9c536216   
   From: nebusj-@-rpi-.edu   
      
   JG  writes:   
      
   >On Dec 30, 8:29 am, nebu...@-rpi-.edu (Joseph Nebus) wrote:   
   >>         If They Mated had sort of fallen out of being a regular bit on   
   >> Late Night, possibly because it isn't all that much fun without someone   
   >> to play off Conan's response to the reveal of the kid.  Of course, now   
   >> they have someone to play off of regularly so don't have much excuse to   
   >> limit it altogether or keep it just to a single mating along the way to   
   >> the rest of the interview.   
      
   >Plus they don't want to insult any potential guests that would   
   >actually appear in person at 11:30, 10:30 CST.   
   >You can get away with photo-shopping Jennfier Aniston at 12:30, but   
   >could lose her as a guest at 11:30.   
      
   	You know, I hadn't considered the chance that they were shying   
   away from possibly offending celebrities who're lined up as guests.  It   
   might be a consideration, although ... offhand, I'm not sure that feels   
   right.  For one, have we ever heard of any celebrity seriously offended   
   by their past Clutch Cargo presentation?  I'm sure someone didn't like   
   theirs, but showing up to smile awkwardly at the comic representation   
   is part of the celebrity job and the basis for about one-quarter of all   
   celebrity impersonation sketches on _Saturday Night Live_.   
      
   	Also, and without really thinking it over, I have the impression   
   most of the Clutch Cargo appearances were by people-in-the-news, such as   
   politicians (even Arnold Schwarzenegger would pop up because he was the   
   governor and then JINGLE ALL THE WAY), who have this different universe   
   as far as what they appear on and why.  (Specifically, they turn up on   
   the 11:30 shows because they need warm gentle questions on a show which   
   people actually watch, as opposed to the Sunday morning chat shows that   
   give them gentle questions and no audience.)   
      
   	So ... I don't know.  Maybe they don't want to offend possible   
   guests this way, but then why carry on with similar direct-attack bits   
   like Celebrity Survey?  (Admitting that many of the celebrities chosen   
   for the survey aren't really high-demand personas.)   
      
   	Maybe the problem is Rob Smigel isn't out in Los Angeles often   
   enough.  Other people do lip service, but he's really best at wrestling   
   control of the bits away from Conan, and that's when the bits best take   
   off.  (And when Smigel is in town the temptation is probably to do a   
   Triumph bit first.)   
      
   --   
   								Joseph Nebus   
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