Variety Shows of the 70s: Weird, Wacky and Wonderful
Kristin Nilsen 0:01
Before we begin, we'd like to invite you to check out the pop culture Preservation Society on Patreon. Patreon is a platform that allows artists and creators to earn a recurring income by providing rewards and perks to its subscribers. When you support the PCPs on Patreon, your donation goes directly to our operational expenses and keeps us from going broke at work. And in exchange, our supporters get bonus videos of our recordings, custom retro images to download and print invitations to zoom events with your hosts and more. Patreon is our only source of income and we thank you for helping us do this job we love to learn more, go to patreon.com pa t ar e o n.com and put pop culture Preservation Society into the search bar. Thanks so much and please enjoy the show.
Carolyn Cochrane 0:46
Listen to this majestic cocktail of people. Okay, so you could tune in one evening in the same show to see Magic Johnson, Donna Pascal, Jeff Conaway, aka Ken Nikki from Greece, Conrad Bain, and Kristy McNichol, together. On one Show, hosted by James Vincent McNichol, how does it get any better than that?
Kristin Nilsen 1:15
Come on, get this what we're gonna be bringing in, will make you welcome to the pop culture Preservation Society, the podcast for people born in the big wheel generation who wore their lip balm on a string around their neck and their perfume pin to their collar.
Carolyn Cochrane 1:36
We believe our Gen X childhoods gave us unforgettable songs, stories, characters and images. And if we don't talk about them, they'll disappear like Marshall will and Holly on a routine expedition.
Michelle Newman 1:47
And today, we're saving a few of the weird, wacky and wonderful variety shows that seemed like they were created in a drug induced fever dream, because they most likely were. I'm Carolyn, I'm Kristen. And I'm Michelle and we are your pop culture preservationists.
Brady shows were as much a part of 1970s television as reality shows were a part of the early 21st centuries television. The variety genre originated from burlesque, minstrel and vaudeville traditions. Back in the early days of live television you might see a juggler followed by a Shakespeare monologue followed by an opera singer followed by a clown spinning plates on rollerskates right. In the 1950s and 60s, variety shows continued to thrive and evolve with shows like The Lawrence Welk Show, The Dinah Shore show and your hit parade to name a few. Do you guys remember watching Lawrence Welk like with your grandparents?
Carolyn Cochrane 2:54
Yeah, so we couldn't call my grandmother when Lawrence Welk was on. She didn't live in the same place. And so we would call like long distance and it would be all exciting. We're all on all the extensions. And she said, Lawrence Welk goes on you have to call me back. And
Michelle Newman 3:08
you guys, it's such a touchstone of that whole that whole era, right. And
Kristin Nilsen 3:13
if there was ever a child singing with the grown up ladies on Lauren swell, she would get very excited because that could be me. You could do that.
Michelle Newman 3:21
You could do that. You could do that. Could you Kristen? Yeah, you could dance. Well, comedy came into play with the Jack Benny show The Carol Burnett Show and The Smothers Brothers and we can't neglect to mention the staple of variety television for over 20 years, the Ed Sullivan Show, which introduced America to both Elvis and the Beatles. By the 1970s Everyone was so open to the format that nothing was off limits. Ice Skating Rink, sure. Fashion Runway make sense swimming pool. The mid 70s also brought a slew of musical variety, led by those at the top of the record charts like the carpenters, The Jacksons, Tony Orlando and Dawn Helen ready Sonny and Cher Captain Antonio, and of course, Donnie and Marie. I think I speak for many of us who loved variety shows when I say that we didn't care who the host was, who the guests were that week, what the songs or silly skits were, we were simply all in
Carolyn Cochrane 4:21
Whitley without a doubt.
Michelle Newman 4:23
That's the best. I think that's the best use of without a doubt so far.
Carolyn Cochrane 4:27
Yes. And the joy of the variety show for me is unsurpassed when it comes to my TV watching, okay, because you guys know how much I love when my favorite celebrities interact. I mean, yes, right. I mean, how can you top Lee Majors and Farrah Fawcett joining Donnie and Marie for sketches and songs. I mean, Charlie's Angels, the $6 million man and those guys weren't married to anything just took it to a whole nother level. Everything Yeah, was the ultimate entertainment platform where this guy Magic. And let's face it craziness could actually happen. Right? Right.
Michelle Newman 5:04
It's not the most bizarre cocktail party you've ever been to oh my fabulous and by bizarre I mean fabulous. Right.
Carolyn Cochrane 5:10
You know, we had our regular weekly shows and then we had variety specials, and I just wanted to share one with you that is near and dear to my heart. Listen to this majestic cocktail of people. Okay, so you could tune in one evening in the same show to see Magic Johnson, Donna Pesco Jeff Conaway, aka Ken Nikki from Greece, Conrad Bain, and Kristy McNichol, together. On one Show, hosted by James Vincent McNichol. How does it get any better than that? Yes, James Vincent McNichol had his own Friday special.
Kristin Nilsen 5:50
This really is your sweet spot, Carolyn. Just love the mix of people. By the time we get to the 70s. They are like the epitome of the 70s. And you named all of those shows, Michelle, but I also want to share some of the actual names of those shows because they just are screaming 70s I did not know that Tony Orlando and Dawn was actually called the Tony Orlando and Dawn rainbow hour. And then there was the Glen Campbell, good time hour. And then there was the Make your own kind of music carpenters hour and the bobby Darren amusement company. I mean, that's just speaking my language. I'm watching that show. Absolutely.
Michelle Newman 6:26
Of course. Yes. Well, I've always been a sucker for a variety show. And I still am and sadly, they don't, they don't really exist anymore. And if they do, it's just mostly singing. They've gotten rid of all the silly skits, the outrageous over the top things and I, I feel like I want to say I am the target audience. But I think we the three of us sitting here and probably a lot of listeners out there, we were in our target audience. I mean, I was an am still all in for a serious song, beautiful song, maybe a nice orchestra, followed by a silly skit with outrageously over the top costumes and maybe a fake mustache. I mean, throw in a fake mustache, and
Carolyn Cochrane 7:06
they always get cockeyed, you know, when they're trying to sell strength by a thread when Harvey Corman
Kristin Nilsen 7:10
starts to crack up a little bit.
