Downey flakeout
CBS will retain a portion of Robert Downey Jr.’s wacky comments regarding inductee Elton John when the network’s annual “Kennedy Center Honors” broadcast airs this Tuesday (9 p.m./Ch. 2).
While inducting John, Downey said “I’ve got three thoughts: Genius, on a more personal note, lifesaver, and the other, first lady.”
“When you see the show there’s a delayed nervous moment, then Elton is greatly amused,” the show’s producer/co-creator, George Stevens Jr., said yesterday. “Then there’s a big laugh.”
Stevens said all the presenters are edited. “Robert spoke for six minutes and everyone is cut down to around three minutes,” he said. Not included: Downey’s joke that he was suffering “from acute symptoms of another dual-diagnosis disease of mine: the ADD, of course, the altruistic Democrat disorder.”
Honored along with John are Joan Sutherland, John Williams, Warren Beatty, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.
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Chris Matthews and producer Tammy Haddad worked behind the scenes to get companies like Pampers, Microsoft and Toys R Us to donate gifts to wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center. It’s all part of tonight’s MSNBC special, “A Soldier’s Journey Home” – hosted by Matthews and airing at 7 p.m. – which takes a behind-the-scenes look at American servicemen and women under going physical and occupational therapy at Walter Reed.
Last, but not least:
* Ch. 2’s 11 p.m. newscast (Roz Abrams, Ernie Anastos) tops this past Monday with a lusty 10.0 (740,000 hhs).
* Broadcasting & Cable reports that the FCC, responding to an L.A. broadcaster attacking Howard Stern, says it won’t censor satellite radio – good news for Stern when he jumps to Sirius.
* Crusading Chris Cuomo tackles a non-profit hospital scandal on tonight’s “Primetime Live” (10 p.m./Ch. 7).
* Today: Micky Dolenz, CBS FM’s new morning jock (Jan. 10), hosts the annual IRTS fete (Marriott Marquis).
* Tonight: “The Insider” host Pat O’Brien reads “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” for the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s “Holiday at the Pops.” Details on tomorrow’s “Insider” (7 p.m./Ch. 2).
* Tony Lip, whose Carmine keeled over on last season’s “Sopranos,” celebrating the upcoming publication of his new cookbook, “Shut Up and Eat,” at Da Tommaso. Recipes from James Gandolfini, Vincent Pastore, Drea de Matteo and Edie Falco.