NEW YORK - CNBC reports that its latest talk show offering 'McEnroe' is not the flagging failure that the ratings would suggest. "We -- like our competitors -- have taken more of a boutique approach to programming," explained CNBC Senior VP Bob Meyers, "This particular show is targeted to the elderly Jewish female who also enjoys NASCAR, the so-called 'NASCAR Gram-mulke' market." While overall ratings have been 0.0 to 0.3 since the show's launch, "Our reach into our target market has approached 14%, a very impressive figure."

"We're targeting the so-called 'NASCAR Gram-mulke' market." -- CNBC Senior VP Bob Meyers

John McEnroe, a tennis star known for his aggressive even offensive personality, hosts the show bearing his name. Guests have included popular unknowns such as Tommy Davidson, Kurt Bush, Will Arnett and Yo La Tengo. "When Johnny Carson started the Tonight Show," said McEnroe, "He didn't pull in the heavy-weights, either. But look at him now!" In point of fact, The Tonight Show was originally hosted by Steve Allen. Johnny Carson, the third host of the show, has since retired.

"The show was a mistake from the start," said TV critic Harvey Bangwahler, "There's a foolish theory in entertainment that says if you're famous, you can also act, talk, sing, dance, and do anything else that might make the studios a buck. Before he had his own show, every word that tumbled out of John's mouth got him in trouble. Why would anyone imagine that would change?" Andrea Plummer, critic for the Boston Emerald, agrees, "If CNBC thought the show was any good, would that have felt the need to promote it so strongly? They were hoping the hype would carry them for a few weeks, like that '4400' show a few months ago. Everyone saw the pilot, but nobody's following the series. The only difference here, of course, is no one saw the pilot, either."

CNBC is not prepared to give up on the show just yet. "We have a lot of competition right now. We're going to go to repeats during the Olympic 'Hungry, Hungry Hippos' event, since our market and theirs so clearly overlap. But we're going to come back swinging in a few weeks," vowed Meyers, "Watch for it!"
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