Grammer Tries to Save His 'Back'

By LYNN ELBER,

Posted: 2008-05-15 06:40:34

Filed Under: TV News

LOS ANGELES (May 15) - Actor Kelsey Grammer, whose latest sitcom, "Back to You," was canceled by Fox after one season, said Wednesday he has personally lobbied CBS executives to give his show a second chance on their network.

But the Emmy-winning veteran of "Cheers" and "Frasier" is finding that his star power may not be enough to save the newsroom comedy, which Fox announced last week would not return in the fall.

Grammer, 53, told Reuters that he called CBS Corp chief executive Leslie Moonves Monday to suggest a pickup, and that Moonves told him his network was "thinking about it."

A follow-up call the next day to Nina Tassler, the CBS Entertainment president, was less encouraging, Grammer said.

"She dismissed it," he recalled.

So did viewers and many critics.

Grammer plays a pompous TV news anchor who lands back at his old Pittsburgh station with his former co-anchor and paramour, played by "Everybody Loves Raymond" co-star Patricia Heaton. With its big-name cast and producers, it is one of the most expensive comedies on U.S. television.

Grammer, who gained fame playing a pompous shrink for 20 years on "Cheers" and its spinoff "Frasier," said he was surprised by Fox's cancellation, and felt the News Corp -owned network had not given the series enough time to establish itself.

"I really believe in the show. If I didn't I wouldn't have tried to fight for it," he said.

As a kind of throwback to the traditional TV sitcom genre, "Back to You" was widely seen as an odd choice for Fox, a network better known for cartoon fare such as "The Simpsons," edgy dramas like "24" and the hit talent show "American Idol."

The season finale of the show, its very last episode unless another network comes to the rescue, aired Wednesday.

It is rare -- but not unprecedented -- for a network to rescue a rival's reject. Walt Disney Co's ABC will next season take over the veteran hospital comedy "Scrubs" from NBC, a unit of General Electric Co.

Many have suggested CBS, looking to expand its comedy offerings next season, might be a more natural fit. But the most-watched network earlier Wednesday announced plans to launch fresh sitcoms on the back of existing fare like "Two and a Half Men" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine."

Grammer is not alone in his quest to keep "Back to You" alive. A spokesman for the show's producer, 20th Century Fox Television, said the studio would "love to explore" options at other networks. Grammer said he has heard little from the studio.

20th Century Fox Television, a corporate sibling of the Fox network, makes shows for all the networks.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

2008-05-14 07:09:02

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469 comments

zenhen 07:50:29 AM May 15 2008

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Well it's me again hope I didn't say something wrong! I stated that if the show New Amsterdam is cancelled, then I think the network doesn't know a good show when they've got one. So if Back to You is cancelled, what is the big surprise?

zenhen 07:47:54 AM May 15 2008

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Well if New Amsterdam is cancelled then I think the network doesn't know a good thing when they've got one!

aqv27 07:34:56 AM May 15 2008

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The wheels are coming off at Fox faster than Hillary Clinton's campain. Any show that is intelligent, has depth of chacter, and is directed towards a slightly adult audience, has gotten canned. I loved "New Amsterdam" and "Cantubury's Law". They finished their "Season" and I guess it's over for them. The only good show Fox has left is "House" and I'm sure they will screw it up before it's all over.

sunnyone934 03:24:06 AM May 15 2008

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The people who run all the major tv networks are some of the most corrupt, inept, brain-dead troglodytes to ever walk the face of the earth. What else would you expect than for them to cancel one of the best shows on the tube? They do it all the time while keeping ludicrous twaddle around forever. That wouldn't bother me if it were not for the inescapable fact that degenerate tv is most surely destroying my society and my nation. Just turning it off does not deal with that problem, does it? I'm looking forward to the day when we shuffle the deck and start over with a new game and new players.

rrrides1 02:33:52 AM May 15 2008

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FOX TV EXECUTIVES ARE CAST OFF NO BODIES FROM THE NBC NETWORK WHO IS NOW IN FOURTH PLACE AND THESE FOX GUYS COULDNT EVEN CUT IT AT NBC!
SO NOW THEY ARE AT FOX TRYING TO RUN IT INTO THE GROUND TOO! WHAT WILL THEY HAVE WHEN OLD AND STALE AMERICAN IDOL LOSES MOMENTUM.....NADA!

NOT SUPRISING THAT THEY WOULD KEEP LOUSY SHOWS AND ALL THEIR REALITY CRAP AND CANCEL ONE OF THE ACTUAL SMART COMEDIES WITH CLASS A TALENT LIKE "BACK TO YOU".

STUPID EXECUTIVES I TELL YA! THEY SHOULD BE CANCELED AND PUT OUT TO PASTURE.

NRudi14 02:31:52 AM May 15 2008

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This is disappointing. It was a great show so of course Fox would cancel it. Fox has been going downhill the past couple years replacing anything good with a stupid reality show. If there's a petition to keep "Back to You" on the air I would love to sign it. Keep fighting Kelsey!

fra15 01:51:18 AM May 15 2008

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Who cares the good shows are long gone. Like the ones we used to watch when I was a kid and I am 61. Bring them kind of shows back they was good.

Imzadi1988 01:45:08 AM May 15 2008

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the writers strike made people think of better things to do then watch tv and now they don't want to go back to tv. I think thats a positive thing. plus this show was boring

pmsteimle 01:10:45 AM May 15 2008

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I LOVE Hell's Kitchen.... but I haven't really noticed a "right-winged" agenda in the show. Reality TV is a lobotomy....but a really FUN lobotomy... Can't wait for next week's Hell's Kitchen. According to the previews it's going to be "The most EXPLOSIVE, UNFORGETTABLE, SURPRISINGLY UBELIEVABLE episode yet." mmmmmmm..........tv........

sfirstpr 12:56:15 AM May 15 2008

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I loved this show. As Kelsey said, it was "edgy" (no laugh track); hilarious writing and execution of those lines, and a bright cast with great comedic timing. Yeah, Fox, here's an idea... what about a REALITY show?!! Most of them totally suck and do nothing but let indulgent, ridiculous morons strut around a camera. Ugh. Sorry, Kelsey - I was a big fan! (And I love "Medium" which you executive produce - please don't let that go away!)

kellax2 12:32:24 AM May 15 2008

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I love this show. You suck FOX.

arjayrabar 12:14:24 AM May 15 2008

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Fox sucks period. If a show doesn't promote a right-wing agenda it just doesn't make it. Sorry Kelsey and Patricia, maybe a real station will pick up the show next fall season.

jinxblues 12:12:26 AM May 15 2008

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Kelsey makes more money in residuals from "Cheers" and "Frazier" in one week than everyone on this board makes in a year.

Now he's whining that he wants more more more . . .

Save your sympathy for someone who deserves it . . .

Shayleeava 12:09:46 AM May 15 2008

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I am soo sick of TV nowadays!!! All they show are "reality" shows- here's a reality- Not that many folks are on an island trying to win a mill. Amerrican Idol is for teenyy Boppers and folks with nothing better to watch. WHY????????????
Because every DAMN (sitcom) show that comes on gets bagged. So if everyone BANS all the BS shows - American Idol, Survivor etc etc etc Maybe then the TV execs will have to conform to what WE the viewers WANT and not the CHEAPER made ( because of scripts, sets, Etc)"reality shows