Michelle Newman 7:14
And it falls off. And
Kristin Nilsen 7:16
at the same time, though, yes, we were the target audience. But at the same time, these shows were so entertaining for all of our generations. And this truly was family viewing, which is why one reason I think it doesn't work today. They were all coming out at a time when we generally had one TV in the house. Just one. And so the shows that we watched, we watched together and so even the edgier shows like laughing or the Smothers Brothers. They were aimed at younger audience, but you were still watching it with your grandma. This is why my aunt Myrtle had all the share albums that I love listening to because even though she was an old lady, she still loves Sonny and Cher she watched Sonny and Cher.
Carolyn Cochrane 7:52
Oh, yeah. To your point, Kristen. I think this is why I know people I wouldn't have encountered some of these celebrities if it weren't for these shows like Beverly Sills and Bernadette Peters. Yes, Steve Lawrence, George Goble. Those people I would have never encountered and my parents loved telling us about them. You'd be like, Oh, Steve Lawrence. He's married at Gourmet and then I'd flip out because they have the same name.
Kristin Nilsen 8:17
It was this was a place again, this is Carolyn's wheelhouse where it brought together the most relevant audience, artists of the day. This was how they sold their music to us because it was the only place we could see them perform besides a concert, but it was keeping relevant all of these people from the past. So you could always only a variety show where you could see the Jackson Five on the same show as Ray Charles or Ella Fitzgerald. They were keeping them relevant. They were teaching us who they were.
Carolyn Cochrane 8:46
Definitely, yeah,
Michelle Newman 8:47
I love them all. But my absolute favorite and weekly TV appointment from 1976 to 1979 was Donnie and Marie. A little bit. A little bit rock and roll. I'm a little bit with him.
Man, and listeners. We have such a fun episode devoted to Donnie and Marie from last November, where we talk all about the things we love, like the ice skating, of course, you have to talk about the ice skating their costumes, those silly skits. I mean, you talk about fake mustache and what a yarn wig. I mean, their costumes were insane. And of course, we talk about a little bit country and rock and roll. And if you haven't listened to that one, and you to love Donnie and Marie, it's episode 92. It's a really great celebration of our love for that very iconic variety show. Really, that was a hallmark variety show of the 70s and
Kristin Nilsen 9:53
it was really one of the last ones. It was it closed out the 70s
Michelle Newman 9:58
Oh yeah. So today We're celebrating three variety shows besides Donnie and Marie, that we loved and made an impact on us in one way or another. And as usual, we may have bitten off more than we can chew here and the PCPs because all three of these shows deserve their own episode. And listeners, we promise each of these shows will get it. So Carolyn, let's start with you. Yes.
Carolyn Cochrane 10:24
The iconic standard bearer for variety shows, and this would be The Carol Burnett Show on Television City in Hollywood. Carol Burnett, Joe.
Kristin Nilsen 10:34
I feel like we should applaud.
Michelle Newman 10:36
You like standard,
Carolyn Cochrane 10:38
maybe Stan, everything. No way that we could cover everything we need to cover. So I promise personally, even if it's just me getting on here. You will hear all the fun stuff about The Carol Burnett Show because there is a lot of fun stuff. Let me start by saying the family memories I have surrounding the show are some of my most cherished this show was a Saturday night tradition for us. My dad would have grilled steaks outside on the grill. Yeah, cuz because they weren't grilled.
Michelle Newman 11:08
My dad would I just got that.
Carolyn Cochrane 11:12
Little redundant, but yes, we would have grilled steak and baked potatoes. And of course, a iceberg salad with my favorite salad dressing. ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together.
Michelle Newman 11:24
Wait really? Screams Yeah, it
Carolyn Cochrane 11:26
was like 1000s
Michelle Newman 11:28
If you turn a little pickle relish, right?
Carolyn Cochrane 11:30
Yeah, Island, and I don't think I don't. I didn't like pickle relish. So I think my mom kept that out for me from scratch. Oh, for sure. It's homemade. Yeah. And that was a real grown up meal. You guys my parents? Yeah. And maybe I shouldn't say this. But they even put a little beer in an orange juice class for me.
Kristin Nilsen 11:46
I know. Because it's Saturday. Yeah.
Carolyn Cochrane 11:50
And I felt all you know, all grown up. But we would be sure and finish that meal just in time to gather around the television to watch Carol Burnett. Okay, you guys. She was a constant throughout my childhood. We're talking 1967 through 1978. Wow. Carol Burnett Show 11 seasons. Incredible. So let me tell you a little bit about the show. Let me kind of see if I can jog some memories for you guys. Because one thing for sure is we could count on Carol and her friends to make us laugh. So like I said, September 11 1967. We get our pilot episode. Now I do want to give you a little background information because Carol Burnett was signed to a contract with CBS. And as that contract was kind of coming up on its five year anniversary, I guess there was a clause in it that basically said Carol could opt to continue in, in do sitcoms for the network, or she could exercise her right to a variety show. And she wanted to do the variety show. Wow, that's my decision. Those DIC que es is at CBS. We're like, No, you're too much. That's a masculine genre, you know, you really should not pursue that you better think twice, but because of her contract written in stone, and because of her strong will. And just to Carol Burnett is you guys. She said no. I'm doing a variety show. I mean, Mic drop. You go right. Yeah. All right. And she
Kristin Nilsen 13:23
couldn't have been that old. She must have been like in your 20s. Right. She's,
Michelle Newman 13:27
well, I would highly recommend listening to her interview with Julia Louis Dreyfus on Julia Julia Louie Dreyfus, his podcast, because she will give her perspective as to this whole process of kind of the origin of the show. Yeah. And listening to her now at 90. Yeah. Talk about it is just gosh, she's just,
Carolyn Cochrane 13:47
there's
Michelle Newman 13:50
just a ladder. Yeah.
