Personalities (1990)

When he was the host of CBS' Nightwatch, Charlie Rose was an insomniac's dream — he spoke in a low, lulling voice and asked intelligent questions that never sought sensationalism. It's understandable that Rose wouldn't want to stay in Nightwatch's wee-hours-of-the-A.M. time slot forever, but did he have to use Personalities as his escape hatch?

A third-rate Entertainment Tonight, Personalities has all the glitz and superficiality that Rose used to avoid. ''Today's cover story: A Sunday-night hero,'' Rose announced one day recently. ''Keenen Ivory Wayans!'' Chatting up the star of In Living Color, Rose was the worst sort of flack-hack, setting up anecdotes to which he already knew the punch lines. ''Tell me about the funniest night of your life,'' he murmured, allowing Wayans to tell a story about a night out with Eddie Murphy that I've caught on TV and in at least two magazines already.

Day after day of smiling at stars flogging their new TV shows and movies- it's bound to make a smart guy like Rose go nutty. Help him out: If you don't watch this show, it'll be canceled soon, and Rose can get on with his life. D