Rural funky things like Seventh Son and Memphis and Mountain of Love and things like that.
So it was a gamble and it was a big departure from what we had done.
And the record company was real skeptical.
They were going, this is the end of your career, you know, you put this ballad out.
His record company's fears were not unfounded.
Rivers fans probably were expecting another Oldie.
All the more reason he wanted to surprise them with this ballad, complete with a lush string section.
We recorded it and it sounded good to us.
I mean, it was really a neat sound.
There was no doubt about that.
Lou Adler and I, you know, were working on the records together at the time.
Just thought it was worth a shot.
Despite its big sound, recording poor side was surprisingly easy.
Two takes.
We didn't do a lot of takes on any of our stuff.
Mostly because I did it all so much from playing every night at the whiskey and being on the road a lot.
By the time we got to the studio, we had it totally down.
Rivers' gamble paid off.
Poor Side of Town became his first and only number one single.
Donnie Rivers is probably one of the most talented guys in rock and roll.
Poor Side of Town, there's something special about that song.
It's just great.
It's just about, I think every one of us, wherever we've been, has had a girl who's dropped us
because she saw the grass was greener on the other side and then came back because she knew where it was really at.
Rivers went on to win Grammys, had his own record label, and released nine albums all by the time he was 25.
But for this boy wonder, Poor Side of Town will always be just a little bit special.
It was different, you know, and we just wanted to try something totally left field.
And it worked, you know.
He had a big hit with that.
You know, I just heard that this morning on the radio coming into work.
Did you?
Honest.
And you said, he's on.
I said, he's on.
We're doing a story about Johnny.
You know, he's also known in the music world for really helping to develop other artists.
Among his discoveries, Jimmy Webb and the Fifth Dimension.
Wow.
By the way, Rivers is going to have a brand new single out in a couple of months.
And when we come back, Arsenio Hall takes us on a wild night's fun.
You can do it.
[♪jazz music playing -♪"]
Hello, Ghostbusters.
Monday night, they're here to save the world in the comedy sensation, Ghostbusters.
Well, there's something you don't see every day.
Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Sigourney Weaver star in the blockbuster comedy.
I think we better split up.
Good idea.
Yeah, we can do more damage that way.
Featuring the title song by Ray Parker, Jr.
Okay, whatever happens, let's be professional.
Ghostbusters, 8.30 Monday night on TVO.
You've seen the Super Roller Ruler in action, drawing horizontal and vertical parallel lines, squares, and rectangles with ease.
You've seen it used as a protractor, as a compass.
But you must phone now for the special two for the price of one introductory offer. Phone 222-992-66 with your credit card now, and get not one, but two Super Roller Rulers for just $19.95.
222-992-66. Phone now.
Some air conditioners make a lot of noise trying to keep you cool.
Others can burn up all your money in running costs, and some only stir the hot, stale air around and around.
But there is a much healthier alternative, the Solar Heart Natural Cooling System, formerly Cardiff Air.
It keeps every room cool by replacing the hot, stale air inside your home with a cool, naturally circulated breeze from outside.
To beat the heat, the Solar Heart Natural Cooling System is quiet, economical, natural.
Stay cool and save on expensive running costs. Call Solar Heart now for your no-obligation, free demonstration.
Bookwell's half-price or less stock-take sale catalogue is out now with fantastic bargains for everyone.
For the gardener, Alan sells gardening books at a must at this incredible price of $4 for $4 or $1.50 each.
For the children, Rupert's Adventure, many titles to choose from at $3 for $2.
And for the cook, these mix-and-match microwave books at terrific value were $9.95, now $4.95 each.
Don't miss these and many more specials at Bookwell's half-price or less stock-take sale.
What are the Hot Tickets?
On TV next weekend, the Hot Ticket is hostage, starring Carol Burnett and her daughter, Carrie Hamilton.
Hamilton plays a fugitive from prison and Burnett plays her captive.
In the CBS movie, they change from enemies to allies.
One really hot ticket coming up in music is Terrence Trent Darby.
Even though his first tour of this country won't begin until March, he already has a dedicated following and a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist.
Not bad for an ex-patriot who's ready to come home in style.
But what is his style? Nina Blackwood posed the question herself.