Carolyn Cochrane 13:53
I mean, she's really seen it all from being met kind of Trailblazer, saying, you know, give me my own show. It's in my contract, I'm going to do it no matter what other people said, You're gonna fail at it, whatever. And I just love that she can say in your face. Yeah. You know, and that
Kristin Nilsen 14:08
was such a wise decision. Can you imagine her in a sitcom, which may or may not have gotten picked up, she could have gone through a string of sitcoms, and instead, she makes her mark on a variety show. That is her legacy for the rest of her life?
Carolyn Cochrane 14:22
Yes, legacy. It is a cultural touchstone for us. I mean, this is something that all of us that grew up in the 70s can relate to we have those family memories of it's a Hall
Michelle Newman 14:35
of Fame television show, regardless of if that's actually a thing or not
Kristin Nilsen 14:39
all those characters we attached ourselves to. So
Carolyn Cochrane 14:41
as I said before, to you guys, the first episode aired on September 11 1967. And personally, I think the future success of the show can be traced to its very first guest and any ideas who that might have I
Kristin Nilsen 14:55
think I might know I have a guess. Okay, yes. Is it Julie Andrews. No,
Carolyn Cochrane 15:00
but that's a very good guess
Michelle Newman 15:02
it's a good guy are such great friends. Yes, yes. Yeah. And they have the same haircut. I'll give you a dozen. I performed a lot together actually. Variety shows and stuff. Sorry, that was my mic. This
Carolyn Cochrane 15:11
person is near and dear to my heart. Does that give you
Kristin Nilsen 15:15
that make Nichelle
Carolyn Cochrane 15:18
Nichols while he was probably a small child, but yes, Jim neighbor. Yes, I believe his star power is what got folks to tune in. You know what hero fought that too. And she called him her annual good luck charm. And he went on to guest in every premiere episode for all of the shows, forthcoming.
Michelle Newman 15:44
Most of it shows you just like how devoted she is or how dedic you know, to her friends and to relationships that she had built. While
Carolyn Cochrane 15:53
the show was titled The Carol Burnett Show, it would not have been what it was without that amazing cast. Oh my gosh, am I right? You guys? I
Michelle Newman 16:01
mean, oh, my gosh, love definition of ensemble.
Kristin Nilsen 16:04
Right. I leave her with her the whole time. So
Carolyn Cochrane 16:08
in addition to Carol, the cast consisted of Vicki Lawrence. Okay. Vicki Lawrence got that role after she just wrote a fan letter to Carol Burnett. Okay, she didn't audition for it. Why? And Carol wrote her back and I, and I think no, don't quote me on this. But I'm pretty sure that Vicki Lawrence said that people would often say that she resembled here. They did so and that's kind of also how she got that part. And so she was with Carol the entire Well, for the entire time. I think that we know the show.
Michelle Newman 16:39
She's quite a bit younger, isn't she like she maybe like a decade or so younger? Has? Yes, yes. So
Carolyn Cochrane 16:44
I think younger sister was kind of the I
Kristin Nilsen 16:47
have a friend who learned like yesterday that Vicki Lawrence was not Carol Burnett sister. And she was insisting Is this their sisters? Like no, they're not sisters. Yes, they are. I'm like ask the Google. They're probably her
Carolyn Cochrane 16:58
mother told her that because I remember my mother was very upset because a couple things. One, she didn't think Vicki Lawrence look anything like Harold Burnett, there was just this one photo where she thought they resembled each other and they made like the same grimace. And I'm gonna go ahead and say it everybody. But everyone would tell my mom that she looked like Carol Burnett. And she did. And now people tell me I remind them of
Kristin Nilsen 17:22
me at you. Why not laughing at you? I'm laughing because it's so true. It's so true, especially coming certain expressions because you're very animated and expressive, as is Carol Burnett. And if Carolyn ever brings her hand to her ear, it will take your breath away.
Michelle Newman 17:37
I think that's a tremendous compliment. I
Kristin Nilsen 17:40
do too.
Carolyn Cochrane 17:40
Well, you know, maybe, but as I was doing my research on this, I was also I found out the fact that Carol Burnett went into show business. Not with her mother's blessing. Her mother really wanted her to be a writer because her mother said Your looks don't matter when you're a writer ouch on double whammy for me. That's so sad. Carol Burnett and golly, Jeepers, people that call me I was like, Carolyn.
Michelle Newman 18:09
Yeah, except for that was her mother telling her that and that's a mean mother because like, well, I don't look at beauty like that. Like I look at Carol Burnett. I think she's stunning. And because it's so much it's everything with
Kristin Nilsen 18:23
him because we love her. Right? We love her and so we think
Michelle Newman 18:26
she's hurt. She has so much beauty within and you're just looking at physical traits and personality. Personality. Yeah, right.
Carolyn Cochrane 18:34
But yes, you can try bhakti on my hair coming out of my nose and my balls because of my personality. I might be you
Michelle Newman 18:44
guys the whole time. Right now. We're having this conversation. Carolyn's, like fixing her hair. Yes.
Carolyn Cochrane 18:51
Okay. Yes. So we shall move on from Vicki Lawrence. Then we had Harvey Korman. He was seasons one through 10 so he was not in the last season. Leia Wagner was seasons one through seven. Ladies and gentlemen, Lyle Wagner was the very first centerfold for its playgirl magazine
Kristin Nilsen 19:10
as well, but I didn't get it as a kid because he was always supposed to be the handsome debonair, like loving interest. And as a child, I was like, I don't understand, because he didn't look like Shaun Cassidy. Right? He looked like I understood.
Carolyn Cochrane 19:23
I understood when I was younger. Well, I felt something when he was on you know, I was younger. It's it's the same way I felt about Chad Everett
Michelle Newman 19:36
like you knew
Carolyn Cochrane 19:37
they were the good looking ones. You know Lyle Wagner no, no shade here for Harvey and Tim. But you know when you compare those those cast members to Lyle, he really was the debonair you he
Kristin Nilsen 19:50
was the handsome one we can use the handsome the and use other words to describe Harvey Korman and Tim calm right.
Carolyn Cochrane 19:56
We had beauty within.
Michelle Newman 19:57
Right I was about to say yes. It was the Udo with LM that shone through.
Carolyn Cochrane 20:02
So yes, we also have Tim Conway. He was a frequent guest in seasons one through eight, but did not become a regular cast member until seasons nine through 11. I didn't know that he was on do not either,
Michelle Newman 20:15
but I should just be semantics, right because he was he was in so many other skins. Yes.
