Wayne Brady Yakker Yanked?
Low ratings may have ended Wayne's world.
According to the trades, Disney-owned syndicator Buena Vista Television has decided to cancel The Wayne Brady Show, the daytime chatfest emceed by stand-up comic Wayne Brady, who shot to fame trading zingers on ABC's Whose Line Is It Anyway?
A spokesman for the show confirms the cancellation but notes that the show will remain in production through the remainder of this season.
Despite improvising its way to two Emmys for Best Talk Show Host and Best Talk Show earlier this year, industry speculation that the hour-long Wayne was on the outs had been increasing over the last few months ever since Buena Vista gave the greenlight to a new yakker hosted by former Who's the Boss star Tony Danza.
In its second season, The Wayne Brady Show reached a new low in viewers, averaging a 1.0 rating, pretty much a drop in the bucket compared to the queen-sized 6.8 rating Oprah Winfrey routinely draws.
Reps for Buena Vista were unavailable for comment, but Wayne will continue to air new original episodes through May sweeps. After that, it's expected to be replaced by Danza's show.
That's not the only syndicated strip on the chopping block.
At the same time Brady was reportedly getting pink-slipped, Universal Domestic Television halted production on Crossing Over with John Edwards after its nationally-syndicated s?ance failed to connect with viewers in its third season and channel ratings above a weak 1.2.
Meanwhile on the network side, CBS' cop drama The Handler starring Emmy winner Joe Pantoliano suddenly found itself on the receiving end of a raw deal after the Eye network decided to scale back its renewal of the series from a full-season 22-episode order to just 15 segments.
While CBS execs were mum on The Handler's future, including whether or not it will air during February sweeps, according to Variety the show remains in the network's Friday night lineup. But for how long is the big question.
While The Handler scored strong ratings in its debut last fall, producers saw viewership pinched after NBC decided to air the popular drama Third Watch in the same 10 p.m. Friday timeslot.
A possible candidate CBS execs are eyeing to take over The Handler is Universal Television's new legal drama Century City, starring Hector Elizondo.
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