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00:00:07,841 --> 00:00:09,068
-And now get a grip on yourself.
2
00:00:09,092 --> 00:00:13,198
It's Arsenio-o-o-o-o-o...
3
00:00:13,222 --> 00:00:16,117
-In the '90s,
Arsenio Hall changes
4
00:00:16,141 --> 00:00:18,369
what late-night television
looks like.
5
00:00:18,393 --> 00:00:21,497
- Hall!
6
00:00:21,521 --> 00:00:22,832
-We were able to see people
on there
7
00:00:22,856 --> 00:00:25,460
that we didn't see
anywhere else.
8
00:00:25,484 --> 00:00:27,962
[ Audience cheering ]
9
00:00:27,986 --> 00:00:29,839
- All of us at one time!
- [ Laughs ]
10
00:00:29,863 --> 00:00:31,466
-How scary is that
for Paramount?
11
00:00:31,490 --> 00:00:32,967
-Ooh!
12
00:00:32,991 --> 00:00:36,095
-Arsenio also transforms
what it sounds like.
13
00:00:36,119 --> 00:00:40,225
-Not a lot of people
would give NWA a chance
14
00:00:40,249 --> 00:00:43,269
to say or express
any of their songs.
15
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- "F" the police.
- Yeah.
16
00:00:44,836 --> 00:00:46,105
-♪ ...of despair ♪
17
00:00:46,129 --> 00:00:47,482
-Where you gonna see
Kid 'n Play?
18
00:00:47,506 --> 00:00:48,483
Where you gonna see Salt-N-Pepa?
19
00:00:48,507 --> 00:00:50,235
Where you gonna see M.C. Hammer?
20
00:00:50,259 --> 00:00:51,819
Where you gonna see Bobby Brown?
21
00:00:51,843 --> 00:00:53,821
-While unconventional bookings
22
00:00:53,845 --> 00:00:55,573
lift Arsenio
to late-night stardom...
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-Those people over there are
people we usually give names to.
24
00:00:59,226 --> 00:01:00,328
{\an8}That's who those people are.
[ Audience cheering ]
25
00:01:00,352 --> 00:01:01,829
{\an8}-...one controversial guest...
26
00:01:01,853 --> 00:01:04,207
-It was like someone had farted
in the room.
27
00:01:04,231 --> 00:01:06,501
- helps bring it all
crashing down.
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{\an8}♪♪
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[ Dial-up modems screeching ]
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{\an8}♪♪
31
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{\an8}[ Audience cheering ]
32
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{\an8}-Hey, hey!
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{\an8}-Early in the decade,
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{\an8}"The Arsenio Hall Show" tops
the ratings for late-night TV,
35
00:01:35,387 --> 00:01:37,865
offering American audiences
a fresh, new take
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00:01:37,889 --> 00:01:40,660
on a stale, old concept.
37
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-Watching Arsenio was an event.
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{\an8}-I love that Arsenio
is and was different,
39
00:01:46,982 --> 00:01:48,876
{\an8}and I love that he created space
40
00:01:48,900 --> 00:01:50,962
{\an8}for you to talk about
lots of things.
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I was one of these chilies
in high school.
42
00:01:52,779 --> 00:01:54,299
♪ Come on, my name's Shanequia ♪
43
00:01:54,323 --> 00:01:55,925
♪ I'm from the Bronx ♪
44
00:01:55,949 --> 00:01:57,468
And the white girls
were like, "Super, terrific."
45
00:01:57,492 --> 00:01:59,053
[ Laughter ]
46
00:01:59,077 --> 00:02:01,764
-Arsenio rewrites the rules
of late-night television
47
00:02:01,788 --> 00:02:03,808
by hosting a show
that speaks directly
48
00:02:03,832 --> 00:02:06,311
to a younger,
more diverse audience.
49
00:02:06,335 --> 00:02:08,271
-It was the kind of first time
50
00:02:08,295 --> 00:02:11,065
where we kind of saw ourselves
on TV.
51
00:02:11,089 --> 00:02:14,527
{\an8}-Johnny Carson wasn't putting on
hip-hoppers.
52
00:02:14,551 --> 00:02:16,362
{\an8}Letterman never put us on.
53
00:02:16,386 --> 00:02:21,492
Arsenio put us all on and gave
us all an incredible platform,
54
00:02:21,516 --> 00:02:23,953
because the other shows
weren't doing it.
55
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-Before Arsenio, Carson
and other white comedians
56
00:02:27,606 --> 00:02:30,001
dominated late night
with a brand of humor
57
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that alienates rather than
embraces Black audiences.
58
00:02:34,112 --> 00:02:35,423
-Last night,
we did an affair together
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for Sammy Davis Jr.
For the Friars,
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so I announced
an additional surprise for him
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from the Friars that Jerry Buss
was gonna buy him
62
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and put him on his front lawn
at Pickfair.
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00:02:44,164 --> 00:02:45,475
[ Laughter ]
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Those were the kinds of lines
we do.
65
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-Wow. The landscape
of late night was really white.
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-And I tell you, I am a Jew,
and you're an Italian.
67
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And here we have what?
[ Laughter ]
68
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This is a great Irishman.
This is America.
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00:03:03,934 --> 00:03:07,455
-That's all we were offered,
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so that's what we had to accept.
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-He-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!
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00:03:14,778 --> 00:03:16,547
[ Cheers and applause ]
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-Every weeknight,
almost 10 million Americans
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00:03:19,032 --> 00:03:21,928
are still tuning in to see
Johnny's mix of celebrities,
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political figures,
and sports heroes.
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{\an8}♪♪
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-There could be
outrageous humor,
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and there could be
very serious conversations
79
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that Johnny could excel at both.
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00:03:33,630 --> 00:03:36,692
-And for a generation of mostly
white musicians and comics,
81
00:03:36,716 --> 00:03:38,986
Johnny Carson
is their St. Peter,
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00:03:39,010 --> 00:03:41,155
deciding who can pass through
his pearly gates
83
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into the paradise
of Hollywood celebrity.
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-I'm okay now.
I'm out here.
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00:03:45,308 --> 00:03:47,412
Mama, I'm on TV.
[ Laughter ]
86
00:03:47,436 --> 00:03:49,831
{\an8}-He was famous
for breaking comics.
87
00:03:49,855 --> 00:03:54,043
{\an8}Like, Roseanne Barr
became a national figure
88
00:03:54,067 --> 00:03:55,837
{\an8}after she went on his show.
89
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{\an8}-Have you ever noticed
that fat people
90
00:03:57,320 --> 00:03:58,756
don't think like skinny people?
91
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We have our own way of thinking.
92
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'Cause you got up to them
on the street
93
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and ask them where something is,
94
00:04:03,285 --> 00:04:04,387
and they tell you like this...
95
00:04:04,411 --> 00:04:06,681
"Well, go down here to Arby's."
96
00:04:06,705 --> 00:04:09,684
[ Laughter and applause ]
97
00:04:09,708 --> 00:04:12,395
-Being on Johnny Carson's
show... that made your career.
98
00:04:12,419 --> 00:04:14,480
- "A" camera.
- This one?
99
00:04:14,504 --> 00:04:16,524
- [ Speaks indistinctly ]
- Okay.
100
00:04:16,548 --> 00:04:18,734
{\an8}My name's Adrien Sebro.
I'm a professor of media studies
101
00:04:18,758 --> 00:04:20,778
{\an8}at University of Texas
at Austin,
102
00:04:20,802 --> 00:04:24,347
{\an8}and I teach history of media
and television and film.
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00:04:26,183 --> 00:04:28,870
-But Johnny Carson's iron grip
on late night
104
00:04:28,894 --> 00:04:32,915
loosens with the arrival
of a fourth television network.
105
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-Here comes Fox
as this brand-new network
106
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that is trying to pave the way.
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So, they had a late night show,
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"The Late Show," actually,
with Joan Rivers.
109
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-Joan Rivers made famous
110
00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:45,136
from her appearances
on "The Tonight Show"
111
00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,096
and then
as Johnny's fill-in host
112
00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,099
will now compete
directly against her mentor.
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Feeling betrayed,
Johnny never speaks to her again
114
00:04:53,126 --> 00:04:55,438
and works to sabotage her show.
115
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-Carson would say
to individuals,
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"If you went on Joan's show,
you can't come on mine."
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-When you are doing
late-night TV,
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00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:03,529
talent is your bread and butter.
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00:05:03,553 --> 00:05:05,114
That's what people tune in for.
120
00:05:05,138 --> 00:05:06,866
They tune in to see
who you have on the couch,
121
00:05:06,890 --> 00:05:07,992
who you have performing.
122
00:05:08,016 --> 00:05:09,744
-I wanted to show you pictures
123
00:05:09,768 --> 00:05:11,287
of all of the guests we're
gonna have on "The Late Show."
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00:05:11,311 --> 00:05:12,455
The executive said,
"No pictures, just slides.
125
00:05:12,479 --> 00:05:14,749
So here they are.
My first week.
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00:05:14,773 --> 00:05:17,919
Without headline talent,
the ratings lag,
127
00:05:17,943 --> 00:05:20,296
so Fox decides to keep
"The Late Show"
128
00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:21,756
and lose Joan Rivers.
129
00:05:21,780 --> 00:05:23,174
-Joan was actually kicked off
of the show,
130
00:05:23,198 --> 00:05:26,052
but they still had this spot
to fill up.
131
00:05:26,076 --> 00:05:28,471
And in comes a slew
of guest hosts
132
00:05:28,495 --> 00:05:31,098
to come in "The Late Show"
on Fox.
133
00:05:31,122 --> 00:05:34,352
-Including a young Black comic
named Arsenio Hall.
134
00:05:34,376 --> 00:05:36,145
[ Laughter ]
135
00:05:36,169 --> 00:05:37,462
-Oh, boy.
136
00:05:39,881 --> 00:05:41,484
-Like Carson
and David Letterman,
137
00:05:41,508 --> 00:05:42,819
Hall is from the Midwest.
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00:05:42,843 --> 00:05:45,821
[ Fans barking ]
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00:05:45,845 --> 00:05:48,324
Born in Cleveland, Ohio,
in 1962,
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00:05:48,348 --> 00:05:49,659
the son of a preacher
141
00:05:49,683 --> 00:05:52,995
is drawn to the spotlight
from a young age.
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00:05:53,019 --> 00:05:56,332
-He was actually seen on a Black
public-affairs show, "Soul,"
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00:05:56,356 --> 00:05:59,669
as Arsenio the Magician
when he was about 12 years old.
144
00:05:59,693 --> 00:06:02,588
-NBC is serving cold beer
and guacamole dip outside.
145
00:06:02,612 --> 00:06:06,634
-Arsenio was a born entertainer.
146
00:06:06,658 --> 00:06:09,178
He wanted to be Johnny.
147
00:06:09,202 --> 00:06:11,639
He role-played it at home
148
00:06:11,663 --> 00:06:13,349
with empty chairs
in his basement.
149
00:06:13,373 --> 00:06:14,850
-For the very first time
in your life.
