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Letterman

Robin Williams?!?! oh well, I’ll watch anyway!

Robin Williams to open Letterman’s show
NEW YORK – Robin Williams will be David Letterman’s first guest upon the return of his “Late Show” on CBS Wednesday, while NBC’s writer-less “Tonight” show welcomes GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
The appearance of a Hollywood A-lister who can talk a mile a minute may be Letterman’s way of quickly trying to draw a distinction between his show and his late-night rivals, who are working without striking writers and may also have trouble booking major entertainers.
The most closely watched late-night duel will be between NBC’s Jay Leno and Letterman.
Letterman’s production company, Worldwide Pants, reached an agreement Friday to have his show return with writers despite the ongoing writers strike, which began Nov. 5.
Leno, along with Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien, return Wednesday under an air of mystery. They won’t have writers and are restricted under union strike rules from performing many familiar comic bits, including traditional monologues.
Meanwhile, Letterman’s signature “top 10” list arrives intact.
Hollywood’s major actors’ union has put out signals encouraging its members to visit Letterman and fellow CBS host Craig Ferguson. Ferguson’s show is also owned by Worldwide Pants and is covered by the same special deal with writers.
“Screen Actors Guild members will be happy to appear on the `Late Show’ with David Letterman and the `Late Late Show’ with Craig Ferguson with union writers at work and without having to cross picket lines,” said Alan Rosenberg, Screen Actors Guild president.
The Los Angeles-based union represents nearly 120,000 actors.
Until the Huckabee announcement, neither Leno nor late-night shows hosted by Kimmel and O’Brien had said anything about who they will book.
There’s no word on whether Huckabee will bring along his electric guitar. Leno’s return after two months of strike-related reruns couldn’t come at a better time for the politician, the night before the Iowa caucuses and six days before the New Hampshire primary.
Donald Trump, previously booked for Letterman on Wednesday, has been bumped to Friday.
Comedy Central’s topical nightly comedies, “The Daily Show” with Jon Stewart and “The Colbert Report,” are set to return on Jan. 7 without striking writers.