ARsenio HALL, the former prince of late-night television, returns with a vengeance to reclaim his crown. WooF! WooF!

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friends such as Alec Baldwin and Quincy Jones from nagging him about a comeback. I had paper and wasnt happy because I wasnt telling jokes and doing what I wanted to do. Winning Celebrity Ap-prentice in 2012, plus short stints on Access Hollywood and Piers Mor-gan Live only whetted his appetite for the limelight. I hadnt gotten it out of my system, he admits.

Like a realistic jokester, Hall is already working on material hell use should the show get canned. Theres no guarantee, he says as he looks out over Studio A1 with the view of the Hollywood sign in the distance. Im coming back and at the same time thinking that if I fail, Ill say it was a special.

Humor aside, even if just for a moment, Hall is banking on his seasoned skills and urban following to distinguish him from fellow talk show hosts the Jimmys (Kimmel and Fallon). Im trying to make history. Whether its discussing hot-button politics or let-ting Kanye West do a 20-minute set, Hall insists, I know what my grassroots audience needs. And if all doesnt go according to plan, he can always call Bobby Brown to do a killer performance of My Prerogative to blow the whole thing into one big house party. No matter what happens, if I fail, I did my best and I failed doing my thing, he says, flashing that megawatt grin. We can bark to that.

of the woofing and hopes his audience will continue the nostalgic show of love. When I go to the mall or when me and my son go to Disneyland, people bark. Thats how they say hello to me, says Hall. With a quick snap of his fingers, he spontaneously launches into a story about his son, Arsenio Jr., 14 (whose mother is Halls former manager Cheryl Bonacci), who has been trying to bargain with his dad to stay up late so he can attend the nightly tapings. Im like, How about Fridays? but hes like, Dad, you keep telling me this is history, Hall says, laughing. He got me.

Fatherhood, Hall admits, was what lured him away from Holly-wood after his first taste of famethat along with the complacency that often accompanies stardom. I approached [the business] like a fat, rich, lazy Hollywood artist who really wanted to be with his son, he says recalling a canned DreamWorks sitcom deal. All I wanted was some semblance of a family. Soon after, parenting became first priority, and carpooling and homework replaced 24/7 working hours and late-night partying with the likes of Magic John-son and Eddie Murphy. Hall is better at juggling daddy duties this time around: Part of being a dad is getting a call at 10:30 a.m. [from my son saying,] I forgot my lunch card, my locker key and all of that. But raising a teenager has its perks. Hes my consultant, says the proud papa, beaming as he recounts Juniors suggestion that he book Macklemore to perform on the show. It was so cool

fter all, Hall is no stranger to the ex-hilarating highs and stomach-drop-ping lows of show biz. Theres a fear, and I think thats what makes me not come back lazy; I failed in this town, says the 57-year-old entertainer and father. Smacking the conference ta-ble in his L.A. production office, he says, I know what failure feels like.

On the other hand, he knows that success is oh-so-sweet since step-

ping back into the bright lights in September, to now host the 21st-century version of his Arsenio Hall Show. Eyeing a stack of promo-tional posters bearing his name in big block letters, Hall grins. Its incredible to be back. The CBS hourlong nationally syndicated talk show [check local listings for air time] feels like home for the come-dic vet who is plotting to get Beyonc and daughter Blue Ivy on his stage, perhaps as the New Age version of Bill Clinton and his sax. Ill even take Matthew [Knowles], he jokes.

For his second act, Hall is taking the best of his previous talk shows format and remixing it with current affairs and musical acts, including The Posse, his newly formed house band. Once known for having his finger on the pulse of young America, Hall 2.0 aims at an older demographic, ages 35 to 55, which he considers the grown-up version of the rump-shaking college kids he used to target. Hes ditched the flattop, shoulder pads and baggy suits but, at press time, Hall is still debating whether to bring back his ultimate fan section, the Dog Pound. Not to worry. He has not tired

that he could say, Dad, I think this guy is cool, and up in Seattle, they love him. It reminds Hall of the slam-dunk debut of Snoop Lion (then Snoop Doggy Dogg) on the show in 1994 . Clearly, an eye for talent runs in the family.

Next year will mark 20 years since the original Arsenio Hall Show went dark. Throwback nostalgia, however, has its limits. Every-body thinks you come back and, Its Arsenio, so give him a show, but it wasnt like that, says Hall, admitting it took him five years to convince network executives to gamble on him again. I talked to one [executive,] and she looked at me like I farted, he says, eye-brows raised. She had no understanding of why I would want to come back after all this time.

playing to winNow shooting the new talk show on a fraction of the budget of his previous deal, Hall is not in it for the money. He has given up the company jet and lavish penthouses. The funnymanwho still feels like a 12-year-old practicing magic back in Clevelandhas returned to the late-night chair for one reason: He wanted that excitement back. After his good friend George Lopezs talk show ended, Hall was not only struck by the void left in his wake but also couldnt stop

theres a fear, and i

think thats what makes me not come back

lazy; i failed in this town. . . . im trying

to make history.

Then-presidential candidate Bill Clinton won over young American voters with a saxophone solo in 1992.

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Arsenio Hall, who once reigned supreme over 90s late-night TVs younger audience, is getting a second shot at fame, fortune and millions of woofing fans. And hes damned scared

Sitting in his corner office with a view of the Hollywood sign, Hall says, its incred-ible to be back.