ple7 / The Arts / Classified fLY , 31, 1971

"I've read a lot of:things that look like the pub- JESSEL: lishers don't like the United States."

"One does not accuse newspapers of being Com- NEWMAN: munist, which you have just done." By William Greider , the Holly- wood comedian, made a lit- tle joke on television yester- day equating The Washing- ton Post and with the Soviet news- paper Pravda, only NBC in- terviewer Edwin Newman wasn't laughing. Newman, hosting the Today show, abruptly ended the interview and dismissed Jessel from the program. "I don't think we're obliged," the TV newsman said afterwards," to invite anyone on to malign or slan- der anyone he pleases." "I meant it as a gag," Jes- sel complained. "I was on a show a few weeks ago and a woman damned Christianity and all the religions of the world but they didn't throw her off. So why can't I rap newspapers? God doesn't publish the newspapers." Jessel, wearing a USO military uniform decorated with a general's three stars, appeared on the show to dis- cuss his recent tours of U.S. bases in Europe and his up- coming visit to Vietnam, his seventh during the , war there. Ths 73-year-old enter- —The Viaehlneion Past tainer complained about After a tour of Vietnam in "wildly exaggerated" press reports about the Army's 1966 George Jessel visited the troubles and stumbled on White House where he dis- "Pravda" before naming played a certificate of appre- The Times and The Post, a ciation given to him by Gen. rhetorical gimmick which William C. Westmoreland. the late Sen. Joseph Mc- Carthy popularized in his Germany. If they start op anti-Communist speeches. anything there, they'll get in "I am happy to report and that's why I asked your per- a real you-know, regardless mission to get on here," Jes- of McCloskey and Muskie sel told Newman, "that the and Mansfield. They'll fight moral of our men in Europe and they'll lick these other is very high and we're guys. But, of course, when strong on the borders of you pick up Pravda—The Czechoslovakia and strong New York Times—you ,gen- on the borders of Eastern erally see, oh, they're all

Photos by Aasociated Press Comedian George Jesse', dressed in a USO military uniform decorated with a general's three stars, appeared on NBC's Today show yesterday. But Edwin Newman, host of the Today show, didn't laugh at Jessel's little joke.

see, 'Hundreds Die Of Pollu- tion.' " Newman was not amused. full of dope and killing chil- "You are a guest here," he dren, drunk." told Jessel, "but I don't Newman and his fellow In- terviewer, Joe Garagiola, let really think very much of that pass, but Jessel tried this talk about Pravda—ex- the gag again a moment ' euse me, The New York later. Times; Pravda—excuse me, "We have a habit, some Thee Washington Post. I strange new thing, with the communique (sic) being think that's silly, I do." anti-American with every- "Edwin, you have your body negative," he com- opinion and I have Mine," plained. On a recent tour of Jessel replied "But the America, he was impressed point that I want to make—" by the beautiful weather— Newman: "No, no, hold on "then you pick up a paper, a second." you know, Pravda—The Jessel: "Surely." Washington Post—and you Newman: "I think what you're saying, If you mean See TODAY, E3, Col. 1 TODAY, From El he did not intend to Imply It, is extremely serious. It's that The Post and The not the kind of thing—" Times are Communist, he Jesse!: "Surely." does feel strongly that the tyro newspapers dwell on Newman: "It is not the the bad news about America kind of thing one tosses off. in the same way that Pravda One does not accuse news- would. papers of being Communist, "If you have a delinquent which you have just done." child, you don't go to the Jessel: "Oh, I didn't mean window and holler to the It that way, Edwin." world, 'Hey, I've got a delin- Newman: "What did you quent child,' do you?" Jessel mean?" asked. "In these bad times, Jessel: "Oh, I just . ." our virtues should be em- Newman: "What did you ' phasized, not our vices." mean when you said it?" Jessel said that during his Jessel: "Oh, It's a newspa- recent tour of Europe, "peo- per. I didn't mean it quite.• ple say to me, 'Oh, your sol- that way," diers shoot children and Newman: "You didn't they're full of dope.' It isn't mean it quite that way?" so ... I think somebody Jessel: "I won't say It should stick up for our sol- againr diers Instead of knocking Newman; "I agree that them all the time." you won't say it again. As for The Post and The Thank you very much, Mr. Times: "lye read a lot of Jessel." things that look like the pub- Jesse]: "I just want to say lishers don't like the United one thing before 1 leave." States." Newman: "Please don't." That negative outlook, At that point, Newman in- Jessel added drolly, is also terrupted for a commercial, reflected in the Paris Her- three minutes before the in- ald-Tribune, which is owned terview was scheduled to jointly by The Post and The end. When he returned to Times. the screen, Jessel was gone. "The baseball scores look Newman told the audience: like nobody ever wins," he "Well, I'm a little sorry cracked. about that incident. I hope I Jessel said that, if his did the right thing and comments offended New- guess the best thing to do at man, the interviewer should the moment is to forget have switched the conversa- about it." - tion to another subject Newmat, who was filling rather than kicking him off in for Hugh Downs as host the air. on the program, said after- "But I forgiye him," the wards that, besides the de- comedian said. "Mr. New- rogatory references to the man is a newspaperman and press, he was upset because he defends newspapers. I'm "the Interview was barely in &how business and some- coherent, rambling, mean- times I defend show busi- dering." ness." "Certainly, it's not my in- Newman's boss, NBC tention to say anything un- News President Reuven kind about Mr. Jessel," New- Frank praised the inter- man said. "I'd never even viewer. met him before this. But if "He acted wisely and in you read the transcript, the best possible taste to you'll see that Interview correct a live broadcast situ- made very, very little ation which seemed to be sense." getting out of hand." Television, he said, must NBC reported a flurry of enforce "certain standards telephone calls from viewers of conduct" in its interview- —running 3-to-1 in support ing. "It didn't seem to me of Newman's action. It was we have any obligation to Newman's last day on Siov allow people to come on to show and he left on vaca- traduce the reputations of tion. anyone they want, to abuse The New York Times and people they don't like," the The Washington Post de- broadcaster explained. clined to comment 'on the Jessel said afterwards he episode. was treated poorly, but he Pravda, however, was of- forgives Newman. , fended by the comparison. "He should have been a "I can testify,". said Thomas little hit kinder to a man Kolesnlqhenko, the newspa- whose only vice is that be per's New York correspond- loves his country," Jessel ent, "that there is a big dif- said. "And I don't consider ference between the way that a vice." you publish the news and While the comedian said the way we do."