Bill Clinton as a talk show host⢠Maybe if there were an Insomniac Broadcasting Network. But as it happens, truth once again is stranger than fiction.
NBC met with Boy Bill last week to discuss the possibilities, such as a format similar to 'The Oprah Winfrey Show.' While nothing formal originated from the discussion, sources pegged Clinton's price at $50 million a year.
'He went to listen,' Clinton spokeswoman Julia Payne told the Los Angeles Times. 'The president is gratified by the range of opportunities that have been presented to him.'
Ah, but finding just the right outlet to meet his diverse capabilities. So much hyperbole, so little time.
A talk show, with its 39-week commitment, would undoubtedly pen in the pontificator's public speaking appearances - at $125,000 to $300,000 a pop. But consider: He would have to make more than 166 speeches a year, at the high end of his scale, as opposed to spending one year doing 'The Bill Show.'
Some experts say this could pose quite a challenge for the former confounder in chief: A good talk show host lets his guests take center stage, but a former president, as host, would always be at the center. Funny, we've never thought of Clinton as being a centrist on anything.
And though it was rumored that Bubba also made the rounds at CBS, Leslie Moonves, chief executive of CBS Television, told Reuters that the idea of a Clinton talk show is ridiculous.
Not necessarily, Mr. Moonves. Pair him up with Dan Rather. After all, they worked so well together for eight years.