Carolyn Cochrane 20:21
Well, I guess and we'd have to look at some of the dates on those times as well. But here's what blew me away, too. So Harvey Korman, as I said, he was only in seasons one through 10. The show went on to for 11 seasons. So they brought someone in to replace Harvey Corman. And this individual only did a few episodes because he flopped miserably as well as the as another cast member and I couldn't believe this. But it was basically I'm like, oh, what? I'm thinking that's too much our power. Like, how would you Carol Burnett? Like? Yes,
Kristin Nilsen 20:53
he's Deke VanDyke. Right? He's an actual person. He's actually Rob Petrie, so I can't even believe he did Diagnosis Murder, Rob Petrie wasn't diagnosed murder. But
Michelle Newman 21:03
Dave and I could go on Carol Burnett for one episode and be on all those skits, but I can see then the regular people are gonna be going no, no, no, you can't be irregular. But you just need to come on one episode and be in every skin and that episode. Saturday Night Live. He needed to be the guest host. Right. Right.
Carolyn Cochrane 21:18
Not Yeah, not on the cast. It's consulting. Interesting. little fun fact there. All right. Well, as we are well aware of that amazing cast brought us some of the most memorable moments on television. Many of those sketches live on and well, at least in my mind, I'm assuming in your minds as well. Would that be a correct assumption? Do you have any favorites? Do you remember any specifically? Well, I
Michelle Newman 21:43
don't remember a specific one. But my favorite was always when that went on to be Mama's family. But when it was Vicki, Lauren's playing mama, and I just thought that was so funny with the big butt, and the wig and the big boobs. And those skits. Those are the ones that I looked forward to the most.
Carolyn Cochrane 22:00
Yeah, those were great. And Carol talks about the fact that those were all character driven. Like if you read one time during a rehearsal, they just read the script with no Southern accents with Nick Vegas kind of read it. It's very serious just kind of law it is those characters that they bring to life that just elevate that and make us laugh so hard and yes, that her butt sticking out. But the but it's all about my
Kristin Nilsen 22:29
number one favorite, which we just talked about in our Waltons episode is when they did the walnuts with daddy man and Mama woman and grandma lady. That's my number one favorite, but the recurring characters that my brother and I would just like we would be gasping for air. We would be laughing so hard would be Mr. Ted ball and Mrs. awakens. Oh,
Carolyn Cochrane 22:50
gosh. Yes. And
Kristin Nilsen 22:52
are the old man remember the old man. When Tim Conway is the old man he does this little shuffle? Shuffle the grandfather clock with Dang. And then it would stop him. I don't even know why
Michelle Newman 23:02
that was childhood. That's what it was salesman right there.
Kristin Nilsen 23:05
It takes about five minutes to get to the door.
Carolyn Cochrane 23:09
Do you remember I watched this last night and then it all came back to me but the dentist skin. So Harvey Korman is the patient and it's a Sunday and he needs to get a tooth extracted. And his regular dentist isn't available, but his son in law is just graduated from dental school. And that's Tim Conway. It just proceeds to be this hysterical sketch where basically obviously Tim's not knowing what he's doing and he's like, you're having to get the textbook out and then he's doing the Novocaine but he accidentally stabs himself in the hand. And so then his hand goes numb and then he does it in his leg goes on and this is one of those where Harvey cannot keep a straight face it is just classic. Oh it is so a class that's half the fun to is watching Harvey Corman try to keep a straight face and by golly Tim Conway can keep a straight face through this whole thing washing flopping is trying to like turn the page and in the dental textbook it's it's hysterical and a classic if you want to go back and watch that and all of
Kristin Nilsen 24:15
those sketches they hold up like they're fine today.
Michelle Newman 24:17
That's one of the things that you just talking about The Carol Burnett Show made me realize is that i i loved it so much and I bet one of the reasons I did is because I felt so grown up watching it because here's all these just an adult past and adult adult like I said I love Donnie and Marie but they're still they're younger right? Their kid they're late teenagers, right? But here's this all adult cast making me it probably age seven, laugh until I peed my pants. And so I felt like in my mind, I thought it was adult humor that I was getting right when really they're playing to everybody. You're in my mind. I was in on the joke and that didn't often happen with a lot
Carolyn Cochrane 24:59
of advantages of that show that we would against all sit down and watch it as a family and get something on all these different levels. They had the ability to do that in a super unique way. I wanted to ask you if you remember a skit, which actually TV Guide calls the second funniest TV moment of all time, second
Kristin Nilsen 25:23
most second second funniest funniest moment. I need to know this. Well,
Michelle Newman 25:27
the first one that comes to mind, but I think it's not going to be right because it says the Scarlett O'Hara, I
Carolyn Cochrane 25:32
was gonna say Scarlett Yeah, is actually this.
Kristin Nilsen 25:35
Yes, when she comes down to the curtain when she comes down
Michelle Newman 25:37
one of the funniest things in history, right, it's really,
Carolyn Cochrane 25:42
here's some fun facts about that actual skit for our listeners. A little refresher here we have in this sketch, Carol Burnett is Scarlett O'Hara, a parody of Scarlett O'Hara the title of this sketch is called went with the wind. Oh, hold on. I have a special guest that's just entered the room. I just wanted to introduce him could meet this person. Good
Speaker 1 26:05
afternoon and Mysteria tentative All right. Mrs. Mrs. Reagan's coming here, please
Carolyn Cochrane 26:25
tell him we think that's so good. Now he's not gonna get out of here.
Michelle Newman 26:30
Right now he's gonna keep saying. That's all you have to do. Thank you. That was so good. This is bringing me such joy. Memories. Can you find all this on YouTube? Yeah, we found it. Yeah, that's gonna be our TV viewing one night soon is just going through and remembering sketches. And
Carolyn Cochrane 26:46
we will put links to some of the sketches that we're talking about. In our Weekly Reader. We love to do that, you guys. And if you're not already subscribed, where you can do that on our Lincoln bio on Instagram or on our website, and it's will direct you to all these funny videos and sketches that you kind of have to see we can't really act them out. And I just
Michelle Newman 27:06
think that would be a great use of our time. Instead of scrolling tick tock and watching people organize their fridges. Yes. And put new string cheese and a little clearer Ben, let's all go and spend our time watching these old characters.
