Thanks to a cross-network premiere on TBS, TNT, and TruTV, comedian George Lopez's new talk show Lopez Tonight might be more watched in key demos (1 million viewers in the sacred 18-49 range on TBS alone) than The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Add up the pull of all three networks, and that number beats the regular key-demo viewership for Conan O'Brien and David Letterman. You're checking the roof for vultures, right? Frankly, this debut ratings spike for Lopez could be worse news. Clip of Lopez interviewing Kobe Bryant, as well as placating analysis, after the jump.
First of all, I like when network cherubs like George Lopez swear out loud and don't seem apologetic about it. Look, now Kobe's swearing! Everything's going great here -- minus Lopez's oddly schmaltzy question, "Do you know how loved you are in L.A.?" George, "the biggest trash-talker in the NBA" may have a clue.
If you're part of the klatch that thinks Lopez's unassuming, pandering humor doesn't measure up to Conan or Dave's high-brow lowbrow, it's safe to say Lopez Tonight's's stellar marks won't last. Debut ratings for talk shows featuring familiar faces never hold up, and soon their novelty whittles into a Jimmy Fallon-level complacency. Plus, George Lopez isn't exactly worth protesting, what with his pseudo-original brand of self-deprecation and personable harmlessness -- and if you haven't been keeping track, there are other comedians whose success everyone should resent. Go on, guess.