THE STENCH OVER DENCH

Okay, I'm supposed to be all about the fictional reality of Toobworld; I should leave the stuff that happens on talk shows to others more capable of dealing with it. But I can't help it.

I also like to run with scissors.

According to Harvey Weinstein, who produced "Mrs. Henderson Presents", Dame Judi Dench was snubbed by three big morning shows when she was promoting the movie for which she's been nominated for an Oscar. And why? Allegedly because of her age. Weinstein claims 'Good Morning, America', 'Today', and 'The View' all refused to have her on the show because, at 71, she didn't fit their target demographics.

I don't think he has much of a case against 'The View'; not when that show's High Priestess is a walking blipvert for Depends.

But at least with 'Today', I think he's got a point. However, Lauren Kapp, a spokeswoman for the 'Today' show, saidd: "We've been honored to have Dame Judi Dench as a guest countless times over the years. In this case we weren't able to offer coverage of her new movie. We look forward to seeing her again on 'Today' soon."

They couldn't find room to give her movie one measly segment to plug it, and yet when 'The Producers' came out, - and which got less than stellar reviews, - 'Today' was able to do segments on the movie for at least three consecutive days just before Christmas.

The only upside to that is that Nathan Lane cut Katie Couric down to size for being so artificially maudlin and fawning on the Friday morning when he appeared. (I won't say he ripped her a new one - the last thing we need is a split-screen of her getting two colonoscopies at the same time!)

You could tell she was being manipulative in order to eke out some pathos regarding Mel Brooks and the loss of his wife, Anne Bancroft. But with her attempt to tug at the heart-strings at the end of the interview, Homey wasn't going to play dat game.

Hey! I said "Homey"!

She said something about how nice it was that with this movie, Mel Brooks would have something he could hold in his hand at the end of the day. Lane screwed up his face and said to the effect of: "Hold in his hand at the end of the day? What have you been drinking? Don't you get enough sleep at night?"

Gaaah. God help CBS if they hire her to be the anchor for their nightly news!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

PS:
Full disclosure - After opening night for a Broadway play Dame Judi was doing right across the street from where I work, some of her friends passed through our lobby to give us the leftover custard tarts from the backstage party. "Courtesy of Dame Judi", we were told.

But this is NOT a case of tit for tart.