Yesterday on “Oprah” Barbara Walters leaked some of the juiciest details in her new memoir, “Audition,” including memories of her affair with then-married Sen. Edward Brooke.
Tonight at 10 p.m. she’ll dish some more in an interview conducted by ABC News colleague Charles Gibson, for a special tied to the book’s release yesterday. Oprah Winfrey, former “20/20” co-anchor Hugh Downs, veteran ABC reporter Sam Donaldson and Walters’ daughter, Jackie Danforth, also talk to Gibson in “Audition: Barbara Walters’ Journey.”
Walters still does the occasional celebrity interview for ABC, but she left “20/20” four years ago after deciding the news business had gotten a little too salacious. Since then she’s concentrated on her daytime job as host and executive producer of women’s chat show “The View,” which has generated some salacious stories of its own with the stormy departures of Star Jones and Rosie O’Donnell the past couple years.
And Walters is certainly making a few of her own with the book. The biggest revelation is her 1970s affair with Brooke, which friends warned her could ruin her career because she was white, he was black. At the time, Walters was co-hosting NBC’s “Today” morning show.
But Walters also discusses her brief stint as evening news co-anchor alongside Harry Reasoner, with whom she had a prickly relationship, and her mixed feelings toward her mentally disabled sister, Jackie, who died 23 years ago.
Walters’ interview specials usually pull solid ratings, and though tonight’s is airing against decent competition in NBC’s “Law & Order” and CBS’s “CSI: NY,” it should perform well among total viewers. It certainly can’t be much worse than “Men in Trees” and “Boston Legal,” the two low-rated dramas that have filled the timeslot the past few weeks for ABC.
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A look at this week’s top TV draws
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WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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CBS
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“The Early Show” (N)
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CBS Sports personality Jim Nantz discusses his new book.
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7 p.m.
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ESPN
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“Major League Baseball” (S)
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The Indians take on the Yankees in New York.
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8 p.m.
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CW
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“America’s Next Top Model” (R)
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The remaining four impersonate Hollywood stars during a photo shoot.
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9 p.m.
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Fox
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“American Idol” (R)
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There will only be three remaining after tonight.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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“Criminal Minds” (D)
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The team tries to hunt down a stalker who crosses state lines.
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10 p.m.
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ABC
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“Audition: Barbara Walters’ Journey” (N)
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Walters discusses her career and, of course, pushes her new book after doling out a few juicy tidbits on “Oprah” yesterday.
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10 p.m.
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MTV
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“The Real World” (R)
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The roommates organize an intervention for Joey.
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THURSDAY, MAY 8
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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ABC
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“Good Morning America” (N)
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New York Yankees stars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez both guest.
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8 p.m.
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CW
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“Smallville” (D)
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A stranger attacks Lex, but it’s really a message to Clark.
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9 p.m.
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NBC
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“The Office” (C)
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Jim tries to secure a deal while golfing, except he has Andy and Kevin with him.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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“CSI” (D)
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Katey Sagal guests a TV sitcom star who’s murdered.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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“Grey’s Anatomy” (D)
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Seattle Grace enacts a date-and-tell policy.
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10 p.m.
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NBC
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“ER” (D)
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Morris sees a therapist after he’s robbed.
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10 p.m.
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ABC
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“Lost” (D)
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Locke finds out the location of Jacob’s cabin.
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FRIDAY, MAY 9
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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7 a.m.
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NBC
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“Today” (N)
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Actor Henry Winkler guests and Mary J. Blige performs.
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8 p.m.
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CBS
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“Ghost Whisperer” (D)
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Melinda looks back a murder that took place in 1979.
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8 p.m.
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ESPN
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“NBA Basketball” (S)
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A conference semifinal playoff game, teams still to be decided.
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9 p.m.
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CBS
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“Moonlight” (D)
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The grandson of one of Mick’s friends from WWII is kidnapped.
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9 p.m.
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Sci Fi Channel
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“Doctor Who”
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The doc learns some not-so-nice things about the human race.
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10 p.m.
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CBS
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“Numb3rs” (D)
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Our heroes look into the drive-by murder of a rap star.
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SATURDAY, MAY 10
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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2 p.m.
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NBC
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“PGA Golf” (S)
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Third-round coverage of the so-called “fifth major,” The Players Championship.
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3:30 p.m.
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Fox
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“Major League Baseball” (S)
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Yankees-Tigers, Cards-Brewers or Diamondbacks-Cubs.
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7 p.m.
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Fox
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“NASCAR Racing” (S)
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The Dodge Challenger 500 from Darlington, S.C.
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8:15 p.m.
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ABC
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“NBA Basketball” (S)
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The playoffs come to broadcast primetime, teams still to be determined.
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9 p.m.
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Sci Fi Channel
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“Aztec Rex” (M)
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Spain’s Cortes finds an Aztec tribe that offers human sacrifices to a T-Rex.
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11:30 p.m.
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NBC
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“Saturday Night Live” (C)
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Shia LeBeouf hosts, My Morning Jacket performs.
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SUNDAY, MAY 11
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Time
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Network
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Program
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Description
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2 p.m.
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NBC
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“PGA Golf” (S)
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Final round of The Players Championship, won last year by Phil Mickelson.
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3:30 p.m.
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ABC
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“NBA Basketball” (S)
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More conference semifinal playoff action.
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8 p.m.
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CBS
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“Survivor” (R)
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Season finale. Two-hour finale followed by the hour-long reunion show.
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8 p.m.
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Fox
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“The Simpsons” (C)
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Homer’s mother dies before he can forgive her for abandoning him.
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9 p.m.
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ABC
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“Desperate Housewives” (D)
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Carlos and Gaby find out a secret about their new tenant.
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9 p.m.
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Showtime
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“The Tudors” (D)
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The Catholic Church loses power during Reformation.
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10 p.m.
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ABC
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“Brothers & Sisters” (D)
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Season finale. Kevin and Scotty move their relationship forward.
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A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.
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