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Home , Darrell Hammond, Don Mischer, Jeff Shell, Kim Cattrall

4a VARIETY.COM DAILY VARIETY WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 200

THE MOURNING AFTER

TS NOT A GOOD MORNING — and it wilI not be for a long time COMBAT READY to come. "The threat level will be around for a long time," the FBI tells I me. They also warn that those in the biz who have shown hostility to forces threatening world peace are known to the cowards of violence ... News nets It is not surprising that the biz is putting the bizness of award shows on hold. "This is a national crisis and no time to be handing out awards or to comment on what people are wearing," Emmy producer Don Mischer pool efforts told me Tuesday morning about the cancellation of Sundayt . "They will occur some time in the future, but we don't know when. We don't even know how many (participants) will want to fry again soon. We're in a period of national mourning." Among those who on the crisis were to wing to L.A. for the awards were the cast of "," including nominees and Kim Cattrall, and "Sopra- By PAULA BERNSTEIN nos" members Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco and James Gandolfini. Plus NEW YORK — News nets aban• " Is" Darrell Hammond and Will Ferrcll. Andy Gar• doned their competitive ways on cia, who is filming in N.Y., was to fly out to present an award. Jon Stew• Tuesday in order to cover the largest art from "The Daily Show" and the cast of "" terrorist attack on US. soil in history. (who were in N.Y. this week doing a press tour) were due to fly here to be Virtually all networks carried A woman watches news from a wall of TV sets at a Sears in on hand at the Emmys ... The Latin Grammys were canceled; it was to the story live throughout the day, Hagerstown, Md., Tuesday after piane s crashed into the World Trade have been the 40th Grammy show produced by Pierre Cossette Prods. preempting regular primetime and Center and the Pentagon. Only once before was a Grammy show threatened, but not canceled: In latenight programming. 1971 the Grammys were delayed at the Shrine because of a bomb scare "It is literally all hands on deck," but given the horrific nature of National Geographic and Fox 20 minutes before showtime. Although the show this year was switched a CBS News spokesman said. "In whalt happened, we decided to put Family switched to Fox News carry from Miami to L.A. because of the threat of protesters, there was no ev• terms of the history of broadcast some of our competitive juices in the day, but returned to regular idence of same during the rehearsals at the Forum and none at Monday journalism, this is unprecedented. aside and try to do what? in the pmgramming at 3 p.m. EOT. "Nct- night's MusiCares tribute to Julio Iglesias at the Beverly Hilton. All Every human being who is available best interest of the people, which is works with family programming Latin Grammy acts except one had arrived in L.A. before Tuesday t cat• is working." to give them as much information provide an alternative for families astrophe; Destiny Is Child was due to wing in Tuesday ayem from a Utah The spokesman added that CBS as possible," CNN's Jordan said. home with their children," Shell said. gig... Latin Grammys producer Walter C. Miller is skedded to fly Mon• News coverage would air on the MSNBCt Brian Williams CNN founder was the day to Nashville for confabs on the Country Music Awards to air live on Eye web "indefinitely." summed it up best when he said on- one to suggest that TBS, TNT and Turner South interrupt their regular CBS Nov. 7, but Miller does not know whether that meeting » sked will CNN went into "full war load. air, "Itt not a day to be competitive. schedules to carry CNN live. be met. Meanwhile, his son, director Paul Miller, was skedded Tuesday We have everyone working a mini- Ift a day to cover a national tragedy." mum of 12-hour shifts until further Fox News was the first to to start directing the first of a series of commercials for American Air• Sibling synergy lines to be aired on "Saturday Night Live." They were canceled. Waltcrt notice," said Eason Jordan, presi• "brand" the tragedy with a "Day of dent of newsgathering and chief Meanwhile, corporate synergy Terror" graphic. The network later daughter Deborah Miller directs the Rosie O'Donnell show from the GE changed its coverage to "Terrorism building in NY.; that show too was KOld Tuesday. news exec at CNN News Group. came into play as niche cablers re• At the suggestion of "60 Min• ferred viewers to sibling news Hits America." MSNBC named the utes" creator , the major channels or repackaged news feeds coverage "Attack on America," while ( ATE DEALS STRANGE HANDS: Jack Sussman, senior VP of television nets agreed to share all from their sister broadcasters. CNN used "America Under Attack." specials for CBS, caught a 7 ayem flight out of JFK fbr LAX Tuesday; footage gathered during the terror• Fox Sports Net and FX aired Fox Throughout the day — and un- at 11 ayem, the pilot mid them there was a problem (not identifying the ist attacks and their aftermath. News coverage, with Fox Family like during the first hours aAer the F Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 disaster)and they hadm lark! at KansasCity, Mo. Sussman 1W covered the "Don said, 'This is a national and National Geographic directing show for a future CBS special and was coming to LA. crisis. There should be nothing pro- viewers to its cable news sibling. — news anchors and commenta- tors were cautious about drawing for the Latin Grammys. When told of the catastrophe upon landing, Suss• prietary about it,' " a CBS spokes• ESPN broadcast ABC News' woman said. coverage. VH1, MTV and CMT any conclusions about who was re• man and seven other LA-kurkl passengers rented two cars in Kansas and sponsible for the terrorist attacks. drove in to L.A.