>> announcer: coming this sent -- harry connick jr. is going solo with a brand-new tv show. he'll be singing, joking, and surprising folks at home. >> harry: nice to meet you. >> announcer: harry starts this fall but we're giving you a first look. hi, over the next half hour, we'll give you an inside look at "harry," the brand-new entertainment tv show hosted by the one and only harry connick jr. he's a sing or, actor and mentor. now he's going to put all of those talents to use. >> harry: how are y'all? i have a new show coming up called 12.

it's called "harry." it's going to be totally spontaneous. it's going to be like an adventure. is this your sandwich? we're going to do a little bit of everything. is that something you would watch? >> yeah, i'd watch it. >> harry: i know you were invited to the party. >> announcer: there will be plenty of familiar faces stopping by the set of the "harry" show this season. and we can be sure harry will be putting them on the spot. >> harry: i know you're a writer and an actor. i heard you can sing. >> next to you, if it wasn't next to you, i'd have a b-minus. now that it's you, i have like a d. >> harry: no, no, no. sit right here. >> oh, man. i swear to you. will you start it? >> harry: sure. i've been starting it for 45 seconds. >> announcer: harry connick jr. has had a lot of success. much of it, he says, comes from the love and guidance his mother showed him and the tv audience will no doubt see her influence

when his new show debuts. >> harry connick jr. is a man who loves his three daughters the most, his wife the best, but he's loved his mother the longest. that revered woman has been a trailblazer, a lawyer, a judge, and a former louisiana supreme court justice. >> do you wish your mom were still around to see your success? >> harry: i think about her every day. i was 13 when she died. all i remember of the things she taught me, she said be a leader. i didn't know what she was talking about when i was 8 years old. is that cut ahead in the lunch line? how does that manifest itself in third grade? what am i supposed to do? like march around the school yard with a bunch of kids in to you? i said, okay. i'll try. >> harry seems like he's known to channel that deep emotion. on his new show, he's found a way to honor his mother and all

women for that matter. >> harry: we're doing a segment called "i got this." a lot of people in this world really struggle. they don't talk about it. they just do it what they have to do, and they don't ask for any praise. >> that's led harry to the doorstep of many deserving women. >> harry: marjorie, nice to meet you. today we're going to give you a break. we're going to send you to a spa. and as for everything else that you do, i got this. >> this season on "harry," the camera crews will be surprising moms across the country and harry will be showing up without a script to take over. >> harry: i'm in the car leaving? [laughter] please don't. i'll count to 50 then. >> on this day, harry plays mr. mom in new jersey. >> harry: ready to go to

atlantic city? >> ready. >> harry: flapjacks. then we go home? >> yeah. >> harry: i love to try to make people feel better with what i know how to do. that's what my mom meant. i brought this from home. it's a roomba. >> it's that laughter and light-heartedness harry takes with him wherever he goes. >> harry: i know how much you guys like teenage mutant ninja turtles. dig in. >> not every musician has it in them to switch to stand-up and tell you a story without missing a beat. but it's the way harry's been doing it on-stage all his life. >> harry: in 30 years of performing or more, i've never really struggled to find things to say or to make a connection with an audience.

>> harry spent part of this year on the road singing and entertaining fans with his "that would be me" tour. it comes as no surprise that he will work musical bits into his show every chance he gets. but they won't always be planned out. there will be plenty of off-the-cuff moments. >> harry: there'll be music in it every day, but there will be a lot more interaction with people. celebrating people. i would like to sing a song, but i don't know the song yet because it's going to be about one of you, and i figure since i'm sitting next to you -- yeah, can i sing a song? can i make up a song about you? >> okay. >> harry: what is your name? >> inbay. >> harry: that's tough. there's not a lot that rhymes with that. inbar. >> inbar. like you're literally in a bar.

>> harry: ♪ i've been out of bars ♪ ♪ around bars ♪ i've heard violins and soft guitars ♪ ♪ but what i've never felt is what i feel from inbar ♪ excuse me. we're trying to do an interview. this is impossible. >> up next, you're going to meet these two funny guys who call the shots and make sure harry is just as surprised as the audience is. >> harry: brothers and sisters? harry, nice to see you all. hi. >> hi. >> harry: i'm working for -- >> we'll preview the special segment that is guaranteed

