Arsenio Hall returning to late-night TV with new talk show in fall 2013

When comedians win on The Celebrity Apprentice, they really do win.

Following the lead of Joan Rivers, whose Trump-fest victory a couple of years ago coincided with her comeback as depicted in her riveting documentary, Arsenio Hall has followed up his win in the Trump TV boardroom by announcing a comeback to late-night TV, where he successfully challenged Johnny Carson for the hearts and minds of viewers in the early 1990s.

As Hall’s website announced:

We can now confirm… the Dog Pound will woof again! The rumors are true: Arsenio is returning to late-night TV with a brand new talk show! Arsenio is incredibly excited and hopes you will all tune in when his new show debuts in September 2013.

There’s plenty to do between now and then and we’ll certainly keep you posted. Thanks for all the congratulations you’ve already shared on Arsenio’s page. It means a lot!

Hall said he had been negotiating this comeback for two years.

Here are the details, so far…

As with his previous edition of The Arsenio Hall Show, which aired weeknights from 1989 until 1994, his 2013 version will be syndicated — this time by CBS TV Distribution (which was under a Paramount banner the first time Hall went late-night.

Tribune Broadcasting has signed up as a partner already to help launch the talk show on 17 of its stations, including WPIX in New York City, KTLA in Los Angeles and WGN in Chicago. Other markets already cleared for a launch in fall 2013 include Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Denver, Cleveland, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Mo., Greensboro, N.C., and Norfolk, Va.

“Arsenio had a substantial following with his previous late-night show, and that same 18-34 audience is now right in the middle of the late-night core audience of 35-54,” said CBSTVD president John Nogawski. “Years ago, he transcended time periods and attracted a crossover audience while bringing a fresh perspective to late night. That same need in the market exists today as when we originally launched. We are looking forward to the same success with Arsenio’s seasoned expertise and appeal in this genre.”

Hall’s dominant period in late-night TV talk occurred right before the end of the Carson era, Leno’s emergence, and Letterman’s move to CBS. Then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton famously appeared on Hall’s show in 1992 and played the saxophone.

Here’s a recent clip of Hall on CNN, reminiscing about that moment:

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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