Three, three, three plugs in one. That’s what actor Jeremy Piven offered on a recent edition of Dave Letterman’s show. Dressed in a pin-stripped suit with a too-tight jacket, too-long tie and sporting a five-o’clock shadow, Piven carries a humbleness that belies a layer of cockiness. When asked about winning three Emmys in a row, Piven said “I need more, Dave,” but you got the sneaking suspicion that he really meant it.

I think he was there to promote his new film Rocknrolla, but he also discussed his current Broadway stint in Speed the Plow and, of course, we couldn’t forget his TV show Entourage. Wow!

Piven was enjoyable, although sometimes it felt like he wasn’t completely listening to Dave. At one point, Dave asked an admittedly confusing question and Piven answered with a semi non sequitur that was just about what he wanted to say seeming as if he was getting coaching from a certain VP candidate instead of his publicist?  Dave wrapped the exchange up saying “It’s interesting because I’m not sure I understood my question and clearly you didn’t understand my question…” “I didn’t either,” Piven replied and quickly and cleverly added, “I felt like Sarah Palin. I was confused and I played through.”  To which Dave said “nice job.” And it was a nice job. Not stellar, but nice.

These types of reviews are classically tough for The Guest Whisperer.  I struggle with the ability to separate the person from the performance.  Whatever I think of Sarah Silverman’s well-cultivated brand, this site is dedicated to their talk show performances and that is what we choose to review.

Today Sarah Silverman is in a class by herself – no one can touch her blend of part cute, part smart, part over the top comedy, and firecracker delivery.  For some the over the top part can be hard to take, but she is unquestionably a breakthrough personality.  Sarah Silverman brought it all to Dave Letterman’s show booked to promote the debut of the third season of The Sarah Silverman Program on Comedy Central.

Upon arriving at the guest chair, Silverman stuck a Late Show T-shirt between and around her legs saying that her skirt was too short to sit in the chair. Perhaps she should have thought about that before she came out. If she did it strictly for the “bit,” it set the tone for a successful in-character performance.  Which is the only sticking point I have with the Silverman shtick.  You never really get a fix on the REAL Sarah Silverman; there is never a crack in the armor except for purely comic setup and release.  This can get a little tedious for the casual watcher, but she is in no way obligated to do more than entertain on a show like Letterman where sitting down is really a “stand-up.”

Silverman managed to avoid answering repeated and relentless questioning from Dave about the current state of her relationship with Jimmy Kimmel, even when Dave expressed his desire for them to be “happy together.” She can bob and weave with the best of them.  She did have a good rapport with Dave, even offering him suggestions on how to handle the upcoming appearance of (finally) John McCain. They did talk briefly about the return of her series. Though, she didn’t talk about her website and pro Obama movement, thegreatschlep.com., which in these final weeks of the campaign, I would have thought was one of the reasons for her visit. I guess her appearance was political enough and in the end her job was done.

Much less smug and much more humble than he used to be, Russell Crowe seems to have calmed down a bit these days. At least that’s the impression we got on his recent visit to Dave Letterman’s show. Crowe was down-to-earth while discussing his weight gain (“I was a big boy”) for his new film Body of Lies, his long-time relationship with Leo DiCaprio (their first film was 1993’s The Quick and the Dead) and his family, even quoting his young son in a discussion about cow poo versus horse poo. Just like a regular, doting dad!

Crowe came prepared with good stories from the set, from several sets actually and included the audience while he told them. He had fun with Dave and a prop he brought to illustrate a long-played practical joke on Leo (a small atomizer to simulate a sneeze) and even had Dave asking to have it done to him. “Oh yeah” was his response to the “mist.” And in a perfect example of knowing your host, he related his own experiences owning a rugby team to Dave’s owning a racing team – they both sign a lot of checks and get ignored.
My only criticism, and it’s a small one, is the extensive set-up he felt he needed to explain the clip. It wasn’t really necessary and I started to not only get confused, but also lose interest.  Otherwise he was low-key, funny and entertaining.

It seems family life has tamed the wild beast…at least on talk shows.

Kate Walsh is bright, bubbly and beautiful. We know the beauty part because David Letterman commented on it and her dress – a very tight, revealing little black number.
The bright you can sense from the way she speaks and carries herself – very poised - and the bubbly became evident during her many meandering stories…too bubbly and too meandering. Just a bit. She laughed a lot while telling those stories, which can be cute if done sparingly, but beware, too much can diminish your overall appearance.

Walsh did have some nice, clever moments, which made up for the giddiness – one political and one provocative. When discussing the fact that she was raised in Arizona, she added “I can see Mexico,” (a smart, current reference). And when Dave showed a few pictures of her, she commented about one in which she was wearing a very tight red-carpet dress, “it took a village to get me into that dress,” which set Dave up perfectly to respond “where do I sign up for that!” Always a good move to flirt with and make the host shine. They did briefly discuss her show Private Practice, but she also managed to plug a book she’s a part of (another sexy photo), Hollywood Pinups.
All in all, Walsh was entertaining and a good guest. I think if she reigns it is just a smidge, she could be a great one.

