The Important Cinema Club #348 - Big Screen Comedian Failures 4: The Talk Show Hosts
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Aug 28, 2023 
We delve into the failures of talk show hosts in the movie industry, featuring Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jimmy Fallon. The hosts discuss the challenges faced by talk show hosts transitioning to films, Steve Allen's jazz movie and portrayal of Woody Allen, J. Leno's career and views on comedy, a Detroit-based movie with Jay Leno, the career paths of Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Cosby, the impact of miscast main characters in movies, and movies and TV shows featuring Tim Allen.
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Talk Show Skillset Rarely Equals Movie Star
- Talk show hosting is a distinct, narrow skill that doesn't automatically translate to movie stardom.
- Hosts must be affable, self-effacing and curious on TV, qualities that often clash with leading-man demands on film.
Steve Allen Flops In Benny Goodman Biopic
- Steve Allen's 1956 Benny Goodman biopic showcases him as a talk show host trying to carry a prestige musician film.
- Hosts like Allen came off flat on screen: no movie-star charisma and bored reviewers called him dull and uncinematic.
Physical Presence Shapes Movie Viability
- The hosts' physical presence and persona matter: charisma and even facial features (like a chin) influence perceived screen suitability.
- The hosts discussed vary hugely; some simply lack the cinematic magnetism that sells leading roles.