Shandling: It’s ‘Larry Sanders’ : Television: For a third time, the former stand-up comedian turns down a lucrative offer to host a late-night show, preferring to stay with HBO’s ‘Larry Sanders Show.’

Garry Shandling, whom CBS has been passionately courting for months to host a late-night TV series following David Letterman, finally put the issue to rest Wednesday with an announcement that his acclaimed comedy series, “The Larry Sanders Show,” will continue on HBO for two more years.

“What I can say, without commenting on any CBS offer at all, is that my commitment for the next two seasons is to continue working on ‘The Larry Sanders Show’ and doing projects in the off-season that I have time for and want to do,” Shandling said in an interview.

“That would preclude me from doing a nightly late-night show, because I couldn’t do (two TV shows) concurrently.”

CBS officials could not be reached for comment.

This marks the third time that Shandling has turned down lucrative offers to host a late-night talk show. He was first approached two years ago by Tribune Entertainment for a syndicated show. Then NBC bid $20 million for his services to take over the post-”Tonight Show” slot that Letterman vacated. And CBS topped that offer to get him to work there.

“I had difficulty turning Tribune down,” Shandling said. “They ultimately went on to hire Dennis Miller. I had enormous difficulty turning down the NBC offer, which was very generous, and which I took very seriously, because I love late-night television. It’s the form of comedy that I grew up on.”

Then why turn them down?

“I feel strongly right now that ‘The Larry Sanders Show’ and other projects will allow me to grow more as an actor and writer than those talk shows might allow me to do,” Shandling said.

After years of doing stand-up comedy, serving as a guest host on “The Tonight Show” and starring in a comedy series that ran on Showtime and Fox, Shandling’s star is burning brighter than ever.

The half-hour “Larry Sanders Show,” a comedy about the behind-the-scenes lives and machinations of a late-night talk-show staff, was nominated for eight Emmys Awards this year--including ones for Shandling as lead actor and for the show as best comedy series, the first time a cable program has been nominated in that category.

And Warren Beatty has scoped Shandling out to play his best friend and lawyer in a feature film remake of the 1939 romantic comedy “Love Affair,” which was also remade in 1957 as “An Affair to Remember.”

Meanwhile, Shandling has a deal with Columbia Pictures to write and star in a feature film. There are other projects on the drawing board--Shandling has been studying acting in hopes of launching a broader acting career--but he wouldn’t elaborate.

“I always feel it’s bad luck to talk about a project until it’s complete,” he said, then added, “which is why I don’t like to talk about relationships.”

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“Creatively is the only way to approach these decisions, because ultimately you have to live with them,” said Shandling’s manager, Brad Grey, referring to Shandling’s choice not to do late-night TV anytime soon. “You can’t look at those decisions on a financial level only. What’s more important is the creative decision as to where you’re going to enjoy working every day and how you want to spend your life.”

Not that there isn’t a financial aspect to the decision to stay with HBO. The 35 new episodes will bring to 65 the number that have been produced, enough for the series to be sold into syndication later, where the potential payoff could be enormous.

Indeed, two versions of some “Larry Sanders” scenes are filmed--reflecting the fact that HBO, as a pay-TV channel, is much more liberal in the language it permits than most broadcast outlets. Other lines will be edited out or looped over later.

“In syndication this show will end up being a lip reader’s delight,” Shandling cracked.

The renewal announcement came as committees of Academy of Television Arts & Sciences members prepared to convene this weekend to watch the Emmy nominees and cast their ballots. The awards ceremony will be held Sept. 19.

“I jokingly--that’s the key word there--told the staff and cast the day after the Emmy nominations that I normally don’t put any stock in awards. Although this year’s an exception because we got nominated,” Shandling said with a laugh.

“Larry Sanders,” despite positive reviews, does not receive high ratings on HBO. News of the nominations two weeks ago boosted everyone’s morale on the show, the star said.

“I could see the difference the day after the nominations because I think in a way they are a validation of the work,” Shandling said. “Since this is a show that doesn’t receive a mass audience on the network, you really don’t know if people are watching, or what they think.”

Shandling, who also is executive producer of the series with Grey, begins filming the last episode of the second season today, with guest stars Howard Stern and Chris Farley from “Saturday Night Live,” then moves on to “Love Affair” in September. The season finale will mirror Shandling’s real life right now as his character’s network is bought and Sanders has to make some tough decisions about his future.