'The Bill Clinton Show'?

By Stephen M. Silverman

06/17/1998 at 12:00 AM EDT

Talk about your "must-see TV": NBC, already home to the Emmy-winning Executive Office drama "The West Wing," recently approached TV producer Harry Thomason, a friend of the real-life current president, to see if Bill Clinton might be interested in hosting his own talk show once he leaves office. In confirming that bit of news to Reuters yesterday, NBC spokeswoman Shirley Powell said the concept for the weekly program was "along the lines of a 'Meet the Press.' " Clinton did not appear to bite, however. White House press secretary Jake Siewert told reporters during a Tuesday briefing in Washington that Clinton has said he "had no plans to do such a show." Nor, for that matter, does Thomason. He told The Washington Post that he and his producing partner wife, Linda Bloodworth Thomason are "too busy concentrating on our pilot with (chef) Emeril Lagasse to worry about the president's next job."