The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 27

TMWdWAYl.m2. THI TCNNESSEAN 5'D Modern times bringing more punch lines SIS On TV ILC-jgl today oooczii I i ui in mi im I I consistent Each generation seems more obsessed with comedy. Laugh-in may have launched the era, with its quick cuts and micro-moments. Depending on who you talk to, it sharpened our wits or shattered our attention spans. The American Comedy Awards can seem odd.

How do you explain "funniest actress" nominations for Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon in Thelma and Louise (did I miss the point of that movie?) or Maggie Smith in Hooh? What the show loses in legitimacy, it makes up for In zest "The presenters are funny, the people receiving the awards are funny, the clips are funny," Schlatter says. "It's all entertaining." In short, it's like the few good parts of an Oscarcast, stretched over two hours. Accompanying that is a mission. "Every year, we find a new form of humiliation for Bea Arthur." In the past he's even forced her to dance the Urkel. "This year, we promised she could be dignified." That was a ruse, of course.

Arthur ended up with a sea lion. The idea Is at least odd and possibly humorous. We live In a world, after all, that will even laugh at its generals. Bea Arthur and her friendly co-host help entertain on The Sixth Annual American Comedy Awards at 8 p.m. tomorrow on WKRN-Channel 2.

TV. One portion of Real People introduced real heroes. This year, two networks had pilot films based on the same idea. "We tend to focus on the anti-heroes Schlatter said. "There are so many heroes to focus on.

We did the Navajo code-talkers, for Instance." As those trends change, one is mil i A 'Comedy Awards to tickle funny bones By MIKE HUGHES Gannett News Service The trends keep bouncing through our TV sets and George Schlatter's life. Heroes are in or out Real people are hot or not Still, one thing persists: Increasingly, laughter rules. "Everything is comedy-oriented now," Schlatter said. "Politicians can't go out there without jokes "I saw a thing (Gen.) Colin Powell did the other day. He's a cute guy with a punch line." Funny generals? In the same century as MacArthur and Eisenhower? The world has, Indeed, changed.

This Is important to Schlatter, who's seen the change from both ends. His American Comedy Awards (8 p.m. tomorrow on WKRN-Channel 2) celebrates modern humor something that was altered by his Laugh-in, 24 years ago. "Until then," Schlatter says, "comedy stars came out of radio and theater. We took a love of television and Ernie (Kovacs) and that spirit.

Comedy became more Highlights MORNING 7:00 Good Morning America Scheduled: pain management (Part 2 ol 3) postoperative pain; talk show host Oprah Winfrey Behind the (120 min.) Today Scheduled: Johnny Carson and late night talk shows (Part 2 of 5); composer John Williams. (120 min.) This Morning Scheduled: how to save money on your house (Part 2 of 5); America's most popular talk show hosts (Part 3 of 6) Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gilford; Ed McMahon (Part 2 of 2); women's health issues (Part 2 of 3) mammographies. (120 min.) 10:00 Geraldo Scheduled: men physically abused by their wives. (60 min.) Saly Jessy Raphael Scheduled: people whose weddings were ruined by a relative's bad behavior. (60 min.) CD Movie "Target, Sea of China" (1954) Harry Lauter, Aline Towne.

A trader volunteers to help the United Nations stop foreign spies from supplying guns to rebellious natives. From the "Trader Tom of the China Seas" serial. (120 min.) 11:30 Closer Look Scheduled: mothers vs. daughters. AFTERNOON 12:00 One on One John Tesh with director Ron Howard and and actor Dean Jones 3:00 Maury Povkh Scheduled: Author Joe McGinmss, who wrote "Cruel Doubt," and actress Blythe Danner, who stars in the television movie of the same name, discuss the real-life case on which the story is based.

(60 min.) 4:00 Oprah Winfrey Scheduled: viewer Buy 2 Yds. of Fabric, MORNING 7:00 MOVIE Th Valley of Dad-lon" (1945) Gregory Peck, Greer Garsoa A poor servant girl (alls In love with her wealthy emptoyer'i son In this adaptation of Marcia Davenport's novel of romance in 19th-century Rttsburah. (111 mln.) 9:00 SHOW "Too Hot to Handle" (1938) Dark Gable, Myma Loy. A newsreel correspondent, who creates big stories to beat his competitors, falls In love with a rival's girl. (105 mln.) AFTERNOON 1:00 a "Billy Bodd" (1962) Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov.