I'm not a calculating person. I mean, most of what happens, I say things that I feel.
I do say things that I know will be controversial, simply because the last thing I want to be is a boy next door.
Terrence Trent Darby has been described as arrogant, rebellious, irreverent, and according to some critics, on the verge of superstardom.
What is the image of Terrence Trent Darby like the real person?
This is really what I am. I'm more concerned at the moment with trying to be an artist than a rock star or something like that.
Though it's fun sometimes to put on that jacket and, okay, now I'm a pop star or something.
That can be fun at times, but it can be extremely limiting and superficial, so I don't try to spend too much time playing that role.
Darby was born in New York City, but now lives in London.
Do you know that when I moved there, I felt more comfortable there than I did here for whatever reasons. It just attracted me to stay.
He was a champion amateur boxer in the U.S. Army before he decided to march to his own tune.
He went AWOL and was kicked out of military service. That's when he decided to turn his full attention to music.
I want what I do to express the full range of what I feel and what I reckon other people will feel.
Even though he's never had a top ten pop hit in America, he's been nominated for a Grammy as Best New Artist. Is he impressed with that nomination? Hardly.
I'll try to wear clean underwear in case I get hit by a truck on the way going out and my mother won't have been too disappointed in the way she raised me.
And I'll try to be sober and I'll try to behave myself, but maybe I won't.
Sounds like a tough order for him. I mean, you know, behave himself is not something that he seems to do a lot.
He's happening, Lisa. He is. Mark, someone's words. He is happening.
A hot ticket on both TV and in the movies. Arsenio Hall, after his triumph as the most successful host of Fox Broadcasting's The Late Show,
he signed a multi-million dollar film deal with his pal Eddie Murphy. And now, even while working on a film project, his late shows are being rerun.
So what better person for Clint Holmes to paint the town with?
You know, there are certain nights in a man's life that will live forever, and I think tonight's going to be one of those nights in my life.
Arsenio Hall, my friend, asked me to meet him here, and he's going to take me on a trip through L.A., Arsenio Hall's L.A.
I mean, it's got to be exciting. It's got to be glamorous. He's the hottest guy. Oh, here he comes. Arsenio, hey, man.
How's it going, man?
Am I overdressed, man?
Well, if I said yes, do you have another suit in the car?
No, do you?
No. So I guess you've got to go with it.
No, I'm fine.
You're fine, man.
I'm headlining tonight.
Here?
Yes. First time ever headlining.
I'm ready.
Okay, man.
I'm going to show you Arsenio's L.A. like you've never seen it before.
All right, man.
Great.
When I first came out here, I used to work at a movie theater. I had that job that, I mean, everybody's familiar with this guy,
the guy that comes in early in the morning and mops down the theater with Pepsi and butter.
Something's missing, Arsenio. I don't know, man. Like an audience. Arsenio, I don't know, I was expecting a little more action than this.
I mean, Arsenio's L.A.
You want action?
Yeah.
I'll give you action.
Yeah, man, I play ball here. I love them, they love me. We have some good times, we really do.
All right, man.
Yo, fellas! Yo, yo! Yo, fellas! What's up? Ha ha! What's happening?
This is Clint Holmes, my friend Clint Holmes. This is Leroy, this is Joe and Harry and Rick.
Let's play some ball. Let's play. Let's show Clint how, remember that time I drove over you, I spun this way and I slammed.
Remember that time? Oh, man. I don't feel like playing.
Really?
I just want to say hello. Good to see y'all. Let's get out here. It's good to see y'all.
Yeah, great to meet you guys. Reggie, spoke to your mom and she said hello. Ha ha ha!
I am so hungry, man. I mean, where are we gonna eat?
We're gonna go to the best.
Espagos.
No.
No, no, no, no.
One of the great LA restaurants, right? I mean, something chic, you know, like La Dome.
No, no, no. Let's put it like this. Espagos and La Dome for the brothers.
Arsenio!
How you doing?
How are you? Good.
Clint Holmes?
Good. Clint Holmes here. Glad to meet you, babe.
Nice to meet you.
You got a place for two?
Best seat in the house.
Right on, man. Set me up, the works.
All right, you got it.
It's barbecue, Clint. Barbecue.
Oh, yeah, man.
