Daily News from New York, New York • 88

83 QAU.V NEWS, April 12 '19981 wily timMm 'm Ow7 New NBC series seems same as so many old ones JUDITH Ivey, a two-time Tony Award winner and is now caught up in the hurly-burly of television, and for a reason. She's starring in the NBC comedy "Down Home," premier-ing tonight at 10:30, because she wants to be recognized. "Show business is no longer," declares the Texas-born actress. "In order to make a buck, producers have to deal with celebrity. I have celebrity on the New York stage, but I don't have it beyond that.

Some of the parts I'd like to play I don't get considered for because I don't have the celebrity." Without jumping on a soapbox, the actress, who hopes the series will give her a TV (recognition quotient), bemoans the A ill If li l'hn IT 7 I UHlT-f Gumbel vs. Gumhel, Almost "CBS This Morning" co-host Harry Smith is taking tomorrow morning off, and his substitute will be the show's sports correspondent, Greg Gumbel (Bryant's brother). So, dueling Gumbels in the morning! No. Not this time. Seems that Bryant had scheduled a day off for Friday, too.

Stephen Frazier will sit in for him. Greg Gumbel, 43, joined the CBS morning show in December. This will be his first crack at the anchor slot. His duel with 41-year-old brother Bryant will have to wait another day. And speaking of Gumbel, Bryant, that is, he's not a popular guy these days with the organizers of a sporting goods industry convention who said he reneged on a contract to address the annual gathering.

According to the AP, they are considering a lawsuit against Gumbel because they spent $61,000 to promote his appearance only to have him cancel "without cause" three weeks before the scheduled February appearance in Atlanta. "Today" spokeswoman Mary Neagoy said Gumbel canceled all his speaking engagements when he was assigned in January to be the network's main golf correspondent. ABC sportscaster Dan Dierdorf of "Monday Night Football" filled in at the breakfast meeting. George Maksian 'Sajak' Sidekick: Too Serious Dan Miller, who spent the past 15 months as Pat Sa-jak's announcer and late-night sidekick, says the canceled talk show just never found its identity. "We tried to play it safe," said Miller, who was an anchorman at WSMV in Nashville when Sajak was a weatherman at the station from 1972 to 1975.

"It never found its own identity," Miller said this week. "We were trying to take ourselves too seriously." There's no hard feelings toward Sajak, said Miller. "I'm grateful to Pat. It was a nice opportunity, a nice challenge," he said. Miller, once an anchorman for KCBS-TV in L.A., said he didn't know where his career would take him next.

AP Speaking of 'Sajak' As for what CBS will be doing to fill the "Sajak" hour (11:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.), the network yesterday confirmed that, starting Monday, it will do so with reruns of "Wiseguy" and Fox' "21 Jump Street" "Wiseguy" will air Monday through Thursday; "Jump Street" on Fri- days. The "Wiseguy" episodes will be from the series' ON THE 'HOME FRONT: Judith Ivey surrounded by Enc Allan Kramer (front) and Dakin Matthews, Gedde Watanabe, Tim Scott and Ray Baker fact that Broadway is now caught up in the same celebrity fever. "We need to get back to real actors, and I feel KAY CARDELLA lucky that I began on Broadway when it was valued. They now have to have names and celebrities, whether it be the director or the actor or the playwright, for that matter, in order for a show to get done because it's so costly." In her new series, which is set on the Texas Gulf Coast, she feels right at home, having been born in El Paso. tive producers, it just limps onto the screen, giving viewers an acute case of deja vu.

How many corny series just like it have we seen come and go? I've lost count "Down Home," scripted by Barton Dean, is the kind of series you watch when yOu have no strength left to turn the dial. And why should you? It's harmless. You've met everybody before with different names on other shows. They're old friends. There's the cantankerous but lovable father, Walt, who runs the cafebait shop, played by Dakin Matthews; the big lunkhead of a brother, Drew (Eric Allan Kramer) who played football once and whose only claim to fame is having caught the biggest fish in the town; Grover (Timothy Scott), who never moves off the stool; Wade (Ray Baker), the old boyfriend, who's behind the developing deal that would buy out her father; and Tran (Gedde Watanabe), the Vietnamese cook.

