DAVID FRIEDMAN EXTENDS CONTRACT FOR TWO MORE YEARS AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF NBC'S "LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY"
NEW YORK �- February 1, 2005 �- NBC announced today that David Friedman's contract as executive producer of "Last Call With Carson Daly" has been extended through September 2007. "Last Call with Carson Daly" is NBC's latest addition to its No. 1-rated late-night lineup now in it's fourth season (M-Thu.1:35-2:05 a.m.and Fridays 1:35-2:35a.m.ET). The announcement was made by Rick Ludwin, Senior Vice President, Late Night and Primetime Series.
"We're so happy he's agreed to continue," said Ludwin. "David has done an outstanding job as executive producer of Last Call with Carson Daly. He's passionate about the show and about NBC's late night."
Added Friedman: "I am thrilled to continue with NBC and on Last Call. The network has given the show enormous latitude to try many exciting things and Carson and I look forward to doing even more in the future."
In addition to the successful late night show, Friedman most recently executive produced the network's first-ever New Year's Eve primetime special, "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly."
Following "Last Call's" premiere January 8, 2002, Friedman has continually evolved the show's format, with special one-hour episodes on Fridays, bringing in week-long house bands and musical guests including Joss Stone and Gavin DeGraw, and spearheading cutting edge bookings. Most recently the show hosted Grammy nominated Green Day in their only televised performance of "Jesus of Suburbia," the nine-minute centerpiece to their groundbreaking and critically acclaimed rock opera "American Idiot."
This season, "Last Call with Carson Daly" has averaged 1.5 million viewers overall, tying CBS' "Late Late Show" and ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" in 18-49 and beating them both in 18-34, despite airing 90-minutes later than Kimmel and an hour later than "Late Late Show" in much of the country.
In March 2001, David Friedman was tapped by NBC Entertainment President, Jeff Zucker, to helm "Last Call with Carson Daly," while working as a producer and development executive at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA. Friedman also consulted on "Weakest Link," served as supervising producer on "Fear Factor," and developed and produced the pilot "Goosehead TV."
Prior to his tenure with NBC Studios, Friedman spent six years at NBC News' "Today," where he earned an Emmy-nomination for producing. Friedman's responsibilities also included supervising "Today's" Olympic coverage in Atlanta and Sydney, overseeing multi-camera shoots with on-air talent and producing high-profile interviews and performances for the top-rated program. Earlier in his career, Friedman was a feature producer for the NBC primetime newsmagazine "Now" with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, and a researcher for the daily newsmagazine "The Real Story" at CNBC.
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