Hollywood Babble On & On #1008: More Random Drippings From My Brain Pan

NBC is rumoured to be considering giving Alec Baldwin the hosting gig of the late-late night spot currently held by Last Call with Carson Daly. 

There are three reasons behind this decision...

1. Baldwin apparently been doing a popular podcast, though I haven't heard it myself, since I have enough podcasts on my listening plate.

2. NBC has a two year retention deal with Baldwin that was inked after his acclaimed but little watched sitcom 30 Rock ended its miraculous 7 year run and a late night talk show is an inexpensive way to keep him in the family since they're already paying to do that.

3. Since Baldwin is part of Lorne Michaels' rep company of "hosts-on-speed-dial" it will most likely complete the Canadian ex-pat's plan for total control of all of NBC's late night TV programming.

If Baldwin takes the deal, instead of doing things like David Letterman's Stupid Pet Tricks, he's going to do "Stupid Messages To My Children."

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Artist's conception of Stroumboulopolus with stomach trouble.

Speaking of talk shows, Canadian interview maven George Stroumboulopolus (yes that is his real name) is leaving the tax-supported bosom of the Mother Corp (aka the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) to do a talk show for Jeff Zucker's CNN.

It's a major event because it's the first time a Canadian in showbiz has crossed the border to seek a smaller audience.

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If any of you remembered the long canceled but much beloved sci-fi show Firefly you would know the reference to "Jayne's Hat."

If you don't the reference I'll explain. The show featured a character of a man named Jayne. Jayne Cobb to be exact. He was a big, tough, amoral mercenary, and in one episode got a gift from his mother in the mail, a home-made knit hat that looked ridiculous, but don't dare say that to Jayne's face.

Now Jayne's hat has been a popular prop among cosplaying fans of the show, and fans make and sell home-made copies to other fans.

That's where Fox got involved...

Fox is ordering these knitters to cease and desist or face litigation for copyright and trademark violation.

You see, they had already licensed an "official" Jayne hat to another company, and felt that these hats put those official hats in danger.

But I think the folks at Fox and the licensee had to weigh what this knitted "piracy" was costing them as opposed to what looking like big corporate nimrod-bullies will cost them in the long run.