The Arsenio Hall Show
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The Arsenio Hall Show was a talk show which aired on late night in syndication from 1989 to 1994. It starred comedian/actor Arsenio Hall.
Hall had been a host on The Late Show, another talk show on the Fox Broadcasting Company, after the dismissal of Joan Rivers. Although he was popular in that job, his 13-week contract was not renewed, and he signed with Paramount Television to do this show before Fox finally decided they wanted to keep him.
Hall's show was aimed at the younger urban audience, with African American performers often featured. Jay Leno taking over The Tonight Show and the arrival at CBS of The Late Show with David Letterman eventually led to a slide in Hall's ratings (since the series appeared in many markets on CBS affiliates, which had been offered inexpensive drama series Crimetime After Primetime, the abortive Pat Sajak Show and The CBS Late Movie in that slot for years). The show was cancelled in May 1994 due to low ratings and aired its final episode in August.
Presidential candidate Bill Clinton's appearance on the show, in June of 1992, is often considered an important moment in Clinton's political career.