It’s often hard to walk out on stage when an interviewer has just taken a serious tone, as Julia Louis-Dreyfus was forced to do after David Letterman had just paid tribute to his friend Paul Newman. Louis-Dreyfus took the right tack by not trying to lighten up the moment immediately, but by adding her own comments and complimenting the organic nature of his Newman’s Own products. A nice tip of the hat to a great man and I’m sure Letterman appreciated it.  She was then able to segued into the now infamous non-appearance by John McCain on Dave’s show and his ultimate dissing of Dave by making it to a Katie Couric interview. She found that very rude.  So, in an effort to “show my support for you and sort of set the universe straight, I also scheduled an interview for exactly this time and I’m not showing up for it!”  Dave, afraid she was going to leave, asked her with whom. With perfect timing, she said “Katie Couric, of course.” They then cut to a shot of Couric sitting alone in the studio, waiting, staring at an empty chair. A nicely set up bit that obviously pleased Dave.

Most of the rest of the interview was an entertaining recount of her family vacation in Africa. “I’d like to go,” interjected Dave. “Would you? Well, listen to this,” she warned and proceeded to regale us with all the nightmares they encountered with lions, scorpions and baby black mambos.  Clearly Dave was souring to the whole adventure as the interview progressed.

They did finally get around to talking about her show, The New Adventures of Old Christine, which is in its fourth season. She wasn’t too happy with its season premiere being against Dancing with the Stars, but she said she wasn’t worried.  And she really shouldn’t be…she and Dave had a great time, laughed a lot, as did the audience.

John Krasinski is pretty nearly the ideal talk-show guest. Casual, quick, dry and funny as hell. Not only did he listen during his time on screen, but he obviously was watching show from the green room (the talk show guest’s “on deck circle”) even before he was on stage. This is a sure fire way to win the respect of the host and a golden opportunity to insert humor when the comic groundwork has already been laid for the audience.  It’s a nice trick that works nine times out of ten.  On his recent visit to Craig Ferguson’s Late, Late Show, Krasinski heard Ferguson talking about the trend of actors in commercials for the new fall TV season posing in over-the-shoulder model stances. Ferguson proceeded to do several versions for the audience… as did Krasinski when he came out, immediately endearing himself to Ferguson and the crowd.

As you know, we talk about knowing your host, your audience and your show before you make an appearance. That means doing your homework… and Krasinski did his, literally, and talked about it, too. In discussing Ferguson’s spot on the Emmys where he grabbed Brooke Shields’ ass, Krasinski said “ You got a little randy in your bit, didn’t you? That’s what they say in the UK, right? Randy? I did my homework for this show!” More brownie points.

Krasinski brought a little of everything to the show – from playing with the audience to talking directly to camera (to Eric Stoltz, actually) to impressions (Brando and a Muppet). And he made them all work beautifully. The only thing he didn’t do, which is a real Guest Whisperer no-no, is talk about his role in NBC’s The Office, which he was most likely there to promote. It’s a good thing Craig showed a clip at the top of the segment. This, of course, is partly the host’s fault, but you must remember why you’re there in the first place.  If a segment is going well by the hosts standards, then it is incumbent on the guest to subtly take charge and steer the conversation to the topic at hand.  This is primarily why I can’t give him a five out of five rating for this appearance.

I wish all guests were as clever, relaxed and entertaining as John Krasinski.  Next time we hope he can hit it out of the park.

Hayden Panettiere is the thinking man’s Paris Hilton…although Paris’ ensemble would have had more flair and color than Panettiere’s conservative, drab cowl neck sweater and tight-bunned hairstyle.

Panettiere’s first few minutes with Dave, smacked of Paris’ vapid, giggly persona, but then they started to get serious (deadly with Dave if you’re a hot young woman) and began talking about her summer trying to save whales in Japan.  They talked and talked and talked.  Not that her intentions weren’t good, but the stories about almost being hit by long poles and her vivid explanation of the bloody harpooning not to mention her feeling of imminent arrest, just didn’t play on Dave’s stage. Panettiere almost missed her objective of promoting the return of her series, Heroes, until Dave saved the day with a last minute exit plug.

Yes Hayden, we understand you aren’t just a kick ass cheerleader, you are a real, caring and intelligent person! Blah, Blah, Blah – next time save it for you Barbara Walters pre-Oscar special.  On second thought, have you considered blogging?

Shannen Doherty made quite the first impression on Dave Letterman recently…an impression that started before she had even entered the building. Prior to her actual appearance on the show, Dave and Paul watched video of Doherty exiting her car and crossing to sign autographs for fans. Cameras captured her every move, from her short, shiny dress glinting in the sun to her high heels with the red soles, as wolfishly commented on by Dave and Paul in the slow-mo replay. Unfortunately, first impressions don’t always lead to good second impressions or good interviews.  Doherty wasn’t as “put together” this night as is necessary for a successful appearance on the Late Show.  The look and prep that guests put into hair, make-up and fashion goes a long way on Dave’s turf.  Perhaps, a long day of promotion in New York may have taken its toll.

(Note to publicist: I know schedules are tight and big apple hotel rooms mid-week prices are high, but isn’t a good appearance on Letterman worth one more night in town? – she must at least be getting a decent per diem from the CW based on the money they’re saving on Tori!)

Dave and Doherty did chat about her new show, redux 90210, so she achieved that goal. However, while she did have a few funny stories and retorts (several revolving around shoes), overall she was trying too way hard to be provocative.  You got the feeling she had planned the “spontaneous” moments and even though Dave helped when he could, she couldn’t quite pull it off.  Maybe that’s why she hasn’t been on the show in 13 years.

Doherty needs to learn to lighten up, get a little more rest, and be herself. That would leave the right kind of lasting impression.