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[ Cheers and applause ]
- I'm David Hurwitz,
151
00:06:16,459 --> 00:06:18,145
and I consider
"The Arsenio Hall Show"
152
00:06:18,169 --> 00:06:19,146
{\an8}my grad school.
153
00:06:19,170 --> 00:06:20,982
{\an8}I spent 5 1/2 years there.
154
00:06:21,006 --> 00:06:23,067
{\an8}I got out of school
in May of '88,
155
00:06:23,091 --> 00:06:24,944
{\an8}and I was there
all the way to the end.
156
00:06:24,968 --> 00:06:27,655
-After college,
Arsenio moves to L.A.,
157
00:06:27,679 --> 00:06:30,908
where, like Johnny,
he pursues a career in standup.
158
00:06:30,932 --> 00:06:33,160
-Oh, I went to JCPenney's
the day they had a white sale.
159
00:06:33,184 --> 00:06:35,705
I bought a Caucasian family,
so I feel real good.
160
00:06:35,729 --> 00:06:38,791
[ Laughter ]
161
00:06:38,815 --> 00:06:41,210
-Alan Thicke found him,
and he was used as a sidekick
162
00:06:41,234 --> 00:06:43,296
and doing shtick
on "Thicke of the Night."
163
00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,548
[ Gunshots ]
164
00:06:45,572 --> 00:06:48,718
-That's the sound of the world's
dumbest baseball promotion,
165
00:06:48,742 --> 00:06:50,052
Pistol Night.
166
00:06:50,076 --> 00:06:51,345
-Is that the last one?
167
00:06:51,369 --> 00:06:53,514
- No, I think it gets better.
- Hmm.
168
00:06:53,538 --> 00:06:55,224
-The "Thick of the Night"
talk show is canceled
169
00:06:55,248 --> 00:06:56,767
after its first season,
170
00:06:56,791 --> 00:06:59,562
but Arsenio's time
as the show's number two
171
00:06:59,586 --> 00:07:01,439
earns him a chance
in the big chair
172
00:07:01,463 --> 00:07:04,883
as a temporary fill-in
on Fox's late-night show.
173
00:07:06,301 --> 00:07:09,822
-They started to take people
like Arsenio
174
00:07:09,846 --> 00:07:11,699
to do, like, little test runs.
175
00:07:11,723 --> 00:07:15,244
-And so they actually had him
do a 13-week stint as the host.
176
00:07:15,268 --> 00:07:17,079
-I'm glad you're here,
and a wonderful night.
177
00:07:17,103 --> 00:07:19,165
Of course, every night's
wonderful when you're with me.
178
00:07:19,189 --> 00:07:22,418
Thank you very much.
[ Cheers and applause ]
179
00:07:22,442 --> 00:07:24,170
-Because it was
his boyhood dream,
180
00:07:24,194 --> 00:07:26,088
he was the one who, "Wow.
181
00:07:26,112 --> 00:07:28,090
What a great opportunity.
This is my shot."
182
00:07:28,114 --> 00:07:29,717
-And he kills it.
183
00:07:29,741 --> 00:07:31,636
-If I can say one word
is flavor.
184
00:07:31,660 --> 00:07:34,263
He brought a certain swag
to the late-night scene.
185
00:07:34,287 --> 00:07:39,060
{\an8}♪♪
186
00:07:39,084 --> 00:07:42,021
-That's where I first saw
Arsenio before I ever met him.
187
00:07:42,045 --> 00:07:43,606
[ Basketball dribbling ]
188
00:07:43,630 --> 00:07:46,442
I remember him doing
an interview with Elliott Gould,
189
00:07:46,466 --> 00:07:49,946
who was a notorious stiff
as an interview.
190
00:07:49,970 --> 00:07:53,098
Arsenio was shooting hoops
and talking.
191
00:07:55,183 --> 00:07:57,745
I remember seeing that
and going, "God, that's clever.
192
00:07:57,769 --> 00:08:00,456
He actually got
that stiff to talk."
193
00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,376
I'm Bill Royce and in the '90s,
194
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,045
I was one of the producers
of two
195
00:08:06,069 --> 00:08:09,799
of the most talked about late
night talk shows there were.
196
00:08:09,823 --> 00:08:12,301
First, "The Arsenio Hall Show,"
197
00:08:12,325 --> 00:08:15,137
and then "The Tonight Show"
with Jay Leno.
198
00:08:15,161 --> 00:08:17,640
And Arsenio was much more fun.
199
00:08:17,664 --> 00:08:20,851
-He delivered.
200
00:08:20,875 --> 00:08:23,270
He was the right man
for the job.
201
00:08:23,294 --> 00:08:25,064
My name is Christopher Reid.
202
00:08:25,088 --> 00:08:27,400
I'm known as Kid
from the group Kid 'n Play.
203
00:08:27,424 --> 00:08:29,610
And in the '90s...
204
00:08:29,634 --> 00:08:33,114
Ooh!
In the '90s, we were dancing.
205
00:08:33,138 --> 00:08:36,158
We were rapping.
We were singing.
206
00:08:36,182 --> 00:08:39,245
What a time to be alive.
207
00:08:39,269 --> 00:08:41,497
-I joke about it a lot
on the show, you know,
208
00:08:41,521 --> 00:08:42,957
being a Dickerson Ranger.
209
00:08:42,981 --> 00:08:44,291
-Right.
I heard you joke about it.
210
00:08:44,315 --> 00:08:46,210
- Yeah.
- I heard you joke about this.
211
00:08:46,234 --> 00:08:48,754
-Very relaxed.
Maybe because he's just subbing.
212
00:08:48,778 --> 00:08:50,256
Maybe because it's not his show,
213
00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,008
and maybe 'cause
it doesn't have his name on it,
214
00:08:52,032 --> 00:08:54,719
maybe because he doesn't feel
like he has a lot to lose.
215
00:08:54,743 --> 00:08:56,220
-It's a local situation.
216
00:08:56,244 --> 00:08:57,596
So, for those of you
who don't know...
217
00:08:57,620 --> 00:09:00,266
Eric, for those of you
who don't know,
218
00:09:00,290 --> 00:09:03,644
Eric is heavily involved
in a program called Just Say No.
219
00:09:03,668 --> 00:09:05,062
-Having conversations
220
00:09:05,086 --> 00:09:07,356
that nobody else on late night
is having.
221
00:09:07,380 --> 00:09:10,860
And it's really relaxed,
and it's very informal,
222
00:09:10,884 --> 00:09:13,279
but it's also informative
and interesting.
223
00:09:13,303 --> 00:09:15,197
-Something that you don't do,
along with drugs,
224
00:09:15,221 --> 00:09:16,949
you don't spike the ball.
225
00:09:16,973 --> 00:09:19,243
You don't, like, throw it in
people's face and on the ground.
226
00:09:19,267 --> 00:09:21,370
I ain't never seen you
do the Philly dog action.
227
00:09:21,394 --> 00:09:23,080
[ Laughter ]
228
00:09:23,104 --> 00:09:26,542
-Johnny Carson and NBC are still
preventing "A" -list talent
229
00:09:26,566 --> 00:09:30,379
from appearing on other shows,
but Arsenio flips the script
230
00:09:30,403 --> 00:09:33,007
by inviting young
and upcoming talent instead.
231
00:09:33,031 --> 00:09:34,467
-You have a very positive image,
232
00:09:34,491 --> 00:09:35,676
and I hear you live
with your grandmother.
233
00:09:35,700 --> 00:09:37,303
Is that the reason?
- Yeah.
234
00:09:37,327 --> 00:09:38,596
-I live with my grandmother
in St. Albans Queens,
235
00:09:38,620 --> 00:09:40,556
and I'm still the same person.
236
00:09:40,580 --> 00:09:41,766
Still chilling.
You know what I'm saying?
237
00:09:41,790 --> 00:09:44,477
[ Cheers and applause ]
- Yeah.
238
00:09:44,501 --> 00:09:47,438
-Fox... they realize how much
the crowd engaged with him,
239
00:09:47,462 --> 00:09:50,649
how much he brought a new flavor
and a new energy to late night
240
00:09:50,673 --> 00:09:53,152
and an entirely new audience.
241
00:09:53,176 --> 00:09:55,863
25% of their viewers
were African-American,
242
00:09:55,887 --> 00:09:57,198
so they have to cater to that.
243
00:09:57,222 --> 00:10:00,034
{\an8}♪♪
244
00:10:00,058 --> 00:10:03,245
-So when Arsenio's
temporary hosting deal ends,
245
00:10:03,269 --> 00:10:06,749
Fox executives offer him
a midnight talk show of his own.
246
00:10:06,773 --> 00:10:08,876
{\an8}♪♪
247
00:10:08,900 --> 00:10:10,461
But Hall passes.
248
00:10:10,485 --> 00:10:12,338
Instead, he signs on
to play multiple characters
249
00:10:12,362 --> 00:10:15,007
in his close friend
Eddie Murphy's new movie,
250
00:10:15,031 --> 00:10:17,259
"Coming to America."
251
00:10:17,283 --> 00:10:18,761
-Pound for pound,
Sugar Ray Robinson
252
00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:20,346
the greatest fighter
that ever lived.
253
00:10:20,370 --> 00:10:22,139
-Oh, come on, man.
What about Joe Louis?
254
00:10:22,163 --> 00:10:24,600
-Nobody in here
ever heard of Cassius Clay.
255
00:10:24,624 --> 00:10:27,103
-He got a point. Cassius Clay
was a bad mother...
256
00:10:27,127 --> 00:10:28,395
[ Horn honks ]
257
00:10:28,419 --> 00:10:30,272
-After Hall's
big-screen success,
258
00:10:30,296 --> 00:10:32,066
Fox approaches him again,
259
00:10:32,090 --> 00:10:35,653
this time offering more money
and a better time slot.
260
00:10:35,677 --> 00:10:38,322
But Arsenio wants even more...
261
00:10:38,346 --> 00:10:40,783
Not just a paycheck
to host a show,
262
00:10:40,807 --> 00:10:44,036
but a piece of the action
and a seat at the table.
263
00:10:44,060 --> 00:10:46,497
Fox turns him down.
264
00:10:46,521 --> 00:10:48,541
It's a decision
they will soon regret.
265
00:10:48,565 --> 00:10:50,233
[ Cheers and applause ]
266
00:10:55,154 --> 00:10:57,216
-Throughout the '80s
and into the '90s,
267
00:10:57,240 --> 00:11:01,929
late-night TV
remains hugely profitable,
268
00:11:01,953 --> 00:11:05,015
while also being mostly cut off
from the most profound changes
269
00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:08,227
happening in American culture.
270
00:11:08,251 --> 00:11:10,729
-It's time to get real,
you know, grow up, you know?
271
00:11:10,753 --> 00:11:12,898
-Black people,
we didn't watch late night...
272
00:11:12,922 --> 00:11:15,526
I mean, we did,
'cause it was on.
273
00:11:15,550 --> 00:11:17,111
But it wasn't for us.
274
00:11:17,135 --> 00:11:19,071
{\an8}♪♪
275
00:11:19,095 --> 00:11:20,781
{\an8}I'm Naima Cochrane.
276
00:11:20,805 --> 00:11:22,783
{\an8}I'm a music
and culture journalist.