Not barbecue, barbecue.
Barbecue.
Take your jacket off. Ha ha.
Roll up your sleeves.
Yes, indeed.
Arsenio, this has been one of the most exciting nights of my life. I mean, a comedy store,
basketball, talking to you about what is a very exciting time in your life, but I am
hungry. Can we eat?
Let me ask you a favor real quick.
Yeah.
You work for Entertainment This Week?
Yes, I do.
Can you get me a pair of Lisa Gibbons pumps like the high ones she wears, so I can sniff
them? No, I'm just kidding.
Bill, bring the food, man!
Ha ha. Hey, you notice I'm wearing boots tonight. Arsenio, those pumps, they're on the way
to you.
I love him.
This is the first in all the years we've been together.
I love him.
You know my advice, Lisa?
Yeah?
Lock your dressing room door.
Good idea. He's out.
Ha ha ha.
We're gonna be right back, everybody. Stay with us.
All right.
Eight thirty Thursday night in Crime Story.
This is Lieutenant Torello, MCU.
A cop fighting organized crime on the mean streets of Chicago.
Got an eyeball on Holman.
Great work. Where are you?
And the mob will try anything to take him in.
I could make you a Supreme Court candidate if I told you all I know.
I don't like it any more than you.
Murder and robbery aren't enough to hold him, then, right?
They're the new breed of steel-nerved shoot-first untouchables.
Crime Story, eight thirty Thursday on TVO.
The boys are on their way.
Rock and roll in North pollution.
Gary Vade, Egmont and FM-104 present ACDC in the greatest rock and roll show on Earth.
I was about to rock.
Fight!
ACDC World Tour 88 rocks the entertainment center for a second and final show on February 22.
Hurry, tickets on sale now.
Fight!
Morning.
Billy!
What's going on out there?
Nothing. Just screaming.
How'd they get his hair to do that thing?
It's a moose. It's a moose from Melmac. It's marketed, you know.
Being the mom to Alf, an Earth mother to an alien, has got to be an astronomical task.
Oh?
But don't you let Ann Chedine's middle-class television image fool you.
She opened up her private life to Gene Wolfe, and it is out of this world.
They say don't work with children, don't work with animals, but nobody could have warned you about working with this alien, unique, funny creature with that nose.
No. That's right.
Isn't there any kind of funny feelings ever about being totally upstaged by this creature?
No. I'm surprised to find myself working with an alien, but the first day that I met him, at my first audition for the part,
I shook his hand when I walked out of the room, and I said, it was lovely meeting you. I think you're going to be a major star.
And I was right.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Tell me how you feel about this.
Alf said, on her off hours, she's a garbage collector. Would that be a... is that a slur?
I have to tell you, there's some accuracy to that, Jeannie. It's kind of true.
He told me you have a great big Statue of Liberty in your backyard.
Oh, Jeannie, I do.
Want to see it?
I've heard of pink flamingos in the backyard, but this is my first time seeing a Statue of Liberty.
I've got 50 or 60 in the house.
50 more Statues of Liberty?
Yeah.
This I have to see.
You want to see them?
Yeah.
Okay.
See, this is kind of like a segment of lifestyles of the weird and strange, right?
Is this patriotism or madness?
This is probably madness.
Now, we have great big ones.
It's actually a lamp, and we have little teeny tiny ones.
And we have Statue of Liberty earrings.
Yeah.
And when we want to polish them, we, of course, have the Statue of Liberty towel.
I have a great little collection here of little tiny, little itty bitty things.
Little itty bitty brass animals, dogs, birds, dinosaurs, reindeers.
This is great.
I got this last Sunday at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, and it's from the Ziegfeld Follies.
May I ask where you're going to wear that?
Curtains.
Curtains, maybe.
And let me show you some things over here.
No wonder he knows all about you.
Oh, Alf, he's everywhere, isn't he?
Just right there for a little while.
Of course, we have the joke sunglasses.
And the baby collection.
I have a lot of cherubs.
Here's a good one, little guy.
And this painting.
I feel like I'm Jackie Kennedy at the White House.
Jack loves this painting.
I got it in a salvage yard.
Well, maybe the frame makes it look cheap.
I just can't get enough.
Well, I want to thank you very much for showing me your collections.