"Why she not have a Texas accent like the rest of us," he asks Walt when Katie first arrives. first two seasons. As previously scheduled, next Friday's slot will be filled by "Save the Planet: A CBSHard Rock Cafe Special." "Jump Street" starts May 11. G.M. Soap Sports According to a poll by Soap Opera Challenge, which sells soap-trivia games, the Knicks Kenny (Sky) Walker and Otis Smith of the Orlando Magic hold the title "Biggest Soaphead in the NBA." And we're not T'S WHEN the handsome Wade appears on the scene that Katie decides to stay on.

Years be 0 talking height Both men confess to watching five soaps fore, after Katie spurned him, he had gone off a day. The poll also shows that twice as many NBA play "There is something about being a Texan that you never lose," she says proudly. Ivey, who was four months' pregnant when tonight's pilot was filmed and has since given birth to a girl, plays Kate McCrorey, a successful New York businesswoman who returns for a visit to her Texas hometown, and decides to stay. Her character, says Ivey, isn't far removed from her own personality. "I don't take no for an answer," she relates.

"I consider myself to be an independent person. I think I'm imaginative and creative and feisty and probably say too much for my own good sometimes, and therefore cause trouble. Katie's definitely going to do that" If she doesn't, the series might. Although it was directed by James Burrows of "Cheers," and has Ted Danson of "Cheers" fame as one of its execu- ers as NFL players watch soaps. All My Children was the No.

1 soap among NBA players; "One Life to Live" was a distant second; "General Hospital" and "The Young and the Restless" tied for third. G.M. to Houston to become a businessman. He used to own two shrimp boats, which Katie calls "old water-logged rust buckets." Now, he tells her, "Fve got crabs. A big old case of them." Shaken for a minute, Katie sucks in her breath and says: "My, it's refreshing to be where a man can say that with such pride." The members of the cast are a likeable bunch, so who knows? The equally unexciting "Bagdad Cafe," the new CBS series, is right up there in the ratings.

Maybe McCrorey Cafe will fool me, too. Dot's All Phil Donahue, who was named "media person of the year" by the Gay Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), will also host that organization first annual media awards program, to be held April 29 at the Tower Suite of the Time Life Building. Mayor Dinklns is ex pected to speak at the function. Speaking of Donahue, apologies to News readers who, based on what they read here, tuned in yesterday's "Donahue" expecting to see a repeat of a 1988 show with the late AIDS victim Ryan White, only to find something else. A glitch in the listings system led to the confusion.

"American Fo cus, a half-hour program about business issues, will make its debut today on cable's FNN (the Financial News Network) at 6:30 p.m. The show will feature a panel of Princeton University students, who on the opening telecast will quiz House Speaker Tom Foley on a wide range of issues, including the federal budget recent child-care legislation in the House, capital pun THE GUESSING GAME has begun as to who would make good dates for CBS' late-night spot now that Pat Sajak has been handed his walking papers. Billy Crystal is one name this critic would throw in the hat When things get dull he can always do one of his characters to keep viewers amused. Another name that came to mind when a trade paper called to see whom I'd suggest was that of Mario Thomas. She's intelligent and well-known, and it might be fun having her compete in the talk field (though at different hours) with hubby Phil Donahue.

Cher, of course, would be sensational. All she'd need to do is show her latest video, or have her hair styled on camera. That would fill a good hour. Steve Martin is another possibility, although I'm not a Steve Martin fan. And what about George Plimpton? He's a knowledgeable, bright, entertaining fellow who has an insatiable curiosity and would be a good interviewer.

Shirley MacLaine would be a hoot! With all those former lives she'd never run out of material. Dudley Moore couldn't help but be a scream, too. Then, of course, there's Zsa Zsa bor, who'd add a whole new di- mension to late-night TV. She could begin by interviewing the cop she slapped. Clint Eastwood could make CBS' night Jane Fonda would certainly make waves and be provocative.

And what about Jackie Mason? Now that his "Chicken Soup" is cold he's a possibility. He'd certainly be funny, but would he let anyone else talk? Then there's always Linda El-lerbee, who could keep her guests fueled with coffee. Surely somebody must be out there we want to look at every night If CBS is so inclined to try the talk-show route again, I can't wait to see whom it picks. Kay Gardella ishment and recent trade negotiations with Japan. New Jersey Gov.

Jim Florlo will discuss his budget and tax proposals on "Caucus: New Jersey," Friday at 6 p.m. on Ch. 13. The program, produced by Rutgers Uni versity in association with Ch. 13, will be repeated Sunday at 1 p.m.

On the show, Florio says that under his new income tax plan, families that earn $70,000 or less (80-85 of those in the state) wont pay "a single penny more" in income tax. G.M i J. i i ti- t. I.