277
00:11:22,807 --> 00:11:27,496
{\an8}And in the '90s,
I was consuming all the music
278
00:11:27,520 --> 00:11:31,000
{\an8}and all the television
and all the movies,
279
00:11:31,024 --> 00:11:33,627
{\an8}which is why
now I can talk about them.
280
00:11:33,651 --> 00:11:36,380
[ Chuckles ] You have
this generation of kids
281
00:11:36,404 --> 00:11:38,632
where all we do
is watch videos all day long.
282
00:11:38,656 --> 00:11:40,759
That's it...
The rise of hip-hop,
283
00:11:40,783 --> 00:11:44,054
the rise of Generation X,
and the rise of MTV.
284
00:11:44,078 --> 00:11:45,347
We want to see these acts.
285
00:11:45,371 --> 00:11:46,348
We want to see
what they look like,
286
00:11:46,372 --> 00:11:48,100
and we want to see who they are.
287
00:11:48,124 --> 00:11:50,269
- Hit it.
- Yo.
288
00:11:50,293 --> 00:11:52,354
{\an8}-Only one spot
is showing performances
289
00:11:52,378 --> 00:11:53,689
{\an8}by young, hip talent.
290
00:11:53,713 --> 00:11:55,649
{\an8}-Yo, we getting ready
to do an hour
291
00:11:55,673 --> 00:11:58,235
{\an8}of new videos right here on MTV.
292
00:11:58,259 --> 00:12:00,237
{\an8}♪♪
293
00:12:00,261 --> 00:12:01,989
-That is, until Arsenio,
294
00:12:02,013 --> 00:12:03,866
who grew up
wanting to be Johnny Carson,
295
00:12:03,890 --> 00:12:06,285
gets an offer he can't refuse...
296
00:12:06,309 --> 00:12:10,497
A chance to host and executive
produce his own talk show.
297
00:12:10,521 --> 00:12:12,541
-Arsenio had a plan,
and part of that plan
298
00:12:12,565 --> 00:12:16,128
{\an8}was to put hisself
into syndication
299
00:12:16,152 --> 00:12:18,214
{\an8}and to give himself
that EP power
300
00:12:18,238 --> 00:12:21,091
{\an8}so he has control
over the show's direction.
301
00:12:21,115 --> 00:12:23,177
-Paramount Television
also has a plan
302
00:12:23,201 --> 00:12:24,803
to grab some late-night cash
303
00:12:24,827 --> 00:12:28,307
by getting Arsenio
to host a syndicated talk show.
304
00:12:28,331 --> 00:12:31,018
Unlike network programs,
syndicated shows are sold
305
00:12:31,042 --> 00:12:33,646
to individual stations
across the country.
306
00:12:33,670 --> 00:12:35,522
Paramount even offers Arsenio
307
00:12:35,546 --> 00:12:37,316
the same level
of creative control
308
00:12:37,340 --> 00:12:41,779
that Carson was able to acquire
at the end of his career.
309
00:12:41,803 --> 00:12:43,614
-Essentially me. Yeah.
310
00:12:43,638 --> 00:12:45,115
-Johnny Carson paved the way
311
00:12:45,139 --> 00:12:47,660
on what power looks like
on late-night TV.
312
00:12:47,684 --> 00:12:50,371
-By the time he retires in 1992,
313
00:12:50,395 --> 00:12:53,374
Carson controls every aspect
of his program,
314
00:12:53,398 --> 00:12:56,710
from who gets hired
to his on-camera image.
315
00:12:56,734 --> 00:12:58,754
-He chose interviewees,
and if he wasn't okay
316
00:12:58,778 --> 00:13:00,381
with someone
that they were suggested,
317
00:13:00,405 --> 00:13:01,632
they wouldn't be on the show.
318
00:13:01,656 --> 00:13:04,134
{\an8}♪♪
319
00:13:04,158 --> 00:13:07,429
Arsenio Hall was to have
a similar control.
320
00:13:07,453 --> 00:13:09,431
-Along with creative control,
321
00:13:09,455 --> 00:13:11,308
Arsenio will share
in the show's profits,
322
00:13:11,332 --> 00:13:13,894
just like Oprah Winfrey does
on her show.
323
00:13:13,918 --> 00:13:15,354
-When I went to Paramount,
and they said,
324
00:13:15,378 --> 00:13:17,022
[white voice] "So what are you
thinking about?"
325
00:13:17,046 --> 00:13:18,774
[ Normal voice ] And I said,
"I want an Oprah deal."
326
00:13:18,798 --> 00:13:21,277
[ Laughter and applause ]
327
00:13:21,301 --> 00:13:22,695
-That's a good deal.
328
00:13:22,719 --> 00:13:25,072
-For him to have
a syndicated talk show
329
00:13:25,096 --> 00:13:27,282
in his early 30s,
as a Black man,
330
00:13:27,306 --> 00:13:30,160
the only Black man on late-night
television... massive.
331
00:13:30,184 --> 00:13:33,455
It was massive.
332
00:13:33,479 --> 00:13:39,712
-On January 3, 1989,
"The Arsenio Hall Show" debuts.
333
00:13:39,736 --> 00:13:41,964
-And now let the party begin.
334
00:13:41,988 --> 00:13:47,594
It's Arsenio-o-o-o-o-o...
335
00:13:47,618 --> 00:13:49,179
Hall!
336
00:13:49,203 --> 00:13:52,349
[ Cheers and applause ]
337
00:13:52,373 --> 00:13:54,101
-And the second
Burton Richardson
338
00:13:54,125 --> 00:13:57,646
{\an8}bellowed out "Arsenio-o-o Hall,"
339
00:13:57,670 --> 00:13:58,814
{\an8}boom.
340
00:13:58,838 --> 00:14:03,902
[ Cheers and applause ]
341
00:14:03,926 --> 00:14:06,780
-Arsenio hit the floor.
The place went nuts.
342
00:14:06,804 --> 00:14:09,575
All different types of people
in the audience.
343
00:14:09,599 --> 00:14:13,287
Saw them high-fiving and hugging
and having a good time.
344
00:14:13,311 --> 00:14:15,581
{\an8}♪♪
345
00:14:15,605 --> 00:14:17,082
-From that first show,
346
00:14:17,106 --> 00:14:20,335
Arsenio is determined
to revitalize late night.
347
00:14:20,359 --> 00:14:23,005
He knows the formula works.
It just needs a facelift.
348
00:14:23,029 --> 00:14:26,592
{\an8}-I created a show for kids
because kids didn't have a show.
349
00:14:26,616 --> 00:14:29,178
I'm going after the children
of Johnny's audience.
350
00:14:29,202 --> 00:14:31,472
-From Television City
in Hollywood...
351
00:14:31,496 --> 00:14:34,099
-It's a crowded battlefield,
as the very next week,
352
00:14:34,123 --> 00:14:35,851
CBS launches its own bid
353
00:14:35,875 --> 00:14:38,645
for those late-night
talk-show ad dollars,
354
00:14:38,669 --> 00:14:43,108
starring the hugely popular host
of "Wheel of Fortune."
355
00:14:43,132 --> 00:14:45,736
-Now, the big money
was on Pat Sajak.
356
00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,114
-[ Sighs ] Oh, boy.
357
00:14:49,138 --> 00:14:52,201
-Pat is a lovely guy.
Had a lovely show.
358
00:14:52,225 --> 00:14:54,828
But it was a pale imitation
of Johnny.
359
00:14:54,852 --> 00:14:56,121
-If it looks like
I'm just killing time,
360
00:14:56,145 --> 00:14:57,581
uh, I have a reason here.
361
00:14:57,605 --> 00:15:00,375
In less than one minute,
we will officially become
362
00:15:00,399 --> 00:15:02,669
CBS' longest-running show
this season.
363
00:15:02,693 --> 00:15:05,214
[ Laughter and applause ]
364
00:15:05,238 --> 00:15:09,343
-Well, we weren't a pale
imitation of Johnny
by any stretch.
365
00:15:09,367 --> 00:15:11,845
-Arsenio...
He said it a million times...
366
00:15:11,869 --> 00:15:14,973
I just want to show people
a good time.
367
00:15:14,997 --> 00:15:16,517
You're 16 years old,
368
00:15:16,541 --> 00:15:18,435
and you're seeing
Bobby Brown videos
369
00:15:18,459 --> 00:15:20,270
when he broke away
from New Edition.
370
00:15:20,294 --> 00:15:21,772
And then the first Friday night,
371
00:15:21,796 --> 00:15:24,775
Bobby Brown
is performing "My Prerogative,"
372
00:15:24,799 --> 00:15:27,111
and the camera's up in his face,
373
00:15:27,135 --> 00:15:31,698
and the music of the show
was the music of the time.
374
00:15:31,722 --> 00:15:33,283
-♪ It's my prerogative ♪
375
00:15:33,307 --> 00:15:35,786
{\an8}♪♪
376
00:15:35,810 --> 00:15:39,498
-And the way it was shot...
That was part of the show.
377
00:15:39,522 --> 00:15:40,749
That was introducing people
378
00:15:40,773 --> 00:15:43,585
to a new culture,
a younger culture,
379
00:15:43,609 --> 00:15:46,088
a culture that's starting
to become the hip-hop culture,
380
00:15:46,112 --> 00:15:48,590
and a generation of people
who are more accepting
381
00:15:48,614 --> 00:15:50,884
than the generation
that came before them.
382
00:15:50,908 --> 00:15:53,095
-I mean, look at that first week
of Arsenio.
383
00:15:53,119 --> 00:15:54,596
That tells you everything.
384
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:57,558
There was Bobby Brown,
Luther Vandross,
385
00:15:57,582 --> 00:16:00,644
Brooke Shields, Quincy Jones.
386
00:16:00,668 --> 00:16:03,188
Judd Nelson was in there.
Robert Downey Jr. was in there.
387
00:16:03,212 --> 00:16:04,982
Look at the mix there.
388
00:16:05,006 --> 00:16:08,443
Younger than what
you were getting at Carson
389
00:16:08,467 --> 00:16:11,613
with Buddy Hackett,
Phyllis Diller,
390
00:16:11,637 --> 00:16:13,323
Engelbert Humperdinck.
391
00:16:13,347 --> 00:16:14,741
I can go on and on.
392
00:16:14,765 --> 00:16:16,994
[ Audience cheering ]
393
00:16:17,018 --> 00:16:19,496
-With the financial stakes
sky-high,
394
00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,498
NBC hopes to bury Arsenio
395
00:16:21,522 --> 00:16:25,961
by doing unto him
how they did to Joan Rivers.
396
00:16:25,985 --> 00:16:31,175
-I know for a fact
if you did Arsenio first,
397
00:16:31,199 --> 00:16:32,801
you either couldn't do Carson
398
00:16:32,825 --> 00:16:35,512
or you couldn't do Carson
for a while.
399
00:16:35,536 --> 00:16:36,847
-So, some of the individuals
400
00:16:36,871 --> 00:16:38,515
that Arsenio Hall
brought onto his show
401
00:16:38,539 --> 00:16:40,142
was out of necessity.
402
00:16:40,166 --> 00:16:42,269
He had to figure out how
can he make himself different.
