Cynthia Littleton
Editor-in-chief: TV
@Variety_Cynthia
“The Arsenio Hall Show” has stopped production, marking an abrupt end to the host’s efforts to restart his latenight franchise in syndication.

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CBS had said that the show would return for a second season, but the latenight strip was facing significant downgrades from stations and the Eye determined that the show would not be financially viable. The show was in reruns this week and will not resume production. The show’s last original seg was May 21.

SEE ALSO: Arsenio Hall: CBS, Tribune Bet on Host for Latenight Syndie Show

CBS said in a statement: “Unfortunately, ‘The Arsenio Hall Show’ will not return for a second season; while there are many loyal fans of the show, the series did not grow its audience enough to continue. Arsenio is a tremendous talent and we’d like to thank him for all the hard work and energy he put into the show. We’d also like to thank Tribune and all our station group partners for their support of the show.”

Hall had sought to rekindle the success he had in the late 1980s and early ’90s with his syndie yakker. The revived show, a joint production of CBS and Tribune, started out with promise last September but could not maintain its early momentum and struggled with guest bookings. Original showrunner Neal Kendall was axed after one month into the show’s run and a permanent replacement was never set.

The return of Hall was part of an unprecedented shakeup in the latenight TV lineup during the past two years. At the time plans for Hall’s return were first announced in June 2012, ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was still airing at midnight and Jay Leno was still firmly in control of “The Tonight Show.” Back in his heyday, Hall was a hip, urban-friendly alternative to Johnny Carson; this time around, he was one of many alternatives in latenight.

“Arsenio Hall” staffers were floored by the news of the shutdown that was announced Friday afternoon at the show’s offices on the Sunset Bronson studio lot that is home to Tribune’s KTLA, which carried the show in L.A.

The news came as a shock because CBS and Tribune had previously committed to a second year of the show. Leno even made a special visit to the show to announce the season two pickup, his first TV appearance after exiting “The Tonight Show” in February.

Hall could not immediately be reached for comment.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

I was happy to hear his show was coming back and semi-anxiously awaited its premiere several months in the future at the time ... I don't know that I watched more than 20, maybe 30 minutes, before switching over to the paint-drying channel or whatever else was on that was better ......

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

Tee hee

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

EWTN

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i recall seeing the clip where leno gave him the letter telling him he was picked up a for a second season.... looks like someone jumped the gun... or perhaps pulled that as a stunt to force CBS to give him a shot at a 2nd season... i dunno.... late night talk shows are pretty much useless.... listen to 3-4 minutes of scripted conversation or talking points then the last 2 to plug a movie or tv show.... yawn