Decades ago, “eccentrics,” “nut cases” and other New Orleans personalities enjoyed the spotlight of a late-night TV show. One reader’s question brings back recollections of the memorable “New Orleans Nite People.”
The question: “I remember hearing about a show called ‘Late Night New Orleans People.’ When did it air and where did it air? What was the format of the show?”
Delving into the often inscrutable landscape of old New Orleans media with the help of seasoned TV producers turned up two possibilities: “Late Nite New Orleans” and “New Orleans Nite People.”
“New Orleans Nite People” was a show that elicited strong, although mixed, reactions from the viewing public. Local DJ “Captain Humble,” a.k.a. Hugh Dillard, created the show in 1968, envisioning a local spin on the classic “Tonight Show” formula.
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The show aired on WGNO from 1968-70 and was briefly brought back for a one-hour special in October of 1987. Characters such as Ruthie the Duck Girl, Harry the Singing Mailman and Ding Dong the Singing Bird contributed to mingled feelings about the show, which was often accused of mining for shock value — one guest is said to have bit off a chicken’s head on air.
David Cuthbert, longtime New Orleans reporter and former writer for The Times-Picayune, had somewhat unflattering memories of the program.
“If memory serves… [the show] involved an ever-changing array of people yearning to be thought of as New Orleans ‘characters,’ whose entertainment value was nil,” Cuthbert said.
The show underwent more of a tonal shift when then-station owner Dave Wagenvoord took over as host. Wagenvoord reportedly dedicated more air time to sponsors, such as water bed promoter Red Kagan.
“New Orleans Nite People” was canceled shortly after the station was sold, according to Times-Picayune reporting. From the same scorching Times-Picayune account of the show: “It was deranged. It was disgusting. It was discontinued… an hour long edition of ‘Stupid Human Tricks’ featuring any eccentric or nut case who popped up in the studio audience or walked through the studio doors.”
The show has largely disappeared from the collective consciousness. Former WGNO producer David Jones, who joined the organization in 1980, said the involved parties had already left the station. Jones later tried to track down a couple of the characters to include in a new weekly series, but the search proved unsuccessful.
“In the ’70s they did produce a lot of odd ball shows,” Jones said via email.
The other show, alternately referred to as “Late Night New Orleans,” and “Late Nite New Orleans” was also treated none too gently in the local paper. Current WLAE-TV staff members did not have records of the show, but a Times-Picayune search turned up some information — in the form of another scathing review.
The show was announced as a joint project between radio station WTIX and WLAE. DJS Tony Ponseti and Jay Richards headed the show, set to launch September 1992. The two were meant to host “Late Nite New Orleans” every Tuesday, with new live musical acts broadcasted from the Palm Court Cafe in the French Quarter. But by December, multiple delays and a lack of funding led the Times-Picayune to term the show a “dead issue.”
From the December 1992 article on the show: “Once touted as its most ambitious local production ever, ‘Late Nite New Orleans’ instead has turned out to be one of WLAE’s biggest busts.”
While the two shows were ultimately short-lived, memories of the programming lives on.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