403
00:16:42,293 --> 00:16:44,646
-From their first
full-length album,
404
00:16:44,670 --> 00:16:46,607
Mecca and the Soul Brother.
405
00:16:46,631 --> 00:16:49,359
From their CD,
"The Low End Theory"...
406
00:16:49,383 --> 00:16:52,029
Please welcome
Boogie Down Production.
407
00:16:52,053 --> 00:16:54,323
[ Audience cheering ]
408
00:16:54,347 --> 00:16:56,200
-♪ Just like I told you ♪
409
00:16:56,224 --> 00:16:57,743
♪ You must learn! ♪
410
00:16:57,767 --> 00:16:59,369
Come on!
♪ Just like I told you ♪
411
00:16:59,393 --> 00:17:01,163
-Arsenio gives
a national audience
412
00:17:01,187 --> 00:17:02,956
a first look
at undiscovered talent
413
00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:06,877
not previously welcome
on network TV.
414
00:17:06,901 --> 00:17:08,337
-♪ Oh-oh, oh, oh ♪
415
00:17:08,361 --> 00:17:11,340
♪ Oh-oh, oh ♪
- You can't touch this.
416
00:17:11,364 --> 00:17:13,425
-M.C. Hammer performed
"U Can't Touch This"
417
00:17:13,449 --> 00:17:17,596
for the first time
on Arsenio's Stage 29.
418
00:17:17,620 --> 00:17:20,933
It made him
a cultural phenomenon.
419
00:17:20,957 --> 00:17:26,104
-When Hammer is up there jamming
with 40 people with him,
420
00:17:26,128 --> 00:17:27,314
that's the thing.
421
00:17:27,338 --> 00:17:29,691
- Can I get a hit?
- Hit!
422
00:17:29,715 --> 00:17:32,486
-♪ Hold on to your love ♪
423
00:17:32,510 --> 00:17:34,321
-It's win-win.
424
00:17:34,345 --> 00:17:37,074
Arsenio can book hot new talent
shunned by his competitors,
425
00:17:37,098 --> 00:17:40,327
and hip-hop gets national
television exposure.
426
00:17:40,351 --> 00:17:42,579
-♪ Kid 'n Play,
so let's start it now ♪
427
00:17:42,603 --> 00:17:45,040
-We would go down to Stage 29,
428
00:17:45,064 --> 00:17:47,459
and we wasn't even on the show
that day.
429
00:17:47,483 --> 00:17:49,461
You just wanted to be there.
430
00:17:49,485 --> 00:17:52,798
{\an8}♪♪
431
00:17:52,822 --> 00:17:56,426
-We have a slamming green room.
We got hot, catered food.
432
00:17:56,450 --> 00:17:59,221
We got a bar,
not only for the stars to come.
433
00:17:59,245 --> 00:18:01,473
It was fun for the publicist.
434
00:18:01,497 --> 00:18:03,684
It was fun for the managers,
the agents,
435
00:18:03,708 --> 00:18:08,689
the families, their dogs,
everybody.
436
00:18:08,713 --> 00:18:11,149
-It's daytime, but when you come
inside the studio,
437
00:18:11,173 --> 00:18:12,901
it feels like nighttime.
438
00:18:12,925 --> 00:18:15,404
The audience is off the chain.
439
00:18:15,428 --> 00:18:19,241
His band was...
Bak-dum, bak-dum, bak-dum!
440
00:18:19,265 --> 00:18:22,411
It was the place to be,
and it felt like it.
441
00:18:22,435 --> 00:18:24,288
-In the heart of Hollywood...
442
00:18:24,312 --> 00:18:27,082
-It quickly becomes clear that
if you're a young Black artist,
443
00:18:27,106 --> 00:18:31,128
appearing on Arsenio can be
a professional game changer.
444
00:18:31,152 --> 00:18:34,172
-You know, anything
you were promoting on Arsenio,
445
00:18:34,196 --> 00:18:35,966
oh, you got that bounce.
446
00:18:35,990 --> 00:18:38,885
{\an8}♪♪
447
00:18:38,909 --> 00:18:41,096
-It wasn't Arsenio's ratings
448
00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:43,932
that created a sensation
in the beginning.
449
00:18:43,956 --> 00:18:48,353
-It was the demographics
that the advertisers liked,
450
00:18:48,377 --> 00:18:50,689
because they wanted
young people.
451
00:18:50,713 --> 00:18:52,524
-We shot out like a cannon,
452
00:18:52,548 --> 00:18:56,903
so some of our original local
spots were Jimmy Dean sausage.
453
00:18:56,927 --> 00:19:00,949
Within a short time,
it was Mercedes-Benz.
454
00:19:00,973 --> 00:19:05,203
-The momentum just started
growing and growing and growing.
455
00:19:05,227 --> 00:19:08,415
-Within about six months
of the show debuting,
456
00:19:08,439 --> 00:19:12,461
Arsenio got the cover
of Time magazine.
457
00:19:12,485 --> 00:19:13,879
-Starting Monday night,
458
00:19:13,903 --> 00:19:16,965
Arsenio moves
from his 12:30 time slot
459
00:19:16,989 --> 00:19:19,343
to 11:30 in the New York area.
460
00:19:19,367 --> 00:19:21,970
Now, in TV land,
this is a major move,
461
00:19:21,994 --> 00:19:24,431
signifying that Hall
is a ratings success.
462
00:19:24,455 --> 00:19:27,643
-I realized...
463
00:19:27,667 --> 00:19:31,605
that we had become a hit
on a certain important level
464
00:19:31,629 --> 00:19:35,901
when, believe it or not,
Farrah Fawcett did the show.
465
00:19:35,925 --> 00:19:39,154
-What was it that attracted you
to doing this role?
466
00:19:39,178 --> 00:19:42,074
-So cute.
[ Laughter ]
467
00:19:42,098 --> 00:19:43,408
Okay, I'll be serious.
468
00:19:43,432 --> 00:19:45,744
What attracted me to this role
was...
469
00:19:45,768 --> 00:19:47,954
-Farrah Fawcett
just called me cute!
470
00:19:47,978 --> 00:19:49,456
[ Cheers and applause ]
471
00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:52,751
-Farrah Fawcett
in the early '90s
472
00:19:52,775 --> 00:19:57,130
was a major, major,
important star.
473
00:19:57,154 --> 00:20:01,385
Well, the fact that she did it
and it came off well...
474
00:20:01,409 --> 00:20:03,136
That was a major turning point.
475
00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,848
Then the movie stars...
Like shooting fish in a barrel.
476
00:20:06,872 --> 00:20:09,893
-Arsenio starts booking
A-listers,
477
00:20:09,917 --> 00:20:13,563
while over at CBS,
Pat Sajak can't buy a vowel.
478
00:20:13,587 --> 00:20:15,148
His talk show was canceled
479
00:20:15,172 --> 00:20:17,192
before the end
of its first season.
480
00:20:17,216 --> 00:20:19,236
CBS stations across the country
481
00:20:19,260 --> 00:20:21,446
are now able to make a deal
with Paramount
482
00:20:21,470 --> 00:20:24,741
to air Arsenio
in Sajak's time slot.
483
00:20:24,765 --> 00:20:26,451
-Chuck, give me a beat.
484
00:20:26,475 --> 00:20:29,913
{\an8}♪♪
485
00:20:29,937 --> 00:20:31,665
You all know
what time it is now, right?
486
00:20:31,689 --> 00:20:34,751
- Let's get busy!
- Yeah!
487
00:20:34,775 --> 00:20:36,378
-This is my posse.
488
00:20:36,402 --> 00:20:38,171
-His band was The Posse.
489
00:20:38,195 --> 00:20:40,006
-You know who those people
over there are... the Dog Pound.
490
00:20:40,030 --> 00:20:42,592
-The audience was the Dog Pound.
491
00:20:42,616 --> 00:20:44,344
{\an8}-People we usually
give names to.
492
00:20:44,368 --> 00:20:45,679
{\an8}That's who those people are.
[ Cheers and applause ]
493
00:20:45,703 --> 00:20:47,597
{\an8}-They'd bark
and pump their fists...
494
00:20:47,621 --> 00:20:49,015
You know, "Woof, woof, woof!"
495
00:20:49,039 --> 00:20:52,310
- Woof, woof, woof!
- Woof, woof, woof!
496
00:20:52,334 --> 00:20:54,646
-The twirling of the wrist.
497
00:20:54,670 --> 00:20:57,065
-Yeah. You at home
and in your underwear,
498
00:20:57,089 --> 00:20:58,984
"Woof, woof, woof,
woof, woof, woof!"
499
00:20:59,008 --> 00:21:01,778
[ Chuckles ] That's the one
that gets it popping.
500
00:21:01,802 --> 00:21:03,071
-These aren't jokes.
These are thought.
501
00:21:03,095 --> 00:21:05,282
These are things
that make you say, "Hmm."
502
00:21:05,306 --> 00:21:08,368
-He had a segment called
"Things that Make You Go Hmmm"
503
00:21:08,392 --> 00:21:09,828
that became a song
by C&C Music Factory
504
00:21:09,852 --> 00:21:11,538
that was a hit.
505
00:21:11,562 --> 00:21:13,290
-♪ My girl bust' in,
caught us creating a boom ♪
506
00:21:13,314 --> 00:21:14,791
♪ She said... ♪
- ♪ Girlfriend ♪
507
00:21:14,815 --> 00:21:16,376
♪ Things that make you go hmm ♪
508
00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:17,752
-Whereas other people go,
509
00:21:17,776 --> 00:21:19,129
"We have a great lineup
for you tonight,"
510
00:21:19,153 --> 00:21:21,214
he was like, "Let's get busy!"
511
00:21:21,238 --> 00:21:22,799
It was a party.
512
00:21:22,823 --> 00:21:25,051
-My name is Arsenio Hall,
and my philosophy
513
00:21:25,075 --> 00:21:29,055
is, "Do it, do it,
do it till you're satisfied."
514
00:21:29,079 --> 00:21:30,724
[ Cheers and applause ]
- You know, TV critics
515
00:21:30,748 --> 00:21:32,893
and people who are watching
brass at the networks
516
00:21:32,917 --> 00:21:34,895
look and say,
"It's not gonna work.
517
00:21:34,919 --> 00:21:37,606
It's too much.
It's too extra.
518
00:21:37,630 --> 00:21:40,400
It's too over-the-top.
It's too Black."
519
00:21:40,424 --> 00:21:43,069
But it worked.
It worked like gangbusters.
520
00:21:43,093 --> 00:21:45,071
-In a first for show business,
521
00:21:45,095 --> 00:21:48,533
Arsenio didn't just book Black
performers to put on a show.
522
00:21:48,557 --> 00:21:51,453
He also brought them on
to talk business.
523
00:21:51,477 --> 00:21:53,789
-I looked at the numbers.
524
00:21:53,813 --> 00:21:56,833
The movie... you know me.
I'm all about getting paid.
525
00:21:56,857 --> 00:21:58,460
You opened on a Wednesday.
526
00:21:58,484 --> 00:22:01,338
You opened in less theaters
than "House Party 2,"
527
00:22:01,362 --> 00:22:02,923
and you did better numbers.
