Harry Connick Jr. is having a tough time getting famous friends to turn up for his new daytime talk show, The Wrap has learned.
"Harry," which NBC is syndicating to nationwide markets starting September 12, has reached out to the singer's former colleagues on "American Idol" for guest appearances during the show's crucial early weeks. But ex-"Idol" judges Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban, along with host Ryan Seacrest, have yet to commit, sources close to the situation say.
Nor are they the only A-listers to blow off "Harry." Former big-screen co-stars Sandra Bullock and Jodie Foster haven't said yes either, and the show has gotten a "thanks, but no thanks" from pop stars Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. Melissa McCarthy passed too.
Part of the problem is that "Harry" is a new talk show that no one has seen yet, and celebrities and their handlers tend to want to know what an environment is like before they go on set. And of course, every potential "get" has an available excuse — JLo is shooting her NBC cop drama "Shades of Blue," for example.
Another issue is that more established talk shows like "Ellen," "The Talk" and "The View" already have a claim on the most desirable guests, and there is no way they are going to follow a newbie like "Harry."
Connick may not have helped his case earlier this month when he told reporters at the Television Critics Association press tour that his show would not offer backstage pre-interviews to guests because that led to an "undercurrent of rehearsal and planning" during the actual on-camera chats.
He later backpedaled and said that talent could have pre-interviews if they really wanted them — although he added that, as a frequent on-camera guest himself, he hated pre-interviews.