Carolyn Cochrane 27:21
Yes, dopamine levels are gonna go through the roof when you watch these and
Kristin Nilsen 27:25
you're actually like experiencing something historical. Right? Like, there's a piece of art that was created in the 70s. That is still funny today. That is that's legendary. That's an actual that's a good use of your time. That
Carolyn Cochrane 27:38
is a very good use of your time. And I will tell you it is so legendary and iconic that the Smithsonian has won the costume that Scarlett O'Hara wore in this sketch. Now, listeners if you don't remember, Scarlett O'Hara in the movie, you know she's down and out and Rhett is going to be coming by and she doesn't have anything to wear and she looks up at the window and sees these beautiful brocade you know curtains, takes them down and makes an outfit out of them a dress. Well starlet did something similar, but took it to a step further and included the curtain rod and her costume. So Carol descends the stairs as starlet with this brass curtain rod coming out from her shoulders and the drapes that she had
Kristin Nilsen 28:27
previously seated the drapes. Yeah, she belted the balance
Carolyn Cochrane 28:31
sheet the balance of the curtains and made a little like hat. And she comes down the stairs. Harvey is Captain rat Butler. My parody of Rhett and he comments on how gorgeous this dress is. And she said I just saw it in the window and I had to have it.
Unknown Speaker 28:49
What brings you to Tara.
Speaker 1 28:52
You vixen you stylish. I love you that that gown is gorgeous.
Unknown Speaker 28:59
Thank you. I sat in the window and I just couldn't resist
Carolyn Cochrane 29:05
that so yes, this dress is in the collection at the Smithsonian Institute. And in 2009 Mattel released a starlet doll under the Barbie celebrity doll collection. Oh yes hitting No, not Scarlett starflower with that with the curtain rod.
Michelle Newman 29:26
Oh, we need to look that up. That's that's that
Kristin Nilsen 29:29
disease are the heroes that we should be providing for our children. Right?
Carolyn Cochrane 29:34
There's no doubt you guys that this show made me laugh consistently every Saturday night. But you guys are two times watching the show that I would get a lump in my throat. That melancholy kind of feeling kind of like we talked about in sad songs of the 70s one whenever Carol played the char woman now I didn't quite know what a char woman was. Do you remember when she played the character with the mop in the bucket? And she would come out. Okay, so a charwoman is actually an old fashion, occupational term that refers to a part time worker who comes in to a house often at or office after everyone is gone. And like a maid who would maybe be full time and live with a family. So you kind of dates it for you. So Carol never spoke in any of these sketches. But the theme is she's imagining her life not as a charwoman, but kind of fantasizing other things she could do. So she maybe would dance or do these other actions that you knew were kind of taking her out of this role as a cleaning person. It was always dark. And there was just this kind of sad feeling like you kind of knew that she was kind of unhappy, and you wanted her to get to be able to live some of these dreams. So it was quite poignant. Yes, it really was, as did the very last song, which Carol sang every episode. Yes. So melancholy. Her husband, Joe Hamilton actually wrote the song. And really, it's the music that gets to me, right? Because if it had more of an upbeat tempo, like, I'm so glad we had this time together, just sing a song. Yeah.
Michelle Newman 31:13
Right. No, you're right about that. It's just, it's the melody of that that is so that gives that love another haunting
Carolyn Cochrane 31:19
and listening again, as I was preparing for today's episode, it just gets you right in that same spot that those seven days because it's like she's,
Kristin Nilsen 31:29
she's a little sad when she shows over. That's what I felt like that. You know, I'm sorry, we have to bring this to a close. I'm
Speaker 2 31:38
so glad we had this time together. Just to have a laugh.
Kristin Nilsen 31:48
This. Okay, so our next selection was responsible for inspiring a generation of little girls to wrap a towel around their head, so they could dramatically swish their hair behind their shoulders, right? Last year. Sonny and Cher was my jam, you guys. They were my people. I wanted to be chairs and run out on stage to be with my sexy, sultry mommy, and just hang out with them. I got Husker dude so many times watching these clips last night. And now I'm realizing that I really modeled myself a lot of myself, my five year old self. After Cher. I really thought oh, it's the Brady Bunch. Didn't we all want to be Jan Brady or Marcia Brady? Right after watching all these clips on my own? No, I wanted to be share. Like if I'm gonna go to a party, I want to show up in a bob Mackie jumpsuit with a cutout for my belly button. That's what I want to wear. And this is what I realized. So this is just a lot actually, this is just one of the many things I realized. When I wanted to look cool. I would go like this. Okay, so you stand. I'm standing like standing up. Yeah. And you gotta break your wrist. So you hold your heart out. And then you break your wrist. And I like Tim Conway's
Carolyn Cochrane 33:06
hand and when the dentist like Novocaine.
Michelle Newman 33:09
And that's
Kristin Nilsen 33:10
how like, you just stand you're trying to be cool. You just drop your wrist. It's sort of like you just, she I can't even describe what I'm doing. Well, I have to send a picture to people but I would literally as a five year old child like I'm feeling uncomfortable, and I'm not cool. So I'm going to do my cool thing.
Michelle Newman 33:23
It's like you're a Barbie and just you flip the wrist down everyone. Yes.