Based on Herman Melville's allegorical tale of good vs. evil as personified in the court martial of a British seaman accused of murder ing his sadistic superior. (120 mln.) 3:00 TNT The Mountain Road" (1960) James Stewart, Lisa Lu. An American Army officer alienates his Chinese allies when his unit is ordered to destroy villages In the path of the advancing Japanese. (120 min.) 3:00 a CINE uMn Donl LMvt" (1990) Jessica Lange, Artiss Howard.

A recently widowed housewife faces the difficult prospect of supporting herself and her two children In the wake of her husband's death. 'PG-13' (115 mln.) 5:00 a MOVIE "House of Games" (1987) Lindsay Crouse, Joe Mantegna. David Mamet wrote and directed this twist-laden tale of a psychiatrist who becomes Involved with a master con artist. 'R' (101 min.) EVENING 7:00 a FOX "Mantumter" (1986) William Petersen, Kim Greist. A former FBI agent known for his unusual investigative style is brought out of retirement to track down a serial killer.

(120 min.) 8:00 a UFE The ki Crowd" (1988) Donovan Leitch, Jennifer Runyon. 1960s Philadelphia Is the setting for this tale about a teen-ager who falls for the hottest dancer on a local TV show. (120 min.) 8:00 a USA "The Jk" (1979) Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters. An incredibly stupid white stepson of black sharecroppers makes a fortune with a bizarre Invention. (120 min.) 9:00 CINE "Eddie Murphy Raw" (1987) Eddie Murphy.

The popular actor-comic lets loose on everything from sex to family life in this filmed concert performance. 'R' (91 min.) 9:50 a TNT "North Dallas Forty" (1979) Nick Noite, Mac Davis. Groupies, pills and partying begin to take their toll on two fun-loving but aging football players in this adaptation of Peter Gent's novel. (150 min.) 10:30 CfNE "Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip" (1982) Richard Pryor. A filmed concert performance, highlighted by Pryor's views on sex, marriage, prison and a chilling but humorous account of the drug-related accident that nearly killed him.

'R' (82 min.) 11:50 a TBS "Dodge City" -(1939) Errot Flynn, Ann Sheridan. A fighting cattleman dashes with the boss of Dodge City, but cleans up the town for homesteaders. (120 min.) 12:00 a DISN "King Kong" -(1933) Fay Wray, Bruce Cabot. A giant ape succumbs to the beauty of a young starlet, is captured and brought to civilization by an enterprising movie producer. Colorized version.

(120 min.) GET 1 YD. FREE! George Schlatter "Everything is comedy-oriented" concise, much tighter." Now ABC gets the comedy edge during the final two nights of the season and of the "sweeps" period. Today, it has Its regular hits Full House, Roseanne and Coach. The next night, Schlatter has his awards ceremony. In other areas, Schlatter has hit some trends and missed others.

For Instance: Real People launched the no- mail. (60 min.) EVENING 6:00 AMC Movie "Design for Living" (1933) Fredric March, Gary Cooper. An Ernst Lu-bitsch adaptation of Noel Coward's play about a free-spirited woman who sets up pla-tonic living accommodations with the two men who've fallen in love with her. (90 min.) 7:00 Fii House D.J. the baby sitter fears the repercussions when Michelle and Stephanie are caught trying to sneak into a movie theater.

Rerun In the Heat of the fight Gillespie and Tibbs are tried on charges that their actions led to the death of the fugitive they were trying to save from deportation. (Part 2 of 2) (60 min.) Rescue 911 Scheduled: a glacier climbing accident; a dispatcher tries to prevent a suicide; a puppy is trapped by fire; a 5-year-old choking victim. (60 min.) TNN Crook and Chase Scheduled: Rodney 7:30 Anne Holt Profiles Anne Holt interviews coach Wade Houston and Naomi Judd. AMC Salute to the States: New Jersey Boardwalk in Atlantic City; Hoboken childhood home of Frank Sinatra. Rerun 8:00 Roseanne Roseanne gets bitten by the bingo bug; Dan and the kids baby-sit for Crystal's son.

