Morning shows switch places
Morning shows on
ABC, CBS and NBC thrive by fostering a sense that their personalities are a chummy family. Now, due to coronavirus restrictions, those family members are on-screen in dislocated boxes, and invite viewers into their homes instead of vice versa.
“CBS This Morning” was first evicted from its New York studio on
March 12 after someone in the building came down with the coronavirus. Because past health issues compromised Robin Roberts’ immune system, her doctor ordered ABC’s “Good Morning America” anchor out of New York. A cold first forced the “Today” show’s Savannah Guthrie into a basement in upstate New York.
Roberts said she senses viewers looking over her shoulder at pictures in the background of the daily camera shot from her Connecticut home, trying to figure out who they are.
“We’re opening up our homes,” she said. “We’re being very vulnerable in sharing so much of ourselves, and people that are at home and missing their colleagues, they’re doing the same thing. It’s very relatable.”
NBC’s Al Roker, delivering weather forecasts from his kitchen with his backyard in view, has one of the more interesting backdrops. So is the knickknack filled dining room where CBS’ Anthony Mason sits, dominated by a large painting of the Piazza San Marco in Venice.
Passover benefit event online:
The coronavirus won’t stop a lot of Hollywood, TV and Broadway stars from celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover.
Jason Alexander, Rachel Brosnahan, Andy Cohen, Fran Drescher, Billy Eichner, Harvey Fierstein, Josh Groban, Judith Light, Idina Menzel, Debra Messing and Ben Platt are among those who will join a
April 11 streaming event.
The Passover Seder begins at 8 p.m. Eastern and will be streamed on www.SaturdayNightSeder. com and Tasty’s YouTube channel. It is free but will try to raise money for COVID-19 first responders.
‘Full House,’ Broadway producer Miller dies:
Thomas L. Miller, who produced a string of hit TV comedies including “Full House” and “Perfect Strangers” before beginning a new chapter as a Broadway producer, has died. He was 79.
Miller died Sunday in Salisbury, Connecticut, from complications of heart disease, a spokeswoman for Miller’s family said Wednesday.
Miller worked at 20th Century Fox and Paramount Studios, where he developed “The Odd Couple” and “Love, American Style.” He and his early business partner, Edward K. Milkis, worked with Garry Marshall on sitcoms, including “Happy Days,” “Laverne & Shirley” and “Mork and Mindy.”
April 10 birthdays:
Sportscaster John Madden is 84. Actor Steven Seagal is 68. Actor Peter MacNicol is 66. Singer-producer Babyface is 62. Musician Brian Setzer is 61. Comedian Orlando Jones is 52. Singer Shemekia Copeland is 41. Actress Laura Bell Bundy is 39. Actress Chyler Leigh is 38. Singer-actress Mandy Moore is 36. Actress Daisy Ridley is 28. Actress Sofia Carson is 27.