>> harry: i've never seen anything like you're holding that chicken right now. that is very -- can i try something? can you hold ginger just like

that while i hold -- while i hold you like you're holding ginger? can we try it? >> yeah. >> harry: okay, okay. are you ready? [laughter and applause] i like it. i like it. i'm gonna do -- can we do a whole show like this? >> oh, yeah. >> harry: you want to pet her? >> you never know what he will do next. that's harry ignoring the show biz advice of never working with kids or animals. harry connick jr. brought a lot of his own ideas to the table and had a very specific vision of what he wanted the show to look like. and with that, harry teamed up with the funny guys of the david letterman show. harry connick jr. is a man who's done it all. singing, acting, broadway, tv,

movies, "american idol." i'm sure i'm missing some now. but now a talk show, an entertainment show. what are you going to do next, run for president? >> harry: no, no, no, no. you don't have to worry about that. hopefully, this will keep me occupied for a while. i'm so excited about it. >> he's talking about his new show. harry won't be going at it alone, though. he's got two longtime friends working by his side. >> harry: i partnered with these two guys, justin and eric, who were with david letterman. the three of us, the four of us, my manager, wanted to make sure if i were to do something like this, it would be exactly what i wanted to do. >> we caught up with those mastermind brothers as they wait for the newest daytime show to hit television. a lot of people would be shocked that it is so unscripted. does that make you nervous at all, knowing all hell could break loose? >> we wouldn't all hell to break loose. >> we want to put harry in a

position where things could spin out of control. he's very good at being in those moments and just being smart and funny and reacting, like when we shot the pilot, we had a segment with kids. >> harry: you stand here. london, how old are you? >> 6. >> harry: 6. where are you from? >> i'm from america. [laughter] >> harry: awesome. [applause] what do we have here? >> i have my artwork. >> harry: you did this artwork? you didn't buy this in a fancy art store? >> no. >> harry: you did it yourself? >> yes. >> harry: okay, tell me what we're looking at here, london. >> this is the solar system. >> harry: wow! you're 6? i didn't know we had a solar system until i was 17. [laughter] >> the brothers are the creative geniuses behind the scenes. >> harry, justin and i are on the same wavelength somehow. he is a really funny guy, and i'm excited for people to see

just how funny he is and clever and smart and handsome and -- >> he's really handsome. >> these two made it clear, you've got to know how to roll with the punches. >> harry will call or text anytime of day or night with an idea he has, and then we'll all start working on it. >> we can say we aren't really sure what will happen next. what does it take to do what you do? >> harry: that's it. this interview's over. [laughter] hey, can i just sit here alone for a minute? >> we got a kick out of the brothers. they'll serve as head writers and executive producers of "harry." those guys were so funny. half of the interview, yeah, we couldn't put it on tv. but we had the chance to go out with harry and film the "i got this" segment. another mom is surprised again. it didn't matter whether the cameras were rolling or not. harry shows us once again that he's the same guy on and off the camera.

>> harry: the people that i'm the most excited to talk to are everyday folks. we've been doing a lot of filming across the country, talking to people. that's maybe only a few people in their communities know. and i really enjoy getting to know those people. >> harry is at it again sending one mom off for afternoon downtown while he takes care of her house, her kids and home boutique. >> harry: i'm harry. nice to see you all. >> hi. >> harry: i'm working for paprika today. is there anything i can help you out with? any sizes or prices, just let me know. i'll be right here. >> there are cameras capturing the moment f from every angle, d soon we'll see how this all plays out in an upcoming episode of "harry." [laughter] >> i'm here all day. >> not a bad day at the office

today. >> harry: oh, my gosh. i'm having a blast. i have no idea what i'm doing. i have such great customers today. i'm just trying to make that lady happy. >> when this working mom returned home -- >> harry: how are you doing? >> i feel so good! >> harry: do you? great! that's great. >> things got even better for paprika. we don't want to spoil the surprise, but harry made sure to make this single mom's day. >> harry: my job is to make people feel better than they did when they came in. that's all i'm supposed to do. if it's singing or telling jokes or talking to them or entertaining them, that's what i love to do. >> from the short time i got to hang out with harry, one thing is clear -- he somehow can manage to make people laugh and then cry all within about 10 seconds. >> harry: i'll leave you with one last thing. >> up next -- harry's words of wisdom to loyola university's class of 2016. >> harry: name a list of all of your possessions. it's only then that i will

decide whether or not you shall go to the fabled city of hollywood. >> harry connick jr. entertains fans on another american idol. now the singers he judged gives their judgment of how he'll do with his new show. plus find out how you c in a world that needs a hero, justice is spelled b-o-x. say hello to a powerful tool that gives you options to fit your budget. ♪ oh, i'm tied to this chair! ♪ dun-dun-daaaa! i don't know that an insurance-themed comic book is what we're looking for. did i mention he can save people nearly $600? you haven't even heard my catchphrase. i'm all done with this guy. box him up. that's terrible.