Rerun 8:00 PMCh.4 Is her son a killer? The powerful climax to "Cruel DoubtM mmhm urmmuma Movie "Cruel Doubt" (1992) (Part 2 of 2) Blythe Danner, Ed Asner. Bonnie's suspicions that someone close to her murdered her husband reach horrifying proportions when her 19 year-old son is arrested for the crime. Based on Joe McGinniss' novel. (120 min.) Movie "Intruders" (1992) (Part 2 of 2) When We Draperies Now, for a limited time, fabric FREE for every 2 tion of laughing at real people. That has been revived, but he longs for "something that is not Just people falling down." Funny People used the oddest comedy acts.

The notion finally worked for someone else with America's Funniest People. The New Bill Cosby Show was a failed variety show. A decade later, a newer Cosby show would rule Richard Crenna, Mare Winningham. The mystery surrounding Mary's flashbacks expands to include her young son; a hypnotized patient remembers the crash of an alien space min.) AMC Movie "Magnificent Obsession" (1935) Irene Dunne, Robert Taylor. A selfish playboy dedicates himself to medicine after his drunken antics lead to a woman's blindness and the death of a beloved surgeon.

(120 min.) 8:30 Coach The stress of a long-distance relationship troubles Hayden; Luther and Dauber refinish Hayden's game-room floor. 9:00 TNN On Stage Tom Wopat. 9:30 TNN Church Street Station T. Graham Brown; Dean Dillon. 10:00 Nightly Business Report Money File commentator Kevin McCormally shares tax tips for starting a business.

(D With Chldren When Bud gets his driver's license and Al's insurance goes up, he cancels his policy. AMC Movie "Hitler's Chldren" (1943) Kent Smith, Tim Holt. Two young people become caught up in the mass hysteria and emotion that propelled Hitler to power. (90 min.) TNN Crook and Chase Scheduled: Rodney Crowell. Rerun (60 min.) 10:30 Cosby Show Defying her parents, Vanessa travels to Baltimore to attend a concert.

(D Arsenio Hal From February: actress Roseanne Arnold Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly; reggae musicians David Hines and Selwyn Brown from the band Steel Pulse appear with the Posse. Rerun (60 min.) 10:35 Tonight Show Scheduled: actor-filmmaker Mel Brooks; actor Jack Lemmon; singer Tony Bennett. (60 min.) 11:00 M.A.S.H Hawkeye discovers that a visiting doctor who must operate on a wounded soldier is a lush. a custom window treatment or bedspread. Newest Designs Colors Hundreds of Fabrics All Custom Work Done Locally Call for a Design Consultant Make Your Accessories we'll give you 1 yd.

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dUl Drapery House 4th Ufayette lample Open Mon -Fn 9 to 5 S.it WEDNESDAY EARLY MORNING May 20, 1992 12:00 lSisO 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 Hardcopy Jenny Jones Off Air ABC News ABC News ABC News ABC News ABC News WKRN Late Night With David I Later With Candid 1 NBC News NBC News NBC News NBC News NBC News Agri. NBC News Morning WSMV Letterman Bob Costas Camera Report Show Newhart N.M. Media Overnight Report CBS News CBS News CBS News CBS News Business CBS News WTVF I I I I I I Off Air WDCN (B Dennis Miller I The Judge The Judge IColumbo lA-Team (Robert Tilton WZTV I I GD Movie: 'Ghost Off Air WXMT Judy Landers Biography Gifted Ones Evening at the Improv Movie: 'The Divided Heart' (1954) Rising AE Cornell Borchers, Yvonne Mitchell. Damp Preview Movie: 'Design Movie: 'Magnificent Obsession' (1935) Movie: 'Back Door to Hell' Salute-New Movie: 'Crime AIWC for Living' Cont'd Irene Dunne, Robert Taylor. (1964) Jimmie Rodgers Jersey Ring', Inez Courtney BrT Screen iLive From Video Soul Paid jPaid Paiii Paid Paid Paiti BtT Scene L.A.

