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Saunders: Woodruff's survival story

Published February 26, 2007 at midnight

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ABC's Bob Woodruff, critically wounded in Iraq 13 months ago, returns to television Tuesday to tell his survival story.

And the ABC News correspondent will appear regularly throughout March on a variety of news and talk shows, discussing his experiences and plugging a companion book, In an Instant: A Family's Journey to Love and Healing, written by his wife, Lee.

Woodruff's initial Tuesday appearance will be on ABC World News with Charles Gibson, a program Woodruff was co-anchoring with Elizabeth Vargas when he was injured.

On Jan. 29, 2006, Woodruff was riding in a vehicle on a road near Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, when a bomb exploded, causing Woodruff severe head injuries.

News photographer Doug Vogt was less seriously wounded.

The major Tuesday event is To Iraq and Back (9 p.m., Denver's 7), an hourlong documentary featuring video of Woodruff talking about his survival, recovery and the part played by soldiers, doctors and family members who helped save his life.

The hour, aired on the second-to-last night of the February ratings sweeps, obviously will give ABC an audience boost.

ABC News hasn't provided a preview of the hour. A network spokeswoman said last week that the hour hadn't been completed or edited.

Woodruff, along with family members, ABC News President David Westin and other news types, will attend a theater-type screening tonight in New York.

After Tuesday's programming, Woodruff and his wife are scheduled to make the interview rounds during March with notable TV figures including Larry King and Wolf Blitzer (CNN), Greta Van Susteren (Fox News), Charlie Rose (PBS), Chris Matthews (MSNBC) and Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres on their weekday syndicated talk-show programs.

Some cynics already have raised the question about interview overkill, noting that the volume of scheduled appearances smacks of a heavy promotional pitch to sell the book.

Woodruff's survival is an engrossing, legitimate story, particularly in this era of high-profile broadcast journalists. Much has been written noting that his survival and relatively quick recovery are based on expert medical care, his desire to recover and family love.

TV overkill?

We'll wait and see.

Time to dance

I've always thought that Dancing With the Stars, ABC's hit reality series, has been guilty of misleading promotion.

"Stars"? Not really. In the past we would have even hesitated to call the participants "fascinating personalities."

But fascinating certainly applies to the new group of dancers to be featured when the series returns March 19. The list:

• Heather Mills, estranged wife of Paul McCartney, who wears an artificial limb, the result of a 1993 motorcycle accident that led to the loss of her left leg below the knee. She'll be the series' first physically handicapped dancer.

• Clyde (The Glide) Dresler, former NBA star noted for his smooth moves on the court.

• Vincent Pastore, known to fans of The Sopranos as mob guy Big Pussy. I can hardly wait to see him glide across a ballroom floor.

• Billy Ray Cyrus, the country singer who, a dozen years ago, might have qualified as a star.

• Laila Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali and a boxing champion in her own right.

• Joey Fatone, former *NSYNC member.

• Apollo Anton Ohno, Olympic speed skater.

• Leeza Gibbons, former TV host who once covered the Hollywood scene on tabloid TV programs.

Dusty's pick for tonight

The Black Donnellys (9 p.m., 9News). This new NBC series about the relationships and crime career of Irish brothers growing up in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York moves slowly at times during this premiere hour.

My advice: Stick with it. After viewing the first three episodes, the series, created by Oscar winners Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco (Crash), could be a compelling addition to dramatic network television.

Footnote: The Black Donnellys replaces Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, which may have had its final outing last Monday.

Ironically, the hour was one of the best of the season, highlighting poignant, humorous scenes in which the characters portrayed by Amanda Peet and Bradley Whitford cared for a "fake baby" while preparing for the impending motherhood of Peet's character.

A brilliant hour from creator Aaron Sorkin.

Today's nostalgia

On Feb. 26, 1985, NBC aired the final two hours of Evergreen, a three-part miniseries about three generations of an American Jewish family, based on Belva Plain's novel. The cast included Lesley Ann Warren, Ian McShane and Armand Assante.