Doctor to Doctor: Dr. Ian K. Smith is getting the full treatment on “Dr. Oz” next month — with the daytime talk show devoting its entire hour to Smith and his newest book, “Shred: The Revolutionary Diet.”
Smith, the former NBC News and Ch. 4 medical guru, has been in full-on promotion mode since his latest book was published earlier this month, making many TV and radio appearances to spread the gospel of “Shred” (a new diet in which devotees call themselves “Shredders”). He’ll fill the entire hour of “Dr. Oz” next Wednesday, Jan. 2 (3 p.m./Ch. 5) in a sitdown chat with show host Mehmet Oz. That’s a huge promotional coup.
Smith also appeared on Steve Harvey’s nationally syndicated radio show (Harvey said he’s going on the “Shred” diet — and said Smith is “going to be my go-to guy”), and will also tape a segment on Harvey’s syndicated daytime TV show, “Steve Harvey” (3 p.m./Ch. 4), set to air sometime in January (Harvey will go on the “Shred” diet after being weighed-in).
Smith’s book is selling well and, with the explosion of social media, it doesn’t hurt that he has nearly 18,000 followers on Twitter, some of whom are helping to spread the word — with his so-called “Shredders” having also started a “Shredder Nation” feed on Twitter.
Smith, by the way, is a medical contributor on “Rachael Ray” and was the medical/diet expert on VH1’s “Celebrity Fit Club.” He also serves on The President’s Council of Fitness Sports and Nutrition.
More talk-show news: It’s interesting to note that Anderson Cooper’s “Anderson Live,” which has been cancelled by Telepictures after this season (its second), hit a season-high 1.2 household rating the week ending Dec. 16 — up 20 percent and the biggest week-to-week increase of any top 10 veteran talker. D’oh!
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“Ridiculous?” . . . “Aristophanes!”
While Ch. 11 has its holiday traditions — the Yule Log, marathons of “The Honeymooners” — maybe WLNY/Ch. 55 will start its own holiday tradition.
The CBS-owned station will air a marathon of “The Odd Couple” starting at midnight on Monday, New Year’s Eve, and running all the way through to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1. It’s bittersweet in light of the passing of “Odd Couple” star Jack Klugman (Oscar Madison), who died Monday in LA at the age of 90.
The 38-episode marathon (including the classic “Password” episode, referenced above) will be hosted by Ch. 55’s morning-show crew Carolina Bermudez, John Elliott and Lisa Kerney (“Live From The Couch”), which airs from 7 to 9 a.m.
“The Odd Couple,” starring Klugman and Tony Randall (as Felix Unger), originally aired on ABC from 1970-75.
(Interesting trivia note: “Honeymooners” star Art Carney originated the role of “lint-picker neatnick” Felix Unger in the original Broadway production of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” in 1965, opposite Walter Matthau’s Oscar Madison.)