528
00:22:02,947 --> 00:22:06,218
And this is a real success
midweek for you guys.
529
00:22:06,242 --> 00:22:08,887
-So, I think we were surprised
when he brought that up.
530
00:22:08,911 --> 00:22:11,473
But, looking back, I'm just
like, "I get what you're doing."
531
00:22:11,497 --> 00:22:15,602
He's saying, "Hey, man,
y'all are doing numbers."
532
00:22:15,626 --> 00:22:17,253
Black movies make money.
533
00:22:21,257 --> 00:22:22,901
-From my first meeting with him,
534
00:22:22,925 --> 00:22:25,904
Arsenio talked about
inclusivity.
535
00:22:25,928 --> 00:22:27,322
That was important to him.
536
00:22:27,346 --> 00:22:30,033
But shortly after the show
became a success,
537
00:22:30,057 --> 00:22:33,370
you started hearing
from the Black community,
538
00:22:33,394 --> 00:22:34,746
"The show isn't Black enough.
539
00:22:34,770 --> 00:22:37,832
He doesn't hire
enough Black people."
540
00:22:37,856 --> 00:22:42,128
The show did have
a number of Black people
541
00:22:42,152 --> 00:22:43,839
on the staff for sure.
542
00:22:43,863 --> 00:22:46,216
But in the key position
of producer, showrunner...
543
00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,051
No, that was a white woman.
544
00:22:48,075 --> 00:22:50,637
The writers were a mix,
Black and white.
545
00:22:50,661 --> 00:22:55,642
The talent department... we had
at least one Black woman there.
546
00:22:55,666 --> 00:22:57,352
I know there were other people,
547
00:22:57,376 --> 00:23:00,045
you know, spread throughout
the show who were.
548
00:23:01,547 --> 00:23:03,900
-Former president
of the Los Angeles chapter
549
00:23:03,924 --> 00:23:06,653
of the NAACP, Willis Edwards,
550
00:23:06,677 --> 00:23:08,822
and film director Spike Lee
551
00:23:08,846 --> 00:23:12,325
publicly take a swing at Arsenio
as an Uncle Tom.
552
00:23:12,349 --> 00:23:14,202
In the media, he punches back.
553
00:23:14,226 --> 00:23:15,704
But the attacks sting
554
00:23:15,728 --> 00:23:18,039
and will soon redirect
the career trajectory
555
00:23:18,063 --> 00:23:20,458
of the young late-night star.
556
00:23:20,482 --> 00:23:21,835
-[ As Muhammad Ali ]
can't whip me.
557
00:23:21,859 --> 00:23:24,570
Look at me.
I'm the greatest.
558
00:23:28,657 --> 00:23:30,343
{\an8}-The world
may be less threatening,
559
00:23:30,367 --> 00:23:31,970
but it is also, I believe,
at the moment less stable,
560
00:23:31,994 --> 00:23:33,638
and there is a great deal
of uncertainty in the world.
561
00:23:33,662 --> 00:23:36,141
-The early '90s saw many firsts
for Black Americans.
562
00:23:36,165 --> 00:23:37,934
Colin Powell is named Chairman
563
00:23:37,958 --> 00:23:40,145
of the U.S.
Joint Chiefs of Staff,
564
00:23:40,169 --> 00:23:43,064
Art Shell becomes the first
Black coach of an NFL team,
565
00:23:43,088 --> 00:23:45,901
and Frederick Drew Gregory
is the first Black person
566
00:23:45,925 --> 00:23:47,485
to command the Space Shuttle.
567
00:23:47,509 --> 00:23:50,739
But in Hollywood,
being first and being Black
568
00:23:50,763 --> 00:23:52,657
has always been
a tricky part to play.
569
00:23:52,681 --> 00:23:55,118
-You come out,
and you do your thing,
570
00:23:55,142 --> 00:23:57,037
and you'll deal
with the problems of today.
571
00:23:57,061 --> 00:23:58,413
You do it with humor.
572
00:23:58,437 --> 00:24:00,415
I tried to do it
with entertaining
573
00:24:00,439 --> 00:24:02,000
to try to get some doors open,
574
00:24:02,024 --> 00:24:04,628
'cause all of them were closed
in those days.
575
00:24:04,652 --> 00:24:07,672
All of them were closed.
576
00:24:07,696 --> 00:24:10,759
-And despite claiming to want
his show to be inclusive,
577
00:24:10,783 --> 00:24:14,179
Arsenio was attacked
for not doing enough.
578
00:24:14,203 --> 00:24:20,977
-When the criticism arose that
the show wasn't Black enough,
579
00:24:21,001 --> 00:24:24,230
I know Arsenio was hurt by that
to a degree.
580
00:24:24,254 --> 00:24:26,274
-Perhaps in response
to the complaints,
581
00:24:26,298 --> 00:24:28,401
Arsenio sets up
an internship program
582
00:24:28,425 --> 00:24:29,694
for young people of color.
583
00:24:29,718 --> 00:24:31,321
One of his first interns
584
00:24:31,345 --> 00:24:35,533
is a headstrong USC film student
named John Singleton.
585
00:24:35,557 --> 00:24:38,161
{\an8}-He may have been asked
at one point
586
00:24:38,185 --> 00:24:41,373
{\an8}to xerox some stuff.
587
00:24:41,397 --> 00:24:45,293
And he went,
"No. That's not what I do."
588
00:24:45,317 --> 00:24:50,048
It became a famous story
right then within the show.
589
00:24:50,072 --> 00:24:54,969
And then
when he did "Boyz N The Hood,"
590
00:24:54,993 --> 00:24:58,807
it became
an even more famous story.
591
00:24:58,831 --> 00:25:02,727
Good for him, and God bless him.
592
00:25:02,751 --> 00:25:06,982
-It's on Arsenio's Stage 29
that Singleton meets Ice Cube,
593
00:25:07,006 --> 00:25:09,484
who he will one day cast
as the up-and-coming rapper
594
00:25:09,508 --> 00:25:13,279
in his groundbreaking
debut film "Boyz N The Hood."
595
00:25:13,303 --> 00:25:18,410
{\an8}♪♪
596
00:25:18,434 --> 00:25:20,203
-But Arsenio has ambitions
597
00:25:20,227 --> 00:25:22,706
that exceed facilitating careers
in Hollywood.
598
00:25:22,730 --> 00:25:24,124
He wants to make a difference
599
00:25:24,148 --> 00:25:26,501
in the greater
Black communities of L.A.,
600
00:25:26,525 --> 00:25:28,128
which in the late '80s and '90s
601
00:25:28,152 --> 00:25:30,004
were confronting
a deadly gang war
602
00:25:30,028 --> 00:25:32,882
between the Crips
and the Bloods.
603
00:25:32,906 --> 00:25:35,802
Arsenio brings on
the West Coast All-Stars,
604
00:25:35,826 --> 00:25:37,512
a collective
of California rappers
605
00:25:37,536 --> 00:25:40,432
who are united in an effort
to end gang violence
606
00:25:40,456 --> 00:25:41,766
in the City of Angels.
607
00:25:41,790 --> 00:25:44,436
-Mike Concepcion
was a former gang member
608
00:25:44,460 --> 00:25:48,022
who conceived the idea
of a weekend of peace,
609
00:25:48,046 --> 00:25:51,651
and Arsenio was a huge supporter
of this entire effort.
610
00:25:51,675 --> 00:25:53,194
{\an8}What was great about Arsenio
611
00:25:53,218 --> 00:25:54,696
{\an8}is that you might see
a side of these artists
612
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,949
{\an8}that you would not have seen
somewhere else.
613
00:25:57,973 --> 00:26:00,118
-Including rapper Tone Loc,
614
00:26:00,142 --> 00:26:03,204
who had a hit with the song
"Funky Cold Medina."
615
00:26:03,228 --> 00:26:07,292
-Which is a song that would not
be okay in 2021, by the way,
616
00:26:07,316 --> 00:26:10,920
but it was a smash hit
at the time.
617
00:26:10,944 --> 00:26:12,756
-Tone, you're from L.A.
618
00:26:12,780 --> 00:26:16,259
Can this weekend expand
to something larger?
619
00:26:16,283 --> 00:26:19,012
-It's like baking a cake.
You know, you have...
620
00:26:19,036 --> 00:26:21,097
This is like one ingredient.
621
00:26:21,121 --> 00:26:23,266
I had never been on
a talk show before.
622
00:26:23,290 --> 00:26:25,059
My favorite show is, of course,
when we came out
623
00:26:25,083 --> 00:26:28,354
and did the
"All In The Same Gang" video.
624
00:26:28,378 --> 00:26:34,152
{\an8}My name is Tone Loc
or Tony Smith or Tone or Loc.
625
00:26:34,176 --> 00:26:38,531
{\an8}Depends on how you know me
or where you know me from.
626
00:26:38,555 --> 00:26:40,200
{\an8}You know what I'm saying?
627
00:26:40,224 --> 00:26:41,910
♪ ...upon a time for me
was no joke, though ♪
628
00:26:41,934 --> 00:26:44,287
♪ They knew I was crazy,
so they labelled me Loco ♪
629
00:26:44,311 --> 00:26:45,789
-Well, again, Tone Loc talking
630
00:26:45,813 --> 00:26:48,875
from a place of his community
and who he is,
631
00:26:48,899 --> 00:26:53,463
not just performing a hit song.
632
00:26:53,487 --> 00:26:57,759
-For Arsenio, it's not just
about leveraging Black culture
633
00:26:57,783 --> 00:26:59,385
to grow his audience.
634
00:26:59,409 --> 00:27:02,055
He understands the unique
messages being communicated
635
00:27:02,079 --> 00:27:05,475
by Black music groups
the other shows refused to book.
636
00:27:05,499 --> 00:27:12,899
-Not a lot of people would give
NWA a chance to come on TV
637
00:27:12,923 --> 00:27:16,027
and say or express
any of their songs.
638
00:27:16,051 --> 00:27:17,612
You know what I mean?
639
00:27:17,636 --> 00:27:19,739
-We can use
the initial of the first word.
640
00:27:19,763 --> 00:27:22,075
- "F" the police.
- Yeah.
641
00:27:22,099 --> 00:27:24,244
-Once in everybody's lifetime,
you know,
642
00:27:24,268 --> 00:27:26,329
they get harassed
by the police for no reason.
643
00:27:26,353 --> 00:27:28,039
And then everybody wants
to say it, you know,
644
00:27:28,063 --> 00:27:29,541
but they can't say it
on the spot,
645
00:27:29,565 --> 00:27:31,417
because something
will happen to them, you know?
646
00:27:31,441 --> 00:27:32,460
And then you get harassed
by the police
647
00:27:32,484 --> 00:27:34,379
just because of what you wear.
648
00:27:34,403 --> 00:27:38,508
-In the fall of 1990,
NWA is fighting the FBI
649
00:27:38,532 --> 00:27:41,427
over what they can
and cannot say in their music.
650
00:27:41,451 --> 00:27:43,888
Arsenio hires actors
to play officers
651
00:27:43,912 --> 00:27:45,723
trying to shut down
the performance.
