"The Arsenio Hall Show" (1989) TV series 1989-1994

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Directors:

Sandra Fullerton
Scott Schaefer

Writers:

J. Anthony Brown (writer)
Paul Clay (writer)

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

3 January 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Talk-Show

Plot:

Arsenio Hall hosts this hip, late-night talk show.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Non Fiction | Character Name In Title

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Arsenio Hall

...

Himself - Host (94 episodes, 1989-1994)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Stage 29, Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Arsenio Hall Communications

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Behind the Music: M.C. Hammer (#1.2)" (1997)

Woof! Woof! Woof!

I have to agree with everyone else that the first two years (1989 & 1990) were Arsenio's prime years. I used to watch it when I was younger and got a huge kick out of it. I actually have many of the wrestling interviews on tape he did (The ones with Ted DiBiase and Bobby Heenan stick out in my mind). But of course there was the constant brownnosing on the guests. Arsenio had a great interview technique, he just did too much kissing up. It's a bad habit that has followed him into other shows. It only appealed to a certain populi of the United States (Older people watched Carson, college kids watched Dave, people in the know watched Nightline, etc.). Then came 1992 when New Jack Swing was dying down and grunge was being to take form. Jay Leno took over The Tonight Show and made it hipper (and of course you had his agent, Helen Kushnick underbooking Arsenio's guests). Times were just changing and people started to forget about Arsenio.

There were a couple of positives that stood out though. His house band was really kickin'. He would always center certain members of the band out (There was Michael Wolfe of course, You had the "John B. Williams Poetry Moment", and Starr Parodi's one woman band jams). He was funny some of the time. And there is also the fact that a syndicated talk show went as long it did without network backing. But it was only a matter of time when the show got the death knell.