December 10, 2009
Television Department
The Bonnie Hunt Show
I just read that The Bonnie Hunt Show "is not expected to continue" for a third season. I am a big fan of Bonnie's and have met her on two occasions and she couldn't be nicer. I've had a huge crush on her since I met her in Woolworth's in 1991.
I saw a woman from behind and thought, "That woman has gorgeous blond hair just like Bonnie Hunt. She turned and I thought, "Wow, she even looks like Bonnie Hunt!" Then it dawned on me - "Hey! This is Bonnie Hunt!"
She went down an aisle and as I tried to get up the courage to speak to her, an elderly woman beat me to it. I thought I had missed my chance when this woman recognized her, too. Or so I thought. I slipped into the next aisle and overheard Bonnie say to the woman very apologetically, "I don't know. I'm sorry. I don't work here." I waited for the woman to leave and came around the corner. Bonnie's back was to me as she was going through a stack of welcome mats.
"Excuse me," I said.
Without looking up, she replied, "No, I'm sorry, I don't work here."
I chuckled nervously and said, "I know who you are." And I proceeded to list her recent credits in an effort to prove it. We talked for about 5 minutes or so about her recently cancelled series Grand and how she turned down the role of the wife on Home Improvement to take a job on Davis Rules for the chance to work with her idol, Jonathan Winters. She was very gracious, never making me feel as if I was intruding on her time or bothering her in any way (which was my fear).
That being said, if I have to be honest, I'm not surprised her talk show will likely be coming to an end. If she was only half as engaging and funny hosting her own show as she is when she is a guest on other talk shows, she'd be renewed in a heartbeat.
Television was never better than when she was a guest on the Late, Late Show with the late Tom Snyder. They had a fantastic ease and a chemistry together. (I got to tell her this the second time I met her at a screening of Return to Me.) She's always a hilarious joy to watch when she's on David Letterman. I would tape and repeatedly watch these appearances with Tom and Dave and laugh harder each time. I don't know why that didn't translate into her own show. I imagine it's very difficult hosting a show, and to her credit, she always seems to treat her guests well, making them feel at home. But it seems that the pressures of being a good hostess and producing, writing and starring on a daily talk show have squelched her wonderful talent.
I really wanted to love her show, but I've only caught it a handful of times. It's pleasant and often amusing, but not enough to turn me into a regular viewer. I wish her the best and I'd love for her to finally get the breakout sitcom or movie roll along with the audience she deserves. Until then, I'll watch for her on Dave.
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