BANGOR, Maine — UPDATE: Danny Cashman can't record the show at the Gracie Theatre while social distancing rules are in place, which has forced him to get creative with virtual interviews and skits in his basement. A trimmed-down version of The Nite Show still airs on Saturdays; 10:30 PM in Portland; 11:30 PM in Bangor; and midnight in Presque Isle.
On Wednesday nights in Bangor, you can usually find a good live show at Gracie Theatre on the Husson University campus; that's where Danny Cashman tapes a few episodes of his talk show, airing on Saturday nights all over the state.
It's like any late night talk show... there's an opening monologue; a band playing the host in and out of commercials; a sidekick; and guests. Guests, who come from all over the country to be on this small Maine production. Why? Some are intrigued by the request... others are impressed.
Overall, Cashman's goal is to just have fun and hang out with interesting people, like Marc Summers, the host of Nickelodeon shows like "Double Dare" and "What Would You Do?" Summers has been on the show three separate times, even inviting Cashman out to the Los Angeles set during a reboot of the series.
"He's been so supportive, he stays in touch and asks how we're doing, what our ratings are, tosses ideas around," says Cashman about his relationship with Summers.
Cashman first gave the show a try when he was 19-years-old. The show lasted for two years, until life got in the way. Eight years ago, the idea came up again. "If we're going to bring it back I would really want to do it with people who know what they're doing, in the old days we were borrowing cameras and didn't know what we were doing," Cashman admits. He also realized the need for a live studio audience, and stations that would actually air his show.
"Lo and behold, all three of those things happened and I got to this point where I said, 'Well worlds have now come together, the moons have aligned I can't say no now,' and the rest is history." He formed a relationship with the New England School of Communications at Husson University, which has helped create a moving set inside its beautiful Gracie Theatre; offers its students who run cameras and audio and keep the guests running on time. It's safe to say, after this most recent eight year run, Cashman has finally found his groove.
"We have an endless talent pool in this state and we have people who like coming here. We have flown people in to be guests on our show because they see what we're doing here and they also love Maine," says Cashman. "I think if we're on the air for another 20 years we aren't going to have time to get to all of the guests I want to have on the show."
Rob Caldwell and I were recently guests and he put us through a "best friend challenge" in which we had to answer questions about each other. Wrong answers meant a pie in the face. To see the clip, click here.