652
00:27:45,747 --> 00:27:48,309
-♪ 100 miles and runnin',
MC Ren I hold the gun and... ♪
653
00:27:48,333 --> 00:27:50,019
♪ You want me to deal with the
situation and it's done in ♪
654
00:27:50,043 --> 00:27:51,312
-Do it!
655
00:27:51,336 --> 00:27:54,107
-In the late '80s
and the early '90s,
656
00:27:54,131 --> 00:27:58,027
the police violence in L.A.
was ridiculous.
657
00:27:58,051 --> 00:28:00,864
And it was something
that was very common knowledge
658
00:28:00,888 --> 00:28:02,740
if you were a person of color,
659
00:28:02,764 --> 00:28:04,492
maybe not so much
if you weren't.
660
00:28:04,516 --> 00:28:08,955
So to have them seated
and talking eloquently,
661
00:28:08,979 --> 00:28:13,001
coherently,
thoughtfully about their music,
662
00:28:13,025 --> 00:28:15,086
about their position,
about their experience,
663
00:28:15,110 --> 00:28:17,088
I think that was groundbreaking
at the time.
664
00:28:17,112 --> 00:28:18,381
-You're not saying
that all police are bad?
665
00:28:18,405 --> 00:28:22,427
- Nah. 90% of them are.
- Not all police.
666
00:28:22,451 --> 00:28:25,513
-Arsenio's commitment
and authenticity gets noticed
667
00:28:25,537 --> 00:28:27,432
by the Black community
in Hollywood.
668
00:28:27,456 --> 00:28:30,643
Suddenly, he's booking guests
that no one else can get.
669
00:28:30,667 --> 00:28:33,104
-Arsenio loved Prince.
670
00:28:33,128 --> 00:28:35,982
He said to Sharon Olson,
the music booker,
671
00:28:36,006 --> 00:28:38,151
"Get me Prince on the show.
I want Prince."
672
00:28:38,175 --> 00:28:40,153
So she tried and tried.
673
00:28:40,177 --> 00:28:43,031
So, finally, he'll do the show.
674
00:28:43,055 --> 00:28:44,949
The only thing is,
he won't talk.
675
00:28:44,973 --> 00:28:46,618
"Let's take it to Arsenio."
676
00:28:46,642 --> 00:28:49,495
He says, "That's okay.
677
00:28:49,519 --> 00:28:52,665
We'll talk to people
who have worked with Prince,
678
00:28:52,689 --> 00:28:54,250
and they'll talk about him."
679
00:28:54,274 --> 00:28:55,585
-Prince, if I'm lying,
come out here and slap me,
680
00:28:55,609 --> 00:28:57,629
'cause I don't remember
everything.
681
00:28:57,653 --> 00:28:59,631
I think he said just, "Well,
you want to lay one down?"
682
00:28:59,655 --> 00:29:02,508
And we went out there,
and I started singing.
683
00:29:02,532 --> 00:29:04,510
And he said, "Gosh."
684
00:29:04,534 --> 00:29:06,721
And he was happy
about what he was hearing,
685
00:29:06,745 --> 00:29:08,306
so he called George Clinton in.
686
00:29:08,330 --> 00:29:09,807
- Yeah.
- George was in the other room.
687
00:29:09,831 --> 00:29:11,184
George. Yeah.
[ Cheers and applause ]
688
00:29:11,208 --> 00:29:13,186
-That was a great show.
689
00:29:13,210 --> 00:29:15,396
-♪ Come on, baby ♪
690
00:29:15,420 --> 00:29:17,857
♪ Let's get nice ♪
691
00:29:17,881 --> 00:29:22,278
♪ Yeah! Ow! ♪
692
00:29:22,302 --> 00:29:26,324
-Again, how smart Arsenio was.
693
00:29:26,348 --> 00:29:29,243
-Smart enough to weather efforts
by his competitors
694
00:29:29,267 --> 00:29:31,746
to keep big-name celebrities
off his show
695
00:29:31,770 --> 00:29:34,999
and become the exclusive
destination for A-listers
696
00:29:35,023 --> 00:29:37,377
with something difficult
to talk about.
697
00:29:37,401 --> 00:29:41,923
-Arsenio called me into his
office and said, "Bill,
698
00:29:41,947 --> 00:29:45,176
Magic Johnson's going
to announce that he has HIV.
699
00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,888
What do I do?"
700
00:29:48,912 --> 00:29:52,308
I said, "You get in the car,
and you go to your friend.
701
00:29:52,332 --> 00:29:53,768
The show.
702
00:29:53,792 --> 00:29:55,353
If you don't tape today,
you don't tape today."
703
00:29:55,377 --> 00:29:57,897
{\an8}♪♪
704
00:29:57,921 --> 00:30:02,527
In those days, having HIV
was like a death sentence.
705
00:30:02,551 --> 00:30:10,118
-Because of the HIV virus
that I have attained,
706
00:30:10,142 --> 00:30:13,246
I will have to retire
from the Lakers.
707
00:30:13,270 --> 00:30:15,456
-Watching him play in the NBA,
especially the Lakers,
708
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:19,127
especially in Los Angeles,
he is a hero to everyone.
709
00:30:19,151 --> 00:30:23,172
[ Cheers and applause ]
- Whenever you're ready.
710
00:30:23,196 --> 00:30:25,383
{\an8}-It humanizes him
being on this show,
711
00:30:25,407 --> 00:30:26,926
{\an8}because a lot of folks,
712
00:30:26,950 --> 00:30:28,303
it's something
that you don't talk about.
713
00:30:28,327 --> 00:30:30,638
-I'm here to say,
"Hey, I got it,"
714
00:30:30,662 --> 00:30:32,015
but I'm gonna live on.
715
00:30:32,039 --> 00:30:34,308
And you don't have
to run from me like,
716
00:30:34,332 --> 00:30:36,310
"Oh, here come Magic! Uh-oh!"
717
00:30:36,334 --> 00:30:37,395
[ Laughter ]
You know?
718
00:30:37,419 --> 00:30:39,689
You don't have to do all that.
719
00:30:39,713 --> 00:30:41,482
You know, just you can be you.
720
00:30:41,506 --> 00:30:43,526
[ Cheers and applause ]
721
00:30:43,550 --> 00:30:45,778
-Magic Johnson's appearance
on Arsenio
722
00:30:45,802 --> 00:30:47,905
is a '90s cultural milestone
723
00:30:47,929 --> 00:30:51,868
and help set the stage for
possibly the most iconic moment
724
00:30:51,892 --> 00:30:54,579
in late-night TV history.
725
00:30:54,603 --> 00:30:56,664
-So many people
in the presidential race,
726
00:30:56,688 --> 00:30:58,750
"Who's Bill Clinton?"
727
00:30:58,774 --> 00:31:00,334
-Before this episode,
728
00:31:00,358 --> 00:31:03,087
Bill Clinton was probably third
in the running.
729
00:31:03,111 --> 00:31:05,757
After this episode,
he shot up completely.
730
00:31:05,781 --> 00:31:09,802
-Him being comfortable enough
to put on the sunglasses,
731
00:31:09,826 --> 00:31:12,346
getting one of Arsenio's ties,
putting it on,
732
00:31:12,370 --> 00:31:14,140
and playing the sax...
733
00:31:14,164 --> 00:31:16,350
-That was unheard of.
734
00:31:16,374 --> 00:31:18,311
-We're coming out
of the Reagan era.
735
00:31:18,335 --> 00:31:22,023
{\an8}♪♪
736
00:31:22,047 --> 00:31:25,359
He was reaching out
to the MTV generation heavy,
737
00:31:25,383 --> 00:31:27,695
and I think
it really made a difference.
738
00:31:27,719 --> 00:31:29,113
-You know, Bill Clinton's like,
739
00:31:29,137 --> 00:31:30,823
{\an8}[as Bill Clinton]
"Hey, Arsenio. Alright."
740
00:31:30,847 --> 00:31:34,327
{\an8}[ Chuckles ] "Gonna get
these Black voters."
741
00:31:34,351 --> 00:31:37,497
[ Cheers and applause ]
- What do we do about the gangs,
742
00:31:37,521 --> 00:31:39,207
and what do we do about the
violence in our inner cities,
743
00:31:39,231 --> 00:31:40,666
the Black on Black crime?
744
00:31:40,690 --> 00:31:42,001
-Long-running joke
was Bill Clinton
745
00:31:42,025 --> 00:31:43,669
was, like,
the first Black president.
746
00:31:43,693 --> 00:31:45,296
Everyone always kind of makes
that joke around that.
747
00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:46,547
And it's because he was the one
748
00:31:46,571 --> 00:31:48,257
that talked directly
to Black culture
749
00:31:48,281 --> 00:31:50,468
in a way that you hadn't seen
any other president do.
750
00:31:50,492 --> 00:31:52,512
-Why would you vote for Clinton?
751
00:31:52,536 --> 00:31:54,555
-Well, it seemed like
he got more going
752
00:31:54,579 --> 00:31:55,807
than the rest of them.
753
00:31:55,831 --> 00:31:57,725
-There's no question
that this ticket
754
00:31:57,749 --> 00:32:02,397
is going to get the overwhelming
majority of the Black vote.
755
00:32:02,421 --> 00:32:04,565
-Politics, film, music...
756
00:32:04,589 --> 00:32:07,902
Arsenio is the kingmaker
with the golden touch,
757
00:32:07,926 --> 00:32:11,280
perhaps due to one famously
long finger.
758
00:32:11,304 --> 00:32:14,367
He'd go over and take that very
long "E.T." -type finger
759
00:32:14,391 --> 00:32:16,410
and tap Michael Wolff.
760
00:32:16,434 --> 00:32:18,621
-Keenen Ivory Wayans
on "In Living Color"
761
00:32:18,645 --> 00:32:20,248
would do a parody of it.
762
00:32:20,272 --> 00:32:21,582
-You've ruined my career!
763
00:32:21,606 --> 00:32:24,419
-Strive to be
the best you can be.
764
00:32:24,443 --> 00:32:25,795
Michael Wolff, take us home
765
00:32:25,819 --> 00:32:28,756
with some of that nasty,
booger-nose funk.
766
00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:31,259
{\an8}-Sometimes guests
would want to do it,
767
00:32:31,283 --> 00:32:33,553
{\an8}because it was his thing.
768
00:32:33,577 --> 00:32:35,930
Imitation is the highest form
of flattery.
769
00:32:35,954 --> 00:32:38,099
-Johnny Carson might disagree
770
00:32:38,123 --> 00:32:40,518
after seeing
a "Saturday Night Live"
771
00:32:40,542 --> 00:32:42,103
Johnny/Arsenio mash-up.
772
00:32:42,127 --> 00:32:45,189
-It's Carsenio!
773
00:32:45,213 --> 00:32:47,316
[ Audience cheering ]
774
00:32:47,340 --> 00:32:49,652
-The "SNL" clip "Carsenio"
775
00:32:49,676 --> 00:32:52,738
{\an8}still is a very important clip
in popular culture.
776
00:32:52,762 --> 00:32:54,991
-Yes! Alright!