♪ dance with the man with the plaid umbrella ♪ ♪ [singing] ♪ take her to the mardi gras >> that's harry entertaining his music fans. if you want to see him live, go to harryconnickjr.com and join is mailing list. harry has been very influential back home in the heart of new orleans. he grew up with prominent parents, his mother, a lawyer, judge, and supreme court justice. his father, the district attorney of orleans parish.

harry's sister is a doctor with two degrees. as for harry, he started to play the piano at age 3. he learned from james booker. at the age of 18, harry moved to new york and released his debut album. he's won three grammys, two emmys, earned two tony nominations, released 30 albums, and sold over 38 million records worldwide. after hurricane katrina, harry connick jr. launched musicians village, building homes for displaced musicians and citizens. it's a lot to accomplish in just 48 years. and here in 2016, harry connick jr. is adding another prestigious honor to his long list of accolades. the entertainer recently made his way back to new orleans to his parents' alma mater at loyola university. there he received his honorary

doctorate of music degree and gave the speech to the graduating class. >> harry: we have to work hard for ourselves and at the same time make time for each other. we have to be brave and strong and at the same time show humility, patience, and forgiveness. we have to think big and at the same time pay attention to the little things. all of you in this room have the potential for greatness. you've already shown it by graduating from one of the finest institutions in the country. i am so, so proud of you! be kind. be humble. be great. >> a lot of wisdom there coming from a man who's done it all. harry connick jr. has always been known as an encourager. it's one of the reasons tv fans loved him on "american idol." many former contestants say what harry told them during the competition left a lasting

impression long after the show ended. >> what are we talking about, me? >> harry. >> see, it was you? >> harry: i got one. cue the music. you know who i am. ♪ >> there's something weird about that, harry. >> it didn't take long for harry to become a fan favorite on "american idol." >> harry: just relax. >> okay, okay. >> harry: you can put your hand on my shoulder. okay. what have you got? >> ♪ i just want you to >> harry, you've never sounded so good. >> harry: i'm bringing them to my hotel. >> harry knew how to keep us laughing. season 14 runner-up clark

beckton says take it from him. this was no onscreen act. >> harry is pretty much the same on and off camera. kind of what you see is what you get. >> when american saw harry being harry, we wanted more of him, and what do you know. we're about to get it. nick, one of the last "american idol" winners said harry did come across as tough at times, but it's what we didn't see behind the scenes that made a lasting impression on all of these aspiring singers. >> he was the first judge when somebody got cut, he would encourage them about what they have in their future. >> harry: i was given so much incredible love and attention by older musicians. it's very natural for me to scoop up a young musician and just unload on them everything that i know. in a dialogue, not in a judgmental kind of way. >> with "american idol" behind him and an exciting new show ahead of him, we're sure the

best is still yet to come. >> harry: you know what this is? this is entertainment. >> the "harry" show is taped in new york city. if you're 18 and older and would like free tickets to be part of the audience during an upcoming audience, go to harrytv.com, where you can request up to 14 free tickets. that's our time for now. we hope you enjoyed our special. but before you go, we'll send you off with some of harry's music and some funny q & a's. >> can we finish the interview doing an unscripted q & a? we have a fish bowl of questions. >> harry: i love it. this is great. i love this stuff. what word describes you best? i'd say driven. i'm very driven. i like to work hard. should i keep going? >> yeah, please do, if you have time. >> harry: this is fun. what's your favorite excuse to get out of something you don't want to do? oh, man.

that happens to all of us. uh, you know, this is true. the older i get, the more i think about what my parents taught me, which was honor your commitments. you have to be real careful what you commit to. if you do it, you can't back out, you know what i mean? i was a freshman in high school. there was a senior who came up to me on the quad, and she asked if i would go to her prom with her. now, i was a nerdy nobody. and i didn't know what to say. i mean, i'd never been asked out on a date, much less by a senior. i said, yes, i'll go. i went home, and i told my dad. i said, dad, i really don't want to go. i feel uncomfortable. he says, you have to go. i don't want to go. no, no, no. you have to go. so i got the corsage. rented a tuxedo. she answered the door. she was in sweatpants. i said, what are you doing?

she said, it's next saturday. i said, dad, i'm out. he said, you have to go next week. what i learned is be careful what you commit to. how honest are you? i try to be honest, right? don't we all try to be honest? it's hard sometimes. but, i don't know, i would think of myself as an honest person, i guess. i'm lying. >> and if you came with a warning label, what would it say? >> harry: me? oh, man. life, dues, and get away. i have no idea what that means. that would be it, i guess. what does that even mean? >> thank you so much for taking the time. >> harry: my

( scoffs ): that's, like, the tenth time i've peed since i've been here. it's also, like, the tenth time you've told us. oh, i'm sorry. it must be hard to hear. it's a lot easier having three babies playing bringin' in da' noise, bringin' in da' funk on your bladder. pheebs, you... you want a cookie? ( voice breaking ): thank you so much. so, uh, pheebs, honey how are those mood swings coming? ( sighs ): i haven't really had any yet. ♪ so no one told you life was gonna be this way ♪ ♪ your job's a joke, you're broke ♪ ♪ your love life's d.o.a.