Kristin Nilsen 33:27
You just broken wrist. Yeah. And I didn't realize till I was watching last night like oh my god, I remember watching her do that and go oh, that's how you're cool. I get it. So the timeline of the Sonny and Cher show is confusing, actually, because it came and went in different iterations from 1971 until 1977. But I will explain. So the show you think of as Sonny and Cher was actually known as the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, and it ran from 1971 to 1974. Some of you are going No no, that's not true, because I remember saying and share much later than that. Well, you did. You did watch it but just hold on. I'll get to that and you'll find out why. So by the late 60s, Sonny and Cher their hits had dried up and they retooled themselves into a lounge act to pay the bills a traveling lounge acts kind of like vaudeville with witty banter, trading insults back and forth. Does that sound familiar? And Fred Silverman of CBS caught their act in Las Vegas and thought that would be a perfect replacement for the Smothers Brothers because they needed someone who could attract a hip and edgy audience. So they needed a hip edgy act with a little snark and he offered them the show. So they premiered in 1971. And each show started with Sonny and Cher running out on the stage that was filled with these globe lights that had a drawing of their faces on it that was like their logo the spaces of Sonny and Cher on these globe lights. And they would open the show by singing a cover of a popular song which was kind of the the customer of the day and then the That would bleed into an instrumental of their 1967 Hit the beat goes on. So the beat goes on is really the theme song of their show. Not I Got You Babe, which is what we all think of right? So Cher would be wearing the latest Bob Mackie creation, probably with their belly button showing in the cutout. So many cutouts and Bob Mackie designed legendary dresses and a lot of jumpsuits actually with cutouts for share, but only share because Bob Mackie was committed to The Carol Burnett Show at the same time, and the belly button actually was not supposed to be shown on TV. If you recall, I Dream of Jeannie her belly button was always covered by a scarf because the censors said not allowed. But Bob Mackie and Cher was like this is a good look and belly button we're showing it anyway. So lots and lots of cutouts. Then they would launch into the monologue, which was generally a takedown of each other's looks and talent mostly in the direction of shear to sunny she got the statue as glamorous sex bomb, and he was the Undertale Everyman. And they use to their to their benefit really, they leaned into their differences and made fun of them, which presented a whole new way for people to be married on TV. A funnier way a more cynical way. This was no Donna Reed Show, and the audience loved it. The
Speaker 1 36:16
good is last night I had a dream. Yeah, I had a really a fantastic dream last night. Yeah. I did a fantastic dream last night.
Kristin Nilsen 36:25
I did too. But when I woke up, you were still there. They had big guests musical and otherwise, including Carolyn. You're gonna love this. Jim Nabors and Lassie in the same show. Gosh, what? And this was Chas his favorite. There's one ending of the episode where they're like chairs, will you They didn't say chat. They said yesterday. Will you say Say Goodnight to our guests. And she goes good night Lassie. And they're like, no, no honey, that was last week. Oh, they just really loved Lassie. So funny. Okay, we're I lost my place.
Michelle Newman 37:01
So just love how on a variety show. Lassie is a guest like 70s in a sketch to just bring the dog to the show that stars a dog and so that's the one we're gonna bring on the righty show not like any other human that show
Kristin Nilsen 37:15
and likely Jim Nabors sing a song with Lassie. There were tons of recurring characters that were super popular, including, like shares Laverne the gum, chewing housewife. Glasses, oh, people loved it. And in between the musical performances and the comedy sketches. They played these electric company style animated segments in between featuring popular songs that were very grown up and very popular and very provocative. We didn't have a name for those things yet. But later, we would come to call these things music videos. Right? They did cartoon features of Bigelow taxi, they did shares hits halfbreed tons of others. So my favorite part of the show was when they brought Chas on stage to be with them, maybe to say goodbye to the audience, or they would just hold her while they saying yes, and Chaz was assigned female at birth. And we were the same age and I thought we kind of looked alike. And Sonny and Cher were really the only people to bring their actual child not an actor, but at their actual child out on stage in such a spontaneous way like this. It was a very cutting edge show. But this made it feel very folksy and family friendly and people loved it. And Chazz actually in subsequent seasons got to be a part of the opening sequence I guess where they play the credits and things like that. And then let's not forget the iconic ending. Each week they said goodbye to us all with a sing along of their 1965 hit. I got you I Got You Babe. It was fresh and innovative. They were more than willing to push the envelope but it also didn't scare grandma. And it was buzzworthy and it got people talking. It was a far cry from my three sons, which was the time slot they were given after chip and Robbie and Ernie Douglas were booted. Plus, it was a vehicle for shares music for promoting her music quite successfully. She had three number one hits during her time on TV gypsies, tramps and thieves, half breed and Dark Lady all went to number one with the help of her performances on her own show. So this shows a huge success. But oops, not so much their marriage and their show. Their very livelihood was all tied up in the idea of Sonny and Cher as a couple so they didn't have the freedom to split up. So instead, they stayed married. They found new partners, and they all live together in one big mansion, which Oh no. Oh, yeah, really? Also, you must not have watched the 1999 made for TV movie called and the beat goes on the Sonny and Cher starring no but that
Michelle Newman 39:56
sounds fabulous. Add that to the list. Oh yeah, go
Carolyn Cochrane 39:59
home. Is this when she marries Greg Allman?
Kristin Nilsen 40:01
Oh, no. Greg Allman comes later. Actually, do you know who this was? Okay,
Michelle Newman 40:05
neighbors.
Kristin Nilsen 40:09
But living together with their new partners in their one big mansion was not a good solution either. And by 1973, the tabloids were right with stories about public feuds, canceled gigs. There were even some reports of Cher showing up places with a black eye out. Oh, no, I know. I know. But still, every week, they showed up on our TV screens as a married couple. It was very confusing for people. Yeah.
Michelle Newman 40:34
And you lose trust in them. I think that trust you had built in this family, this cute family, I think then you start to be skeptical.
Kristin Nilsen 40:41
The irony is that their show was still riding high. There was still at the top of the charts, the charts, despite all of that, some of the shirts. I did, I said shirt Excuse me. Excuse me. I'm good. I'm good. The show was still flying high in the ratings, despite all of this news. But even so sunny filed for divorce, and 58 hours later, on February 22nd 1974. Even though the show was a giant hit, the final episode of the show was taped. They just couldn't sustain the facade anymore. And their time slot was given to Tony Orlando and Dawn and someone someone compared to this to putting your beloved pet to sleep. Like nobody wanted them to go. Nobody wanted to take them off the air. Nobody wanted the fun to stop. But the lie was eating everyone alive. This everybody
Michelle Newman 41:38
was going through that divorce then and it so many different ways.
