just giddy at the idea of seeing a TV audience clap and hoot at right-wing jokes instead of jabs at Bush’s intellect.
askheaves on March 7, 2007 at 1:02 PM
Excuse me, I meant “WASN”T that funny”. It kind of ruins the snarkiness when you screw up like that.
dostrick on March 7, 2007 at 1:02 PM
Crap, the best show since Battlestar Galactica and I can’t get Fox News. I am truly cursed
Kini on March 7, 2007 at 1:22 PM
Comedy isn’t pretty.
(Even Steve Martin knows that.)
CyberCipher on March 7, 2007 at 2:12 PM
For the last freakin’ time……..IT’S NOT CANNED LAUGHTER!!!!!!!
The Ugly American on March 7, 2007 at 2:48 PM
Crikey. You mean that’s what we righties really sound like when we laugh?
IrishEi on March 7, 2007 at 3:54 PM
I get my conservative humor from The Peoples Cube.
moc23 on March 7, 2007 at 4:04 PM
Two words: Norm. Freaking. MacDonald.
Wait, that’s three words.
Well, either throw out one of the words, or change the first sentence to “Three words”.
You know what I mean.
John from WuzzaDem on March 7, 2007 at 4:38 PM
I have watched two episodes. I don’t think they were funny enough to justify 13 more.
The humor was about as bad as some of the stuff posted here. (me included)
The only skit I like was the one with the guy who ended up curled up sucking his thumb wanting his “blanky”.
csdeven on March 7, 2007 at 7:02 PM
I’m giving it a chance. Now if they’d just get rid of all things Geraldo and put Ollie North back on at 8 on Sundays.
Connie on March 7, 2007 at 8:56 PM
Me too. James Rosen was a great guest. My fave was Jonathan Koenig and his Muhammad comments. Heh. Way to go, Jonathan!
Connie on March 7, 2007 at 8:58 PM
1. faraway on March 7, 2007 at 12:16 PM, you said Ratings and Olby in the same sentence.
2. Not canned laughter but it does sound like they have those laugh starter people in the audience. I forget what they are called.
3. I forget what 3 is for, no wait that was 8
4. This show will just take a little time to get it’s engine going. Anyone remeber John Stewart’s first talk show?
- The Cat
MirCat on March 7, 2007 at 9:42 PM
I’ve never watched his show. Not even once. ;)
Connie on March 7, 2007 at 9:49 PM
Hey, if you don’t like it watch Stewart, Colbert, or Rosie. But STFU and give it a chance.
R D on March 7, 2007 at 10:28 PM
Maybe they should just keep doing it until they get it right.
WasatchMan on March 7, 2007 at 10:39 PM
They shouldn’t use actors. Go get stand up or improv people.
Bill C on March 7, 2007 at 10:55 PM
Who they really need is P.J. O’Rourke who is easily the funniest conservative on the planet. But I don’t know if he is writing anymore. Read his book Parliament of Whores sometime if you want to roll on the floor laughing.
Maxx on March 7, 2007 at 10:56 PM
Sage
I say Mary Lynn Rajskub, Drew Carry, and Dennis Miller.
- The Cat
MirCat on March 7, 2007 at 11:31 PM
The ratings speak and the show survives. Roger Ailes is no idiot. I still question what this does to FOX News reputuation but then, I also didn’t think this show would survive. Apparently, I should stick to my day job and never seek a career in broadcast television.
thedecider on March 7, 2007 at 11:52 PM
FNC should start a news channel. Let Dennis Miller run the current offering. Bring Brit and the morning shows and maybe Bill O’ to the new channel, let that be the analyse and fun. Otherwise make it a hard news effort that has substance. Let all this Nancy Grace crap continue on the current thang. CNN is currently kickin’ FOX’s a$$ in hard news coverage, especially international. It will catch up to FOX in… oh, ‘bought 2008. Painful medicine but true.
Not to mention CNN got Kiran Chetry and put her on an evening shift. She’s easily the best fem in news after 5pm. By a longshot.
Griz on March 8, 2007 at 12:46 AM
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