—to learn them wem to be no Grammys, Emmys, etc— CBS News topper Andrew Hey- ceased regular programming and ward contacted CNN Newsgroup instead aired CBS News coverage "The same standards apply to What about the other award shows? Security has always been the byword this story as to any other story — for these high-profile, celeb-heavy events. After being out front at the Os• chairman and CEO of the disaster. CNN aired directly and NBC News prexy Neal Shapiro, on its sister nets TBS, TNT and people need to use good news judg• cars these 55 years, I know only too well how the caution and protection ment. I don't think there t any spec• have increased every year. This year is a new venue: the Kodak Theater in who readily agreed to sham Ibotagc. Turner South, while ShopNBC turned to MSNBC's coverage. ulation going on," an NBC News the Hollywood Blvd. & Highland Ave. complex. And I mean complex — The exchange marked unprece• dented cooperation among the usu• "Wt^view our networks first and spokeswoman said. them am many openings in the various structures and several streets. Acad ally uncompetitive newsies. ABC foremost in times of tragedies like CNNt Aaron Brown said, "In president Frank Pierson was well aware of them as we talked Tuesday. We and Fox were not contacted since this as ways to get information to our reporting, we're going to be a have both examined the buildings. He allowed that the issue of security is they already sham footage with people," said Jeff Shell, president bit conservative. This is already a real one. "No question. I have already scheduled a security meeting. It is CBS through Network News Ser• and CEO of Fox Cable Networks horrendous, and we don't need tog a different situation from downtown (the Shrine and Dorothy Chandler vice (NNS). Group. "We'll continue to do this make it worse." " Pavilion)"... Another high-profile showbiz event requiring high security "We're competitive by nature. until further notice." Because of the newsies' re• is the annual (this year, Dec. 3). Tuesday, George straint, little misinformation was Stevens Jr. in DC. had moved his staff from their Kennedy Center offices Peter Bart Charles C. Koones circulated, but there were a couple to his house to conduct business after the Pentagon and World Trade Cen• Vka President. Group Vice President, of minor glitches. ABCa Peter Jen• Editor-in-Chief Publisher ter Towers were struck and DC. virtually closed down. He reminded that FOUNDED 1933 nings reported that a car bomb ex• Steve* Qaydos, Elizabeth Guider WWW.VARIETY.COM Michael Evans ploded outside the State DepL, which the gala is always carefully checked because of the president^ presence as Executive Editors US Publishing Director turned out not to be true. well as the celebs. Dogs check the theater from top to bottom four days Timothy M. Gray. LOS ANGELES Craig Madalyn Todd Cunningham 57mw*aWabM,Sm120. Hitchcock Hammond CNN, along with virtually every ahead as well and the president arrives by a separate entrance. Stevens pos• Managing Editors WWCoeASme* A##oc»es itively noted, "I am confident that the USA will be very functional by the Los Angeles, CA 90036 Advertising Director Publisher other national broadcaster, had a Phil Gallo 323-K74800, Fa 323-965-4468 time of our awards—and sooner." And the bicoastal Stevens further said, Associate Editor Lionel 0'Hara Andrew Lerman transmitter atop the World Trade EAMW 323465-4478. Intl Sales East Coast Center. The news net lost access to "I'm not going to stop flying. Ybu cannot live in fear." Mlchaol Spalar, Fa 323-857-0*4 Director Sales Director Klratln Swanson backup transmitters when the Em- Assistant Managing Editors NEW YORK Henry Shapiro VP/General Manager Vanety.Com pire State Building was evacuated. ING ABDULLAH II OF JORDAN was to give a small dinner Lindsay Chanty, Dado Hay**, 246* 17m SL Ik* York, NY 10011 Carole Moral Advertising 212-337-7002 Jim Owttrldge Having lost their WTC transmit• party for Jack Valenti in L.A. today, with Valenti winging out from Senior Editors Fm 212-337-605611 Controller ters, Gotham stations WWOR, Jill Goldsmith Em*** 212-337-7001 Kelly Jones DC. Jack, of course could not fry hem; the King, a movie fan who Production Director WNYW, WNET, WPIX, WABC K N.Y Editor Fmx 212-337-6077 once did a walk-on on "StarTrek: The Next Generation," also quickly al• J-C Suares Bruce Irosnan lob Butler and WNJU () were tered his plans and winged home (in his own plane, of course) Tuesday. Creative Director Art Director Production Manager knocked off the air either temporary Patricia Sapersteln, Tom Tamp fCAns. Fred Haley Managing Editors, Special Reports Dir. of Systems and Technology ily or all day. Turn to page 18 Tad Smith President, Media Division (Melissa Grego in Los Angeles Volume 273 Number 8 contributed to this report.) Miss one? Catch up at Variety.com/army