An agent I know who represents actors once told me that to be a movie star, it was no longer enough to be good in front of movie cameras. You also, he said, had to "give good panel," meaning you had to be able to go on a talk show and be witty and charming. According to this agent, you didn't even have to be that good at plugging your new movie. You just had to be entertaining…and if you were, people would then flock to see that film. Maybe.
Want an example of someone giving good panel? Here's Tom Hanks on the final episode of Late Night with David Letterman, which aired 6/25/93. He's everything a talk show host could want out of a guest…and take note of the skill of Mr. Letterman in his role. Someone obviously told him that Hanks had a great anecdote to tell involving Cher. Dave brings her up in a Carson-like manner, making it sound like conversation as opposed to a planned set-up…but Dave mistakenly thinks the story is about Hanks working with Cher. Not a problem in the least. Tom effortlessly redirects the dialogue to his days as a bellhop…which helps lead him into the story about Slappy White.
And then when he's aware that time for the segment is running out, Letterman slides into the plug for Tom's new movie, which is a lot less awkward than forcing Tom to bring it up. And through it all, Dave lets Tom do his panel with little interruption and the host makes no attempt to top his guest or do what some might call a "Milton Berle." That's when the other person on stage gets a big laugh and you try have to interject something to piggyback on that laugh and get a piece of it, even if it means stopping his flow. A lot of talk show hosts think, "If the guest gets a laugh, I have to get a laugh." The best ones know there are times when you have to be satisfied to be Bud Abbott.
And after Hanks, stay tuned for Dave's final words as an NBC on-air personality…