TV REVIEW : A Dull Start for Hedgecock

Beyond the inherent weirdness of watching Roger Hedgecock in the role of genial host and the gimmick of taking phone calls on the air, Channel 39’s new “Ross Hedgecock Report” is, in a word, boring.

The first week of the weekday show, which debuted March 11, was “full of weighty news and views,” Hedgecock told viewers last Friday. Weighty also translates as ponderous, and there was little in the one-sided discussions of insurance rates, water and the Great American Bank controversy to make viewers sit up and take notice, which is the producers’ goal.

Other than the presence of two local celebrities--Allison Ross and Hedgecock--the twist of allowing viewers to call in is the big hook that supposedly makes the show different. In general, the concept of phoning in to a television station is a little strange. Listening to someone on the phone while a television personality stares into the camera--in this case, Hedgecock--does not constitute scintillating television.

It works for Larry King because he brings in guests like Madonna. But Lester Snow of the County Water Authority is no Madonna. Neither is Gov. Pete Wilson, but the call-in system worked with him because it gave viewers an unusual opportunity to directly question the governor.

Longtime KFMB-TV (Channel 8) anchorwoman Ross, undeniably one of the most popular news readers in local television history, leads off each show with a short news roundup, after which her work day is just about done. Hedgecock takes over from there, doing interviews from a separate studio.

Each program ends with a story from Ross called “Allison’s Last Look,” probably the producers’ solution to the question, “What else can we do with Allison?” The answer, apparently, is “Not much.” The “last look” stories are nothing more than the standard cute people feature stories that end most television newscasts.

Thursday’s last look segment was about an actor who was featured in ads for a cigarette company. “He died Tuesday at the ripe old age of 85. He was a lifelong nonsmoker.”

Hedgecock got it. “That’s why he lasted until 85,” he followed, chuckling.

Outside such dynamic dialogue, everything about the show looks classy. The graphics are state-of-the-art. Hedgecock’s set, which vaguely resembles Al Pacino’s den in “Godfather Part II,” has a warm and cozy atmosphere, with wood tables, brick background and a window with a picture of the bay in it. The only thing missing is a fireplace.

Hedgecock’s segments are spiced with calls from viewers in an attempt to recreate some of the energy of the former mayor’s weekday morning show on KSDO-AM (1130). In the first few shows, Hedgecock didn’t shy away from slipping in a few plugs for his radio show. During a discussion about water conservation, Hedgecock invoked his familiar populist theme, referring to “people who use 175 gallons a day, like the people who call my radio show.”

Unfortunately, those people don’t seem to be calling the Channel 39 show. Maybe it’s too late in the day for Hedgecock’s morning radio listeners. Or maybe the station is overzealously screening calls. Whatever the explanation, the calls have been long on technical jargon and low on personality.

“How come ‘Family Feud’ isn’t on?” one caller asked Gov. Wilson, one of the few times last week that a caller managed to bring a little levity to the show.

In general, Hedgecock handles his role surprisingly well. He still has trouble projecting sincerity. His smile always seems a little forced, and he clearly has problems handling prompting from the director. But he emoted energy all week, and he displayed a basic understanding of television, looking into the camera and punching his dialogue.

Hedgecock shelved his foaming at the mouth radio persona, but his perspective was usually clear. In the first show, he interviewed attorney William Lerach, who is representing shareholders suing the board of directors of Great American Bank. Hedgecock clearly empathized with Lerach, gleefully prompting Lerach to tell his tale.

“Does it disturb you that Ed Gray was formerly an executive of the bank?” he asked at one point.

Hedgecock constantly mentioned fraud, but presented little evidence that the bank’s problems were anything more than the result of bad business decisions. Hedgecock explained away the one-sided segment by saying Great American officials declined to appear, which is hardly surprising, considering Hedgecock’s diatribes on the radio.

The Great American program graphically illustrated the show’s most glaring weakness. There was no conflict, no debate. When it’s just Hedgecock and a single guest talking, the program just lies there. For whatever reason, Hedgecock, with only a few exceptions, seemed unwilling to challenge his guests. Like the Lerach segment, an interview with State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi was flat, and a taped interview with an insurance broker did little to spice it up.

Maybe Hedgecock doesn’t want to attack guests for fear that no one will come on the program. But, without an edge to the discussion, a sense that something wild might happen, the show is nothing more than limp conversations about “weighty” topics.

By the end of the week, the producers appeared to have learned a few lessons. They changed the on-screen graphics to make more clear when a caller was talking, and they wisely broke up a Garamendi interview to go live to an interview with Supervisor Susan Golding at the water authority hearing.

However, the producers didn’t solve the problem of making the first week’s shows of interest to anyone other than politicos.

During Thursday’s program, in an attempt to tease the next day’s puff piece on hypnosis, they ran a graphic saying, “You’re getting sleeeepy.” The statement was more accurate than they probably realized.