It's been a lot of fun seeing your things.
No, no, no, no, I haven't shown you everything.
There's the hat collection.
I have the wardrobe collection.
I have the antique furniture outdoors.
I have the costume jewelry collection I haven't shown you.
I have a fabulous corbel collection you wouldn't believe.
You know what?
I think I'm just going to have to take your word for it.
I just can't get enough.
All right, well, Michael, Garen is a New York-based cabaret performer who also is a collector.
Garen collects verbal darts and flings them liberally at politicians caught with a foot in their mouths or a hand in someone else's pocket.
Garen claims there's nothing funnier than the truth.
And in this presidential election year, his brand of truth qualifies him as one of our irreverent performers.
My apartment is for sale.
It went condo, condo, condo.
That's right, I can't make up my mind about Nicaragua.
I hate the Contras, I hate the Sandinistas, too.
I cannot figure out what the fight is all about, but I'll buy them drinks when both of them are through.
Garen has made a career of pointing out our idiosyncrasies.
His material is on the cutting edge.
Apparently, audiences have bitten.
All you have to do is look at what's happening and tell the truth.
And it's bound to get a laugh.
Un, dos, tres.
On the other hand, if the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee gets caught in a tidal basin with a stripper, I'm in the office.
I mean, I go to work at that point.
Can I have a C chord?
Can I have a poindexter?
And that work has paid off for the New York-based entertainer.
He had a brief but memorable part in the Anita Baker video about amateur night at Harlem's Apollo Theater.
Now, I want you to get together and give me a big Apollo welcome for our first artist who comes to us from downtown.
May I present Ziggy Cuddles.
You must take the A train.
Action.
He also has a featured role in the movie Love or Money.
Hello, Mrs. Konstantopoulos.
I was just explaining that we're projecting a lot of liquid for the forthcoming fiscal quarter.
But his first love remains satire.
Ladies and gentlemen, there is a dangerous precedent.
Fortunately, the polyps were benign.
You've got to have somebody out on the edge stretching the, you know, you've got to do stuff that other people won't do or can't do or shouldn't do.
Look at Bess Meyerson.
Bess Meyerson's in big trouble, folks.
If I have a good scandal, if I have something I can work with, if I have somebody who's rich, powerful, influential, and should know better,
and really just shoots themselves in the foot in a public way, I'm a happy guy.
Go to jail, Miss America.
Go to jail.
Bess, you is my inmate now.
You is yours.
However, there is also a serious side to Michael Garan.
My very existence is because of the fundraising efforts of a very famous American performer.
And so I decided I'd write a song about it, and I hope you enjoy it.
Eddie Cantor saved my mother.
Eddie Cantor saved her life.
Old banjo eyes could clearly see that things were getting hot.
And mother and a lot like her were in a nasty spot.
I always remember the story that my mom told me about how she was able to leave Germany during the rise of Hitler
because the transport ship was in part paid for by the fundraising efforts of Eddie Cantor.
Oh, goodbye my European nightmare. Hello, Tel Aviv.
And just how far can Garan go telling it like it is?
Michael Garan is going to be the next biggest thing since the hula hoop.
Eddie Cantor helped her get away.
Celebrating birthdays this weekend, on Saturday, singer Natalie Cole is 38.
Fabian is in good voice for his 45th.
Tom Brokaw reports in at 48.
Mashes Mike Farrell, 49.
Actress Mamie Van Doren is 55.
Wild Rip Toren turns 57.
And The Avengers Patrick McNeese is 66.
And happy birthday to Ronald Reagan on his 77.
Okay, and Sunday's birthdays include actor Jason Gedrick, who turns 23.
Performer Eddie Bracken, 68.
Former Tarzan, former Range Rider John Mahoney celebrates number 69.
And a special birthday wish to veteran Hollywood writer, novelist Milton Crimes, he's 84.
President Reagan has his birthday Saturday.
I hope he's watching to get his birthday wish from us.
I understand that he tunes in every now and then when he has time.
Well good. Happy birthday.
Time now for us to follow up on some stories for you.
MGMUA is going ahead with plans to release Poltergeist 3 this coming summer.
The movie's 12-year-old star Heather O'Rourke died this past week in San Diego, California.