• Media Life, Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:30 AM

For the first time in years, there will be no celebrities pitching their talk shows at next week's National Association of Television Programming Executives conference next week. The trend follows a string of high-profile failures of shows hosted by Jane Pauley, Tony Danza and Megan Mullally, all of which lasted two or less seasons.

While a big name can attract viewers initially, most of thses programs went downhill ffrom there. That lesson of past celebrity flops seems to be that no matter how big the name, the show won't work unless it plays to the strength of that celebrity. That's the reason why Rachael Ray and Ellen DeGeneres have thrived, and Pauley bombed.

"A recognizable name doesn't necessarily guarantee success," says Bill Carroll, vice president and director of programming at Katz Television Group. "Where you have success is when you have a recognizable name and a product that plays to that individual's strengths, thus the audience's expectations are met."

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