Bizarrely, I actually had a sort of-connection with one of the later shows, though it's not what you think.
A few years after I'd moved into my apartment, I began to realize that I had the former phone number that had belonged to the actor John Ritter. (It wasn't the same apartment -- dream on -- just the phone number.) I'd get phone messages for "Hey, Chef," which made no sense to me, until -- putting it together with other calls for "John," and then a few other clues -- I realized he'd played a chef on Three's Company. Then, one day I got a message from Alexander Cohen himself, not a secretary, asking for John Ritter, inviting him to appear on his new edition of Night of 100 Stars. Because I knew it was a wrong number, but Alexander Cohen didn't know that, I decided that I didn't want him to think that John Ritter had stood him up and rudely ignored him. So, I called the number he left. I didn't speak with Cohen, but did talk with his secretary. No surprisingly, she was shocked that I'd called, but appreciative.
Years, later, my friend Rob Hedden was directing a TV movie he'd written, a thriller called The Colony. And the
star of it was John Ritter (along with Hal Linden). I always like visiting Rob's sets -- among other things, he has a great eye, and always cast beautiful women, but I digress -- but this time I really wanted to go, so that I could meet John Ritter and finally tell him the story. I did get the chance, and he thought it was a hoot. Sadly, he passed away not longer after.
Hey, I told you that this wasn't what you'd expect when I said I had a sort-of connection to Night of 100 Stars.
Digressions R Us.
But now, on with the show...