While it’s no surprise NBC would eventually cancel The Paul Reiser Show—a contemptible premise (mega-rich celebs get no respect) and low ratings do not a long-running show make—you think they’d wait until after its star made his promotional appearance on the network’s late night program. And yet Paul Reiser was on Jay Leno‘s couch last night, predictably unhappy that his Curb Your Enthusiasm-lite sitcom had just been dropped after only two shows. “NBC, to my knowledge, they don’t traditionally make bad decisions,” Reiser drolly commented. “Have you heard that? I don’t know what your experience is.”
Ironically, Reiser defended Leno when Conan O’Brien was promptly re-replaced by Jay on The Tonight Show for not bringing in the numbers himself. But that didn’t keep the comedian from feeling slighted by the network’s own refusal to stand by his failing show despite years of service. “It turns out they said we enjoy missing you more than actually having you,” he joked. “But listen, I don’t take it personally, it’s a business decision…when you’re the last place network, you don’t want to jeopardize that. You’ve found your niche. Stay there. So I get it.” Actually, Paul, if they wanted to stay in last place, they’d stand by your stinker—but any network that lets the celeb they just shamed onto their late night couch deserves whatever slams it gets.
