NHRA News: Force to guest star on The Dennis Miller Show (5/22/2004)

Force to guest star on The Dennis Miller Show

5/22/2004

John Force

It's a measure of the changing perception of drag racing as a more mainstream sport that 12-time NHRA POWERade champion John Force will appear Tuesday in primetime as a guest on The Dennis Miller Show on CNBC.

"You know, I've done a number of TV shows," Force said, "everything from King of the Hill on Fox to The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. They are always fun and I enjoy doing them.

"But what I love about Dennis Miller is that he just let's it fly and, if you don't like it, well, that's tough. If you really want to know what's going on in America, just listen to him and he'll tell you how it really is. I listen to his politics but I know he has a love for music and the theater. He's consistent, and that's what I like about him. I'm really excited."

Force, winner of a record 110 NHRA tour events including this year's O'Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol, Tenn., will tape his segment of the show Tuesday afternoon at the NBC studios in Burbank, Calif. His co-star for the appearance will be the "11-Time Champion" special edition of his 325 mph Castrol GTX Ford Mustang Funny Car.

The Dennis Miller Show airs Tuesday from 9-10 p.m. (ET) and replays at 12 midnight (ET).

"I know that (Miller) had Richard Petty on there as a guest," Force said, "so I know I'm in good company, but I'm proud that he's taken the time to take a look at drag racing on mainstream TV.

"I just think there are a lot of things I can share with a new audience that doesn't know about a sport that runs at 300 mph," Force said. "The closeness we have with the fans, the technology, it's a great sport and I look at it as a chance to tap into a new market.

"We'll have one of our cars on there and they even said I could come on in my uniform instead of suit and tie. I've done a lot of sports shows with celebrities, but I look at this as one of the times John Force can really be off the wall. I think it'll be a lot of fun and I hope a lot of drag racing fans tune in."

Miller is a five-time Emmy-award winner for his critically acclaimed half-hour live talk show Dennis Miller Live, which recently ended its nine-year run after 215 episodes. He has also been cast in feature films including 1994's Disclosure, 1995's The Net and 1996's In October 2001, HarperCollins published the fourth edition of Miller's popular books, The Rant Zone, now in paperback. Miller's previous books, I Rant Therefore I Am; Ranting Again and The Rants have all been New York Times bestsellers.

For two seasons, Miller worked the booth alongside Al Michaels and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts on ABC's Monday Night Football. He also was the "Weekend Update" correspondent on Saturday Night Live for six years.

Of Miller, the New York Times said, "Mr. Miller is exquisitely attuned to contemporary foibles...his material can be scathing, his delivery low key...Mr. Miller reaches a bit farther than most comedians for the scorching comment...this smart aleck has an uncommonly sharp eye..."

The Hollywood Reporter called The Raw Feed, his most-recent HBO special, "an hour of topical, scathing brilliance that helps cement Miller's status as the Lenny Bruce of the new millennium ... the most cerebral, astute and clever stand-up ever to put mouth to microphone."

Put Miller together with drag racing's own "King of the Quip," though, and who knows where the conversation might go.

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