Morning Report - News from April 30, 2002

TELEVISION

Carson Breaks Silence in Magazine Interview

Since his final “Tonight Show” goodbye on May 22, 1992, Johnny Carson has avoided the spotlight. But the former late-night star comments on his post-TV life and the state of the medium in a 10-page feature in the June issue of Esquire, out next week.

Carson, 76, says he turned down an invitation to appear on NBC’s 75th anniversary special next month. “I know NBC means well. But I am retired. I ain’t going back on television,” he maintains in the article, according to an account on Drudgereport.com.

“It’s gonna be one of those self-congratulatory things. ‘Look how good we are!’ I’m just not going to do it,” Carson adds.

And reality shows such as “Survivor” or “Fear Factor,” it’s clear, are also not his thing.

“These people are in just about as much jeopardy as I am having dinner. People forget that there’s a crew there. There’s a catering service,” Carson says. “It’s not like they are going to die out there in the jungle.” Meanwhile, Jay Leno, who celebrates his 10th anniversary as Carson’s successor with an hourlong special at 10 tonight, tells Newsday that friction with Carson arising from a clumsy transition has been relegated to the past. They talk occasionally, he says, although not about the show.

“He had all the elements that are necessary for the job,” Leno said of Carson. “Just the fact that Johnny could play the drums, do a little soft shoe, do magic.... Is there anybody in late night now you’d want to see with their shirt off? No, Johnny was the best there ever was and is.”

Challenge to Credentials of Ex-Fox Consultant

A Fox News Channel consultant, employed for four months during the war on terrorism, wasn’t what he appeared to be, the New York Times reports.

Joseph Cafasso allegedly claimed to be a retired lieutenant colonel in the Special Forces, saying he had served in Vietnam, won a Silver Star for bravery and was part of an unsuccessful secret mission to rescue hostages in Iran in 1980. Yet military records showed he was discharged as a private after spending 44 days at boot camp in Fort Dix, N.J., in 1976.

Fox News declined to comment on the story Monday but confirmed the accuracy of the N.Y. Times’ account.

Fox officials told the Times they were unaware of any false information that was aired as a result of Cafasso’s military analysis and said its reporters were required to independently verify anything he told them.

The network ended its relationship with Cafasso in March after he began alienating staff members.

The Times said Cafasso sent the newspaper an e-mail message saying, “This is nothing more than political assassination by a group of self-centered individuals with their own political agendas, who enjoy half-truths, gossip and hiding behind the press for their own self-worth.”

Rather Close to Re-Upping with CBS

Dan Rather, 70, is hammering out an agreement that would extend his contract with CBS News for an additional three years, taking him through the year 2006, according to people familiar with the situation.

The move comes at a time when contracts for both ABC’s Peter Jennings and NBC’s Tom Brokaw are expiring.

CBS News declined to comment Monday on Rather’s contract extension, which is not yet final, saying, “We consider all contractual information to be confidential, but as long as Dan wants to work in television, we want him to work at CBS.”

Cast Members Reunite for ‘Ally’ Finale

David Duchovny is returning for the final episode of “The X-Files” and now “Ally McBeal” is following suit, announcing Monday that the show will bring back three departed members of the original cast for the finale on May 20--including one whose character died.

The appearance of Gil Bellows as Ally’s former paramour and colleague, Billy, won’t surprise fans of the Fox series, however. He’s made several appearances as a ghost since Billy died in 2000.

Also returning for the final episode will be Courtney Thorne-Smith, who played Billy’s wife, Georgia, and Lisa Nicole Carson, who played Ally’s roommate, Renee.

Singer Barry White also will appear in the May 20 installment, Fox said--which longtime “Ally” fans will find as fitting as the episode’s title: “Bygones.”

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POP/ROCK

‘Hey Jude’ Manuscript Off Christie’s Roster

Paul McCartney won a court order Monday blocking the sale of a draft manuscript of the Beatles hit “Hey Jude” the day before the document, valued at $116,000, was due to go to auction at Christie’s.

The injunction was granted at London’s High Court after McCartney said the 19-line manuscript in his handwriting had disappeared from his home. The lyrics were sent for auction by a man identified in court only as Monsieur Tessier, who bought them in the famous Portobello Road street market in London in 1971 or 1972.

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QUICK TAKES

The Web site Eonline reports that “Will & Grace” co-star Sean Hayes will play Jerry Lewis in the CBS movie “Martin & Lewis”....Patrick Stewart (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) and Glenn Close (“Fatal Attraction”) will portray King Henry II of England and his scheming wife, Queen Eleanor of Acquitaine in “The Lion in Winter” for Showtime....Fox has ordered another season of its drama “Boston Public.” And HBO has renewed “Six Feet Under” for a third season, with 13 episodes to debut next year.