Kristin Nilsen 41:41
It was tragic. For me. It was tragic. I'm six years old, the cancellation of Sonny and Cher. This is how I learned about divorce. I was sad and disappointed. And I wanted to know why the show was going off the air. It's the only time really I've ever had feelings about a show being canceled. Unlike Carolyn and when she saved the Waltons single handedly, but because they were so popular. The network's didn't want to let them go entirely. So they're like, alright, you get a show. You get a show. Everybody gets a show. They both got their own show on competing network networks and they put them in the same time slot. Oh, the sunny comedy review and they put share in the same time slot. So Sunny, featured a different female guest on the show each time two ribs Sonny about how short and untalented he was. But that person wasn't share. So nobody gave a shit. Right? Nobody's showing up and he gets cancelled immediately immediately. Share. It's kind of agreed that Cher was the superstar and she was dating at the time David Geffen so she could get he had access to all the stars. Every star. She could get the biggest stars on her show. And in fact, she opened her very first episode with Elton John and Bette Midler and Flip Wilson. Wow, she just knocked it out of the park. But Cher has said it was very difficult for her to carry that show. It was overwhelming for her. And she, at one point quoted like, thinking about walking out on that stage for the first time by herself. It was quite terrifying. And she was like, What do you think we'll do forgive me? Like she was worried that everyone would be mad at her for divorcing son. And because of that overwhelm, and being terrified, even though her her show was a huge success. When was brought up to her that maybe she and Sonny should reunite for a new show? She said yes. When Sonny and Cher came back together, suddenly their insult oriented stick just came off cringy and awkward because now everybody knew they were a divorced couple it did not come off the same. And by the spring of 1977. It was over and they went their separate ways for real.
Michelle Newman 43:54
goes. Goes well, I had the honor of researching possibly the best of the worst. The Brady Bunch variety hour. So bad is was ran on ABC from November 1976 to May 1977. Did I watch it? I don't know. But how did I not because I loved anything Brady Bunch. I think most likely because my TV time was taken up with Donnie and Marie during those six months. And ironically, the Brady Bunch variety hour came to be because of Donnie Emery. At the beginning of Donnie and Marie second season some of the cast of The Brady Bunch reunited on their show and it was ratings gold. So this started the ball rolling by all of these ABC execs including Fred Silverman and Michael Eisner, who we have learned had their finger on basically everything Yeah, during that time, who eventually asked the Kraft brothers The producers of Donnie and Marie if you remember to create a Brady Bunch variety show, fun fact. HR Puffin stuff was shot on stage five at Paramount at the same time Brady Bunch was shot on stage four. So the Brady kids often went and like hung out with puff and stuff. And the kids and their parents all became really friendly with Sid and Marty Krofft. Can you just picture that though, is that also like one of the most 70 ish things ever? Well, abrading kids and HR Puffin stuff
Kristin Nilsen 45:30
is real like what is it? Is it Is there a person in
Michelle Newman 45:34
the giant hamburger hamburger head thing
Kristin Nilsen 45:37
but does that mean they're they're going to visit the hamburger head and the hammer head would talk to them?
Michelle Newman 45:43
I think so. I think they like would they would go over and like puff and stuff some costume.
Carolyn Cochrane 45:48
Poor guy play puff and stuff. We I'm gonna do a deep dive on that deserve some credit? Yes. Doesn't need the US. Yeah.
Michelle Newman 45:54
So back to the Brady Bunch. Our there was big controversy between Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of the Brady Bunch and the creators of the Brady Bunch our namely the crafts. Sherwood Schwartz never gave permission for the Brady Bunch property which he and Paramount both co owned to be used and sold, said Marty Krofft basically fibbed their way to gaining the rights.
Kristin Nilsen 46:18
Oh my god, Sherwood Schwartz
Michelle Newman 46:20
didn't even know about the Brady Bunch tower until he saw it announced in TV Guide.
Kristin Nilsen 46:24
How I believe that they didn't say anything. Well, obviously especially Listen,
Michelle Newman 46:31
it is a super interesting story that we don't have time to get into today. But like I said, we will definitely do an entire episode devoted to the Brady Bunch hour in the future, so we'll share it then. The drumline today. Today, we don't care how we got made, but at that it did get made because we got nine glorious, outrageously cringy and fantastically awkward episodes to endure the test of time and live on for ever. And they do they live on forever. Okay, so how to get the bunch back together. Marty Croft insists he should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for accomplishing this test. Shockingly, it was Robert Reed who was onboard first and the most excited, which goes against basically everything we know about how she felt about the Brady Bunch. He wasn't even in the final episode, remember?
Kristin Nilsen 47:22
Yes. Oh my God, why on earth would he feel strongly about what he would consider stick? I'll
Michelle Newman 47:29
tell you. I'll tell you, Kristen. Okay, tell me I guess he he says he wanted to branch out as an actor. And this. This was the vehicle of Robert. He wanted to branch out as an actor and try singing and dancing and apparently dress up in feathery costumes in sequence, which is actually how he might have scratched that itch. We don't know. Right? Yeah. But this was how he wanted to become a serious actor. So the man Yeah, just got some things backwards. Anyway, he's quoted as saying he thought what fun this will be a hoot. He didn't think
Kristin Nilsen 48:00
anything else was a hoot. Like he didn't hoots were not his thing. Yeah, he
Michelle Newman 48:03
was criticized no double checked and fact checked every single script and argued remember, yeah, listeners, we have two episodes. Right? We have a double episode on the Brady Bunch from a couple of years ago and full of just the best facts that we learned. And so please scroll back.
Kristin Nilsen 48:20
And also the Brady Bunch in Hawaii episode.