Program Program Program Program Program Program fky Showbiz Newsnight Worldwide I Sports I Crossfire iNews Larry King Sports Daybreak Business cww Today Update Update Latenight Latenight Morning Cold Blooded Creatures World Away Paid Paid Paid Wi id Paid Paid Paidi Paid Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program niCM Movie: 'King Hong' (1933) Fay Wray, Aliens, Dragons, Medal of Honor: World Shelley Duvall's Tall Mousercise Morn. PI5W Bruce Cabot. Monsters and Me War Europe Tales and Legends Mickey Baseball Sports- America's I Sports- NBA Today I Jim Fishin' Hole Indy 500 Speedweek Body by Bodies in Getting Fit KPW center Cup center Houston Film Jake Motion -4M Paid Paid 700 Club Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Today With James fM Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Marilyn Robison Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid UFE Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Program Mir Patty Duke Donna Fernwood Superman Dick Van Get Smart Dragnet Alfd. Mister Ed Cable in Lassie Dennis the WICI1 Reed 12-Night Dyke Hitchcock Class Menace p- Movie: 'Dodge City' (1939) Errol Flynn, Gunsmoke Gunsmoke Focus on Headline I Love Lucy Tom TBS Ann Sheridan. Cont'd Beauty News I Jerry On Stage iChurch ICIub Dance Off Air Street I Inside the Movie: 'Downhill Racer' (1969) Robert Movie: 'Snowed Under' I Ripley's Believe It or Woody Woodpecker TNT NBA iRedford, Gene Hackman.

1(1936) George Brent. Not World League Football: Barcelona Dragons at New York-New Jersey jLaw and Harry McGraw My Sister Paid Paid First Knights. I I Sam Program Program Business 10th Inning IMovie: 'Sue Steel' (1934) John Dennis Miller iMovie: 'The Girls of Shepherd's Faith W6W Wayne, Eleanor Hunt. Huntington Houte' Chapel Twenty VuVill Movie: 'Richard Pryor Here Movie: 'Double Revenge' Movie: 'Powwow Highway' (1988) A Movie: 'Sex and Qmi and Now' 1983) Richard Pryor. (1988) Leigh McCloskey.

Martinez, Gary Farmer the Single Gin" 'Talent for IMovie: 'Femme Fatale' Movie: 'Transformations' One Night Movie: 'Women i Men 2' Think Big' HB0 the Game' (1991) Colin Firth, Lisa Zane. (1988) Rex Smith Lisa Langfots. Stand (1991) Ray Liotta. I 'Flight- Movie: 'Keaton's Cop' Movie: 'Pride and Prejudice' '(1940) Movie: 'Vice Versa' (1988) Judge TIWC Angel' (1990) Lee Majors, Abe Vigoda. Greer Garson, Laurence Oljvier.

Reinhold, Fred Savage. euAUI Movie? 'After I Movie: 'Ghosts Can't Do If (1990) Bo Stovie: 'The Last Picture Show' (197i) Movie: 'Fools of' 5tl0W Dark, My Sweet' Derek, Anthony Quinn. Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges. Fortune', lain Glen TUESDAY EVENING excellent -good fair poor 6:00 6:30 7:30 8:00 8:30 9:00 1 9:30 1 10:00 11:30 News Family Full House Anne Holt Roseanne Coach Oprah: Behind the News Cosby M.A.S.H Nightbne WKRN Feud Profiles Scenes Show 1 News In the Heat ol the Night Movie: 'Cruel Doubt' (1992) (Premiere) News Tonight Show Inside WSMV (Part 2 of 2) Blythe Danner, Ed Asner. Edition News News Rescue 911 Movie: 'Intruders' (1992) (Part 2 of 2) News Ent I Golden Now It Can WTVF I Richard Crenna, Mare Winningham.

