Howard Stern’s Monday-night debut on “America’s Got Talent” translated into strong numbers for NBC in the coveted adults 18-49 demo — but not much of a boost for the show in total viewers (at least compared to its average last season).
“Talent,” which aired from 8 to 10 p.m., averaged a robust 3.7 in adults 18-49 and snared 10.5 million viewers — compared to the combined 12.4 million viewers it averaged last season for its Tuesday and Wednesday night episodes.
It’s still early, of course, and one episode does not a season make — but it will be interesting to see if NBC (and Stern’s) all-out promotional assault — bordering on the obnoxious — will end up paying dividends in the long run.
Speaking of Stern, Jon Hein — who hosts “The Fast Food Show” on Sirius XM (with Jason Kaplan) and appears on Stern’s radio show and on Howard TV — kicks off his new Destination America series, “Fast Food Mania,” on Sunday, June 3 (10 p.m.).
In the 10-episode series, Hein — the guy who coined the phrase “Jump the Shark” (and sold his Web site for a boatload of cash) — will visit fast-food joints including Sonic, Taco Bell and Nathan’s in Coney Island to explore “all the one-of-a-kind wonders” the genre has to offer.
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As any historian of English television will tell you, the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II — telecast on the BBC, then the country’s only network — meant as much to the growth of the TV industry in the UK as did Milton Berle and his “T
exaco Star Theater” here.
(Sales of sets shot through the roof as Britons scrambled to buy TVs to watch the Coronation — much the same way Berle’s popularity as “Mr. Saturday Night” on NBC drove sales of TVs across the US.)
Well, it’s now 60 years later, and while I can’t speak to how English TV will commemorate the Queen’s Coronation, ABC News has tapped Katie Couric to host two prime-time broadcasts to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Couric, who kicks off her ABC daytime talk show this fall, has snared the only American interview with Prince William — and a chat with Prince Harry — for “The Real Queen: By Her Own Royal Family with Katie Couric,” airing Tuesday, May 29th (9-11 p.m.).
ABC also has the exclusive American broadcast rights to “Concert for The Queen: A Diamond Jubilee Celebration with Katie Couric,” airing on Tuesday, June 5 (9-11 p.m.). The concert features Paul McCartney, Elton John, Tom Jones, Stevie Wonder and Will I Am, among others (and, yes, Ringo was apparently snubbed . . . again. Is there no justice?).
“Good Morning America” will also air live from London on June 4th and 5th.
Speaking of “GMA,” it emerged victorious last week in its seesaw battle with “Today,” beating NBC’s morning show by a slim 60,000 viewers for the third time in the last five weeks. (“Today” won the all-important adults 25-54 race by nearly 140,000 viewers.)
Last, but not least:
*Hallmark Channel’s “Notes from the Heart Healer” averaged 2.5 million viewers last Saturday night with stars Genie Francis and Ted McGinley. Somewhere, Sheri Helmers smiles . . . WNET’s multiplatform local news magazine, “MetroFocus,” premieres tomorrow night on Ch. 13 (8:30) with a segment on “Education Innovation.” Rafael Pi Roman hosts . . . Michael Gargiulo (Ch. 4) emcees Lutheran Medical Center’s annual dinner dance this Saturday. Among the honorees: “Boardwalk Empire” creator/executive producer Terence Winter . . . Vy Higginsen’s Harlem-based Gospel for Teens Choir will perform live on this Sunday’s season finale of “Celebrity Apprentice” (9-11 p.m./Ch. 4) . . . Vincent Pastore and Tony Danza will officially launch Cha Cha’s Steeplechase amusement park in Coney Island (Stillwell Avenue) this coming Tuesday. It’s owned by John
Ciarcia . . . Happy birthday to Martine Charles (PRO Sports Communications).