Rukeyser's wry humor shines in 'Wall $treet Week' special

There are several programs and even a few cable channels covering financial news in-depth today. But 20 years ago, there was only one: the one with Louis Rukeyser.

Maryland Public Television's "Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser" celebrates its 20th anniversary with specials tonight and Monday.

Tonight's broadcast -- live from New York's Tavern on The Green -- airs at 8:30 p.m. on MPT (Channels 22 and 67). Monday's broadcast, "Twenty Years of Wall $treet Week With Louis Rukeyser," airs at 10 p.m. on MPT.

Monday's show is a well-produced hour of highlights hosted by the wry Rukeyser. The retrospective is distinguished by its sense of humor about itself and the very serious subjects it covers.

One segment shows Rukeyser asking a guest for a few suggestions on stocks that the guest thought looked promising. Instead of --ing off two or three names, the man proceeded to take out a list and start reading from it. Time-lapse photography is used to show Rukeyser and the other experts sinking deeper and deeper into the couch as the seemingly endless list crawls from American Airlines to Universal Studios.

MPT and Rukeyser have teamed up to create an important slice of information and popular culture. They have used TV wisely to extend Wall Street from coast to coast via Owings Mills.