Tonight Girls Be Told MacNeil-Lehrer Word on Metro Council Business Off Air WDCN Newshour Words Report i Who's the ICheers Movie: 'Manhunter' (1986) William L. IStar Trek: The Next Arsenio Hall low WZTV Boss? I Petersen, Kim Greist Generation With Connection 0 Studs Major League Baseball: Cincinnati Reds at Montreal Expos. Studs Studs Campaign Mom: 'Ghost WXMT America Writer Judy Landers Late Night With David More Than a Game: Biography Gifted Ones Evening at the Improv More Than a Game: Afc Letterman Sold on Sport. Sold on Sport. Mow.

'Design for Living' Salute-New Movie: 'Magnificent Obsession' (1935) Mom. 'Hitler's Children' Design for AIWC (1933) Fredric March. Jersey Irene Dunne, Robert Taylor. (1943) Kent Smith, Tim Holt. Living' R- Fashion Show: From Desmonds Video Soul Generations Desmonds Our Voices Midnight Love fcT Africa to America.

Moneyline iCrossfire Primenews Larry King Live World News Sports Moneyline Newsnight Inside cww Tonight Politics M.r Cold Blooded Creatures Terra Smith- Invention Beyond Disappearing World Wings Hunters in G.I. Diary PISC soman Tomorrow the Sky niCN Mottler Incredible Aliens, Dragons, Medal of Honor: World Movie: 'The Best Years of Our Lives' (1946) Fredric March, p'5" Goose Mr. Nobody Monsters and Me War II Europe Myrna Loy. rcou Sports- Schaap Water Skiing: World Water America's Baseball iMajor League Baseball: Pittsburgh vs. San Francisco "pw center Talk Tour.

Skiing Cup 92 Tonight am Waltons Rin Tin Tin I Witness to Father Dowling 700 Club iBordertown Movie: War Arrow' (1953) fAl" K-9 Cop I Survival Mysteries Maureen O'Hara, Jeff Chandler. China Beach LALaw Movie: 'The In Crowd' (1988) Donovan Thirtysomething Garry Molly Dodd Leitch, Jennifer Runyon. 1 Shandling Looney Looney Troop Superman Get Smart Dick Van Dragnet Alfd. Lucy Show Green Mork Dobie Gillis WIC" Tunes Tunes I Dyke Hitchcock Acres Mindy Brady Major League Baseball: SL Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves. Movie: 'Alvarez Kelly' (1966) William Holden, TBS Bunch Richard Widmark.

VideoPM Be a Star iCrook and Chase Nashville Now On Stage Church Crook and Chase Nashville Now TWW Cont'd I I Street Bugs Bunny Pals NBA Playoffs: Cleveland vs. Chicago. NBA Playoffs: Utah vs. Portland THT Cont'd I MacGyver Murder, She Wrote iMovie: '77wM'(1979) Steve Martin, iMacGyver Equalizer U5A I Bernadette Peters. Jeffersons Now It Can Movie: 'To Catch a Killer (1992) (Part 2 News IMajor League Baseball: Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles WGN Be Told of 2) Brian Dennehy, Michael Riley.

Dodgers. raMNii Movie: 'Ju Dou' Movie: 'Fort Apache, the Bronx' (1981) Movie: 'Eddie Murphy Raw' Mam. 'Richard Pryor Live CIWE (1991) Gong Li. Paul Newman, Ed Asner. (1987) Eddie Murphy.

on the Sunset Strip' Movie: 'The Movie: 'Third Degree Burn' 0ne Night Movie: 'Stone Cold' (1991) Brian Movie: 'Talent H8 Princess Bride' Coni'd (1989) Treat Williams. Stand Bosworth, Lance Henriksen. for the Game' Movie: 'House of Movie: 'Platoon Leader' Movie: 'Rockula' (1990) Movie: 'flight of Black games', Joe Mantegna (1988) Michael Dudikoff Dean Cameron, Tawny Fere Angel' (1991) Peter Strauss. Jftui Elephant's I Bedtime 1 Movie: 'Three MenJhda Little Lady' Movie: 'State of Gracf (1990) Sean Penn, Ed Alter 5H0W Child (Stories (1990) Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg. Harris..