777
00:32:55,015 --> 00:32:57,118
- "SNL" is making that clear
through comedy
778
00:32:57,142 --> 00:33:01,998
that Carson
is a kind of an old way.
779
00:33:02,022 --> 00:33:03,875
-You just do this.
You go, "Whoop, whoop, whoop."
780
00:33:03,899 --> 00:33:05,585
- Whoop, whoop, whoop!
- Whoop, whoop, whoop!
781
00:33:05,609 --> 00:33:06,794
-And they, uh... they go crazy.
782
00:33:06,818 --> 00:33:08,629
It's just wild, weird stuff.
783
00:33:08,653 --> 00:33:11,465
-You are correct, sir. Yes.
784
00:33:11,489 --> 00:33:13,968
-The sketch's suggestion
that Carson is a has-been
785
00:33:13,992 --> 00:33:15,928
is particularly insulting
to Johnny
786
00:33:15,952 --> 00:33:18,848
coming from a show on NBC,
his same network.
787
00:33:18,872 --> 00:33:21,559
-Welcome, oh, sage.
788
00:33:21,583 --> 00:33:24,103
-And it reveals
an uncomfortable reality.
789
00:33:24,127 --> 00:33:26,272
-Are you finished?
790
00:33:26,296 --> 00:33:29,192
-Four days after the sketch
airs, Carson announces
791
00:33:29,216 --> 00:33:31,569
he's the one finished
with "The Tonight Show."
792
00:33:31,593 --> 00:33:33,863
The news will spark one
of the most contentious battles
793
00:33:33,887 --> 00:33:36,389
in the history
of broadcast television.
794
00:33:41,561 --> 00:33:42,955
In the spring of 1991,
795
00:33:42,979 --> 00:33:44,373
"The Arsenio Hall Show"
was on the rise
796
00:33:44,397 --> 00:33:46,459
{\an8}when the news
of Carson's retirement
797
00:33:46,483 --> 00:33:49,504
{\an8}shifts the tension,
then sparks controversy
798
00:33:49,528 --> 00:33:52,006
over who will take over
"The Tonight Show."
799
00:33:52,030 --> 00:33:55,009
-You can't talk about, you know,
the '90s and late-night talk
800
00:33:55,033 --> 00:33:57,136
without talking about
the late-night wars.
801
00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:00,181
The battle centers
on who will replace Johnny
802
00:34:00,205 --> 00:34:01,682
on "The Tonight Show"...
803
00:34:01,706 --> 00:34:05,478
Host of his own talk show
on NBC David Letterman
804
00:34:05,502 --> 00:34:08,397
or Johnny's regular
stand-in host, Jay Leno.
805
00:34:08,421 --> 00:34:10,816
-Meanwhile,
we're just toiling away.
806
00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:12,860
[ Audience cheering ]
807
00:34:12,884 --> 00:34:14,278
-Publicists were like,
"You know what?
808
00:34:14,302 --> 00:34:15,905
{\an8}Nobody knows
what's going on over there.
809
00:34:15,929 --> 00:34:18,157
{\an8}Do Arsenio, do Arsenio,
do Arsenio.
810
00:34:18,181 --> 00:34:19,367
{\an8}He's getting numbers.
It's fun."
811
00:34:19,391 --> 00:34:20,701
He's attracting
a different demo.
812
00:34:20,725 --> 00:34:22,578
Who knows what's
gonna happen over here?
813
00:34:22,602 --> 00:34:25,164
-What's happening is an
increasingly contentious battle
814
00:34:25,188 --> 00:34:26,749
for "The Tonight Show."
815
00:34:26,773 --> 00:34:28,084
-You're gonna be staying out
here long or just...
816
00:34:28,108 --> 00:34:29,377
-I'm leaving tonight.
I got to drop
817
00:34:29,401 --> 00:34:31,379
the audition tape off
over at CBS,
818
00:34:31,403 --> 00:34:33,047
and then I'm going.
[ Laughter ]
819
00:34:33,071 --> 00:34:35,758
-Throughout the 1980s,
Letterman's "Late Night" show
820
00:34:35,782 --> 00:34:38,761
directly follows Carson on NBC.
821
00:34:38,785 --> 00:34:42,723
{\an8}-And it was assumed
that when Johnny stepped down
822
00:34:42,747 --> 00:34:45,768
that Letterman
would have that spot.
823
00:34:45,792 --> 00:34:49,605
And then the whole face
of late night changed.
824
00:34:49,629 --> 00:34:53,734
-And now Jay Leno.
[ Cheers and applause ]
825
00:34:53,758 --> 00:34:57,780
-May 25, 1992, marks the
beginning of Jay Leno's run
826
00:34:57,804 --> 00:34:59,782
as host of "The Tonight Show."
827
00:34:59,806 --> 00:35:02,285
-We still don't know where the
candidates stand on the issues.
828
00:35:02,309 --> 00:35:03,703
I mean, all we know for sure
829
00:35:03,727 --> 00:35:05,204
is that Ross Perot
hasn't said anything,
830
00:35:05,228 --> 00:35:06,622
Bush hasn't done anything,
831
00:35:06,646 --> 00:35:07,999
and Clinton
hasn't inhaled anything.
832
00:35:08,023 --> 00:35:09,417
That's all we know.
833
00:35:09,441 --> 00:35:10,751
-Like much of Hollywood,
834
00:35:10,775 --> 00:35:13,129
Arsenio is unhappy
with the decision.
835
00:35:13,153 --> 00:35:16,590
He doesn't think Leno has earned
the job and speaks out publicly.
836
00:35:16,614 --> 00:35:20,594
-Arsenio gave an interview,
and on the cover it says,
837
00:35:20,618 --> 00:35:23,973
"I'm gonna whip Jay Leno's ass."
838
00:35:23,997 --> 00:35:26,517
A mistake.
You know, they had been friends.
839
00:35:26,541 --> 00:35:29,437
They had come up the same way
at the same time.
840
00:35:29,461 --> 00:35:31,022
And I think he felt that Jay
841
00:35:31,046 --> 00:35:33,941
was perhaps poaching
on his territory.
842
00:35:33,965 --> 00:35:37,111
-While Arsenio focuses
on battling Leno,
843
00:35:37,135 --> 00:35:38,446
David Letterman makes a move
844
00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:40,448
that will prove
to be a devastating blow
845
00:35:40,472 --> 00:35:42,950
to Arsenio's future
in late night.
846
00:35:42,974 --> 00:35:44,410
-Listen to this.
847
00:35:44,434 --> 00:35:46,871
Earlier today,
for the first time,
848
00:35:46,895 --> 00:35:50,750
NBC named me
Employee of the Month.
849
00:35:50,774 --> 00:35:52,835
[ Cheers and applause ]
850
00:35:52,859 --> 00:35:55,463
{\an8}-Dave Letterman,
in his great angst and anger
851
00:35:55,487 --> 00:35:57,089
{\an8}that he was passed over
for the job,
852
00:35:57,113 --> 00:35:58,299
{\an8}goes to CBS.
853
00:35:58,323 --> 00:36:01,761
-They wanted a hit show
at 11:30,
854
00:36:01,785 --> 00:36:03,971
and they got one with Letterman.
855
00:36:03,995 --> 00:36:06,182
-The move to CBS
means more money for Letterman
856
00:36:06,206 --> 00:36:09,518
and less television stations
for Arsenio.
857
00:36:09,542 --> 00:36:11,479
-With Arsenio being syndicated,
858
00:36:11,503 --> 00:36:13,105
some of the people
who were picking him up
859
00:36:13,129 --> 00:36:14,357
and putting him
against "The Tonight Show"
860
00:36:14,381 --> 00:36:17,318
were CBS affiliates.
861
00:36:17,342 --> 00:36:19,070
When it's a choice
between Letterman,
862
00:36:19,094 --> 00:36:22,073
who is a very well-established
brand,
863
00:36:22,097 --> 00:36:26,327
and Arsenio,
they chose Letterman.
864
00:36:26,351 --> 00:36:28,329
-Not wanting to be left behind,
865
00:36:28,353 --> 00:36:31,749
Fox decides to produce
its own late night program.
866
00:36:31,773 --> 00:36:33,626
-Chevy Chase
is getting his act together
867
00:36:33,650 --> 00:36:35,836
at the new Chevy Chase Theater.
868
00:36:35,860 --> 00:36:37,671
-Chevy is the man!
869
00:36:37,695 --> 00:36:39,340
-To make room for Chevy,
870
00:36:39,364 --> 00:36:43,427
Arsenio's syndicated show
is pushed to late, late night.
871
00:36:43,451 --> 00:36:46,097
-Now you have these competing
late-night shows
872
00:36:46,121 --> 00:36:47,515
who are all vying
not for the same audience,
873
00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:49,183
but for the same talent.
874
00:36:49,207 --> 00:36:53,938
{\an8}-By then, because of Arsenio,
some of these other shows
875
00:36:53,962 --> 00:36:58,401
{\an8}we're starting to book hip-hop
artists and artists of color.
876
00:36:58,425 --> 00:37:00,361
-Please welcome Public Enemy.
877
00:37:00,385 --> 00:37:02,446
- ♪ Yeah, boy ♪
- What's up, New York?
878
00:37:02,470 --> 00:37:04,448
-And I'm real happy
for the memories.
879
00:37:04,472 --> 00:37:06,867
-We're gonna do this for Dave.
880
00:37:06,891 --> 00:37:08,619
-With ratings in free fall,
881
00:37:08,643 --> 00:37:12,373
the grind of a nightly show
begins to wear Arsenio down.
882
00:37:12,397 --> 00:37:17,378
-After three years, Arsenio...
883
00:37:17,402 --> 00:37:19,046
was tired.
884
00:37:19,070 --> 00:37:20,840
When for the third
or fourth time,
885
00:37:20,864 --> 00:37:22,675
you're going to interview
Brooke Shields,
886
00:37:22,699 --> 00:37:27,179
I can't blame you
if your mind goes on automatic.
887
00:37:27,203 --> 00:37:32,309
- Let's talk about...
- Do your best. [ Laughs ]
888
00:37:32,333 --> 00:37:33,769
-What should we talk about?
889
00:37:33,793 --> 00:37:37,064
-You could just see the eyes
glazing over.
890
00:37:37,088 --> 00:37:41,277
What was on the air
was not great.
891
00:37:41,301 --> 00:37:44,363
-Perhaps with an eye to
revitalize the struggling show,
892
00:37:44,387 --> 00:37:46,031
Arsenio decides to have on
893
00:37:46,055 --> 00:37:49,743
one of the most controversial
figures of the 1990s.
894
00:37:49,767 --> 00:37:53,372
I got called down
to Arsenio's office.
895
00:37:53,396 --> 00:37:54,915
There's Arsenio.
896
00:37:54,939 --> 00:37:57,209
And he says to me,
"Bill, I've got great news."
897
00:37:57,233 --> 00:38:00,254
{\an8}♪♪
898
00:38:00,278 --> 00:38:03,674
"I booked
Minister Louis Farrakhan."
899
00:38:03,698 --> 00:38:06,051
I looked at him, and I said,
900
00:38:06,075 --> 00:38:08,929
"Every Jew in Hollywood
is gonna hate your guts."
