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Inside the Greatest Writers Room You've Never Heard Of

by | December 11th, 2012

Twenty-five years ago, millions of Americans gathered around their sets to watch the launch of a show that would transform late-night TV. This show would fuse comedy and news, offering desk pieces, taped dispatches from correspondents, and interviews with political figures. It would instruct as well as entertain. Yes, a quarter-century ago, America got its first glimpse of a program that had many similarities to The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. It was called The Wilton North Report. The Wilton North Re-what? Exactly.

Still, pop culture history was made that night. I was a writer on the show and forgive me for bragging, but as a late-night programming fiasco, I believe The Wilton North Report stacks up against Thicke of the Night, The Magic Hour, and The Pat Sajak Show. Technically, it was the shortest-lived late-night network show of all time. Fox even gave The Chevy Chase Show more of a chance. And yet Wilton North is worth a moment of remembrance.

“So it’s been 25 years since the greatest writing staff made the worst show in TV history,” laughed Wilton North writer Alec Sokolow when we spoke recently. It’s easy to laugh now, since Alec went on to a long career that includes earning an Academy Award nomination for his original screenplay, Toy Story.

Time flies, especially in Los Angeles where there are no seasons to separate the years. Still, when the holidays roll around, I always think about my first Thanksgiving here. READ MORE

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