901
00:38:08,953 --> 00:38:12,892
-He says, "Then he'll expose
the real corruption in America."
902
00:38:12,916 --> 00:38:14,393
-Of how many senators
903
00:38:14,417 --> 00:38:17,855
are honorary members
of the Israeli Knesset!
904
00:38:17,879 --> 00:38:21,883
-"It's a huge mistake.
Don't do that."
905
00:38:26,429 --> 00:38:29,074
-In early 1994,
with his ratings down 24%
906
00:38:29,098 --> 00:38:31,702
amidst a crowded
late-night landscape,
907
00:38:31,726 --> 00:38:33,496
Arsenio writes a letter
to Paramount,
908
00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,665
informing them that this
will be his last season.
909
00:38:36,689 --> 00:38:38,584
It's assumed
that the sinking ratings
910
00:38:38,608 --> 00:38:40,669
are why Arsenio ends the show,
911
00:38:40,693 --> 00:38:42,922
but that's only part
of the story.
912
00:38:42,946 --> 00:38:45,049
And it takes 18 years
for Arsenio
913
00:38:45,073 --> 00:38:48,093
to finally reveal
his true motivation.
914
00:38:48,117 --> 00:38:53,307
-There is a point where you say,
"I can't please anybody."
915
00:38:53,331 --> 00:38:55,142
Spike Lee
saying I'm an Uncle Tom,
916
00:38:55,166 --> 00:38:57,228
and white people saying
I'm too Black.
917
00:38:57,252 --> 00:38:59,063
Who am I doing this for?
- Yeah.
918
00:38:59,087 --> 00:39:01,190
So there's a point where...
- Of trying to please everybody.
919
00:39:01,214 --> 00:39:02,942
-Not being able
to please anyone.
920
00:39:02,966 --> 00:39:05,778
-He probably could have eked
a little bit more out of it
921
00:39:05,802 --> 00:39:07,196
had he wanted to fight,
922
00:39:07,220 --> 00:39:09,490
but it would have been
really sad, right?
923
00:39:09,514 --> 00:39:11,825
So he was gonna end it
how he wanted to end it.
924
00:39:11,849 --> 00:39:14,036
-And how he wanted it to end
925
00:39:14,060 --> 00:39:17,039
was by booking Louis Farrakhan
on the show.
926
00:39:17,063 --> 00:39:19,667
-Arsenio Hall is assaulting
the Jewish community.
927
00:39:19,691 --> 00:39:21,126
-Louis Farrakhan...
928
00:39:21,150 --> 00:39:24,004
Recently, his aide,
Khalid Abdul Muhammad,
929
00:39:24,028 --> 00:39:25,405
called Jewish people...
930
00:39:28,116 --> 00:39:31,845
-To say that Farrakhan
is a racist is to put it mildly.
931
00:39:31,869 --> 00:39:37,017
-Louis Farrakhan...
He is controversial.
932
00:39:37,041 --> 00:39:40,229
He often says things
that are misogynistic,
933
00:39:40,253 --> 00:39:43,566
that can be anti-Semitic,
sexist.
934
00:39:43,590 --> 00:39:45,985
- Thank you.
- You name it, right?
935
00:39:46,009 --> 00:39:50,865
-It was definitely a shock
to television history
936
00:39:50,889 --> 00:39:53,576
having Louis Farrakhan
on television.
937
00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:55,995
That fell right in line with
what Arsenio has always done.
938
00:39:56,019 --> 00:39:57,538
It's just the individual
939
00:39:57,562 --> 00:40:01,041
happening to be
a bit more disliked than most.
940
00:40:01,065 --> 00:40:02,084
-Agree with necessarily
everything he says,
941
00:40:02,108 --> 00:40:03,836
but he is a Black man,
942
00:40:03,860 --> 00:40:06,171
and he has done a lot of good
for a lot of Black people.
943
00:40:06,195 --> 00:40:07,965
And if they don't like it,
the hell with it.
944
00:40:07,989 --> 00:40:10,801
-The thing about
the Nation of Islam, though,
945
00:40:10,825 --> 00:40:13,137
especially in the early '90s,
946
00:40:13,161 --> 00:40:17,141
is they offered education,
they offered food programs.
947
00:40:17,165 --> 00:40:20,894
And honestly, you'd be
hard-pressed to find someone
948
00:40:20,918 --> 00:40:22,563
who was of age during that time
949
00:40:22,587 --> 00:40:24,732
who can't speak to
a family member
950
00:40:24,756 --> 00:40:27,568
or them themselves
who went through a period
951
00:40:27,592 --> 00:40:33,032
of following Farrakhan
or at least listening.
952
00:40:33,056 --> 00:40:35,117
-But for one of
Arsenio's producers,
953
00:40:35,141 --> 00:40:37,077
having Farrakhan on the show
954
00:40:37,101 --> 00:40:40,080
was a professional do-or-die
decision.
955
00:40:40,104 --> 00:40:44,543
-I said,
"Not only will I not produce it,
956
00:40:44,567 --> 00:40:48,088
I can't be a part
of not only that show,
957
00:40:48,112 --> 00:40:52,635
then I can't be part
of this show if you do it."
958
00:40:52,659 --> 00:40:56,263
He said, "No. I'm going to do
Minister Louis Farrakhan."
959
00:40:56,287 --> 00:40:59,558
Literally went upstairs,
got on the phone,
960
00:40:59,582 --> 00:41:01,352
and started talking
to my friends in the industry,
961
00:41:01,376 --> 00:41:04,063
said,
"This train is gonna crash.
962
00:41:04,087 --> 00:41:07,191
I got to get another gig.
Help me."
963
00:41:07,215 --> 00:41:12,363
And that is how I got to be
the co-producer
964
00:41:12,387 --> 00:41:14,657
on "The Tonight Show"
with Jay Leno.
965
00:41:14,681 --> 00:41:18,285
-Everybody talks about how
you beat up on the white man,
966
00:41:18,309 --> 00:41:22,915
but you beat up on us more
than you beat up on anybody.
967
00:41:22,939 --> 00:41:25,626
-To rebuke a person,
968
00:41:25,650 --> 00:41:28,879
to admonish
or to correct the sins
969
00:41:28,903 --> 00:41:32,466
does not mean hate them.
970
00:41:32,490 --> 00:41:34,510
When someone will correct you,
971
00:41:34,534 --> 00:41:38,806
that is the greatest sign
of their love for you.
972
00:41:38,830 --> 00:41:41,475
-Arsenio gives Farrakhan
the entire TV hour
973
00:41:41,499 --> 00:41:44,144
and neglects to challenge
the Nation of Islam leader
974
00:41:44,168 --> 00:41:46,814
on any of his more
controversial statements.
975
00:41:46,838 --> 00:41:48,190
-That was probably
the biggest thing
976
00:41:48,214 --> 00:41:49,942
he was criticized for, for sure,
977
00:41:49,966 --> 00:41:52,778
folks saying that he was too
casual in conversation with him,
978
00:41:52,802 --> 00:41:55,447
he didn't ask the hard questions
for him.
979
00:41:55,471 --> 00:41:56,699
Arsenio's the type of person
980
00:41:56,723 --> 00:41:58,200
that always asks
the hard questions,
981
00:41:58,224 --> 00:41:59,410
and in this case,
I'll kind of agree he didn't.
982
00:41:59,434 --> 00:42:01,870
-Afterwards,
983
00:42:01,894 --> 00:42:04,540
it was like
someone had farted in the room.
984
00:42:04,564 --> 00:42:06,733
You just don't discuss it.
985
00:42:08,109 --> 00:42:12,005
-On April 18, two months after
the Farrakhan episode airs,
986
00:42:12,029 --> 00:42:13,882
Arsenio Hall publicly announces
987
00:42:13,906 --> 00:42:16,635
he's not going to continue
the show.
988
00:42:16,659 --> 00:42:18,387
-Yo!
Yo Yo is in the house.
989
00:42:18,411 --> 00:42:20,848
{\an8}-What follows is one of
the most star-studded send-offs
990
00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:22,433
{\an8}in late-night history.
991
00:42:22,457 --> 00:42:25,018
{\an8}The climax is during Arsenio's
last week on air,
992
00:42:25,042 --> 00:42:26,478
{\an8}with a segment produced
993
00:42:26,502 --> 00:42:29,314
{\an8}by the matriarch of hip-hop,
Queen Latifah.
994
00:42:29,338 --> 00:42:31,942
-♪ Yes, KRS, Arsenio,
you are the better man ♪
995
00:42:31,966 --> 00:42:34,737
♪ We could never, ever check
David Letterman ♪
996
00:42:34,761 --> 00:42:37,114
♪ So we comin' in the place
right now ♪
997
00:42:37,138 --> 00:42:39,491
♪ Yo, Mad Lion, show 'em how ♪
998
00:42:39,515 --> 00:42:43,746
-♪ Arsenio,
there's no need to worry ♪
999
00:42:43,770 --> 00:42:46,540
[ Audience cheering ]
1000
00:42:46,564 --> 00:42:51,044
-On April 27, 1994,
Arsenio does his last fist-pump
1001
00:42:51,068 --> 00:42:53,547
as host
of "The Arsenio Hall Show."
1002
00:42:53,571 --> 00:42:58,552
-We felt like he left proudly,
but we were still upset.
1003
00:42:58,576 --> 00:43:00,512
You know,
we were losing Arsenio,
1004
00:43:00,536 --> 00:43:05,684
and we were not getting
a comparable replacement.
1005
00:43:05,708 --> 00:43:07,019
{\an8}- "Jimmy Kimmel Live."
1006
00:43:07,043 --> 00:43:09,229
{\an8}-Late night went again
to be a space
1007
00:43:09,253 --> 00:43:12,441
{\an8}for white men to control
our late night.
1008
00:43:12,465 --> 00:43:17,404
{\an8}-The attempts to establish
Black hosts on late night...
1009
00:43:17,428 --> 00:43:19,031
And there have been several.
1010
00:43:19,055 --> 00:43:23,494
They just have not panned out,
for whatever reason.
1011
00:43:23,518 --> 00:43:26,914
-In 2022,
audiences get a brief look
1012
00:43:26,938 --> 00:43:29,899
at what they've been missing.
1013
00:43:37,698 --> 00:43:42,387
-I just don't think
that it's been until recently
1014
00:43:42,411 --> 00:43:45,307
{\an8}that people have really
looked back and said,
1015
00:43:45,331 --> 00:43:48,519
{\an8}"Oh, there was something
to that..."
1016
00:43:48,543 --> 00:43:51,188
{\an8}a zeitgeist moment, you know,
1017
00:43:51,212 --> 00:43:52,606
{\an8}that I think
only could have happened,
1018
00:43:52,630 --> 00:43:55,400
{\an8}like, in that space and time.
1019
00:43:55,424 --> 00:43:57,236
{\an8}-It was an entertainment show,
1020
00:43:57,260 --> 00:43:59,363
{\an8}and it entertained
a lot of people
1021
00:43:59,387 --> 00:44:01,698
{\an8}for 5 1/2 years.
1022
00:44:01,722 --> 00:44:03,432
{\an8}-Man, he had a hell of a run.