Michelle Newman 48:23
We do yes, that's a great one too. So there are so many fun facts about how the rest of the bunch reacted and how they eventually got on board. Especially Christopher knights reason for hesitation. You guys will love this one day. Because for today's episode again, we can't get into that, but we're going to focus on casting Jan. Oh, and you're
Kristin Nilsen 48:46
not going to tell us no account
Michelle Newman 48:48
today. Okay. It's too long of a story, but it's good. I'm gonna I gotta save some things for the Brady Bunch variety hour episode. So contrary to what you all might think, you know, if plum initially agreed to do the variety show, she loved the crafts. She had done a guest spot on segment on the sea monster. Do you remember that? I don't know this. Well,
Kristin Nilsen 49:08
she did favorite cartoon. Well, look. You're right. It's not Yeah, but it was on Saturday morning. Isn't that what card to my
Michelle Newman 49:15
favorite live action show? Yeah. And she was apparently really active and music fun fact. In 1975 She had plans to form a singing group with Susan Olsen and Mike look inland called the Brady three. Okay, Record scratch sound insert. Because Michael look inland. Had she never heard him sing great. Listen. Well go back again. Last year, we did an episode on bizarre Christmas albums. And if you go back and listen to that, you can hear all of our opinions on little Bobby's voice, right? Yes. Okay. So anyway, Eve's inclusion in the show the variety hour fell apart when her dad had a problem with the contract said craft says she didn't want to disgrace herself because she couldn't sing, which I don't know call it the Brady three into question a yeah very confused now you plumb that was gonna be a really powerful trio isn't it? But Marty Crump says it's because she just wanted to capitalize on her side hustle as a teenage runaway turned prostitute. Those are my words, not his. Because remember, everyone should just done the classic Don portrait of a teenage runaway cut. That's a good movie. We mentioned that and another one of our episodes on made for TV movie. Yeah, gosh, this back catalogue is super serving us. Ya know? That movie, if you remember received glowing reviews and really high ratings, so where it is she wanted to keep that side gig going. I'm only gonna do it for a week or two and then I'll quit. I sweat. So how to fill that empty square and the Brady grid, right? Yeah, just don't go to Castile. Well, no, they did. My casting call went out in late October 1976. And over 1500 girls came out of the woodworks from all across the United States to be the new but fake. As we all know, it was 16 year old Jerry racial a veteran of over 40 TV commercials, a few feature films and appearances on TV shows like Gunsmoke and you guys hold your britches Apple's way? No, I
Kristin Nilsen 51:18
know. You're gonna say that. I knew you were gonna say that. I don't know why. Who filled
Michelle Newman 51:22
Jan's awkward shoes. Ironically, Jerry had more experience in show business than all the other Brady kids combined. If you watch the Brady Bunch variety hour, her performances beg to differ. But I guess we'll take that for what it's worth. Everybody knows
Speaker 3 51:40
my sister Jan doesn't want anyone to know we even have a bathroom. Actually in our old house. We didn't.
Michelle Newman 51:46
Okay, we need to take a few minutes to talk how over the top this show was the premise was a little bit different than other variety shows and was modeled after the show within a show concept. So instead of appearing as themselves, Robert Florens, Barry, Maureen, etc. They appear as their Brady characters. And the story is that the Brady's have moved to a new house and are putting on a variety show. Other than Jan, the OG bunch gets back together. Even a reluctant very reluctant as well besides Christopher Knight, but Andy Davis, but there's an addition. And this time it's not cousin Oliver. It's rip Taylor naturally. I
Kristin Nilsen 52:22
don't know No.
Michelle Newman 52:26
Rip Taylor plays next door neighbor Jack Merrill who frequently finds his way into the act and is a love interest for Alice. No, stop.
Kristin Nilsen 52:33
Sam, the
Michelle Newman 52:35
butcher is never mentioned again. Why didn't
Kristin Nilsen 52:37
people feel like she'd be cheating on Sam? These are by me
Michelle Newman 52:41
and listen, Christmas, there is a lot of holes and leaps. We just have to take off the Brady Bunch of hours. So that's just going to be one of very minor one. Each episode features the obligatory variety show song and dance numbers. Usually there were 15 or more in one show, but it's an hour don't forget and sketches as well as a show within a show. Behind the scenes story. I'm using air quotes here, which takes place in the Brady's new home and Ogun variety shows have an opening show stopper, the craft brothers gave down and ran ice rink and the ice angels so naturally, they gave the Brady's a swimming pool and the craft debt
Kristin Nilsen 53:19
is true.
Michelle Newman 53:23
Like kid you not they're called the craft debts at the opening they're like, and we also have the craft debts. A dance troupe who'd open the show with Vegas style high kicks and then do water ballet and the pool like Esther Williams style. Yeah, you guys, there are so many fun facts about the craft debts and the problems the swimming pool caused just in Wikipedia. But for time, I'm going to just share my one favorite and perhaps the most troubling and put the rest in this week's Weekly Reader. So here we go. Unlike traditional synchronized swimming, the craft desks were expected to sit on the bottom of the pool in various formations. In order to accomplish this, the women had to completely exhale all of their breath so that they would sink in a state of hypoxia. Hypoxia is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply at the tissue level. The ABC network will not allow the use of goggles This is my favorite line God and any unsightly air bubble escaping from a desperate nostril was absolutely forbidden
Kristin Nilsen 54:32
people can't see me right now but I'm holding I'm just gonna scribe described myself I'm holding my head in my hands and I'm shaking my head. This is nutty
Michelle Newman 54:40
and unsightly air bubble escaping from a desperate a desperate astral gap
Carolyn Cochrane 54:44
might have limitations on like suing your for abuse here. Yeah,
Michelle Newman 54:49
understand desperate nostril means like just trying to remain alive. Yeah, I got
Kristin Nilsen 54:56
into your brain. Yeah, I'm dying now and I need some oxygen. In and to top
Michelle Newman 55:00
it off because the Croft debts had double duty as dancers on stage with the Brady's during the day swimming sequences were often relegated to late night hours. This required the women to work more than 15 consecutive hours on days they were filming. And apparently risk death by oxygen deprivation.
Carolyn Cochrane 55:20
Where's the class action suit? This
Kristin Nilsen 55:22
is wrong. Yes, this is wrong. This is really bad. And what do they know anything about liability? Like insurance? How was it that nobody had did that they didn't have to call the paramedics at least one time that as well.
Michelle Newman 55:34
This is the most when I said I wanted to share this one because it's the most troubling ladies check your weekly readers this week, because you're going to also read a fact about all the props that were bolted to the bottom of the pool that they had to swim around while they're trying to do synchronized swimming. So ladies and listeners, I took not one but two for the team yesterday and watched episodes one and two which there are no words, but I'm going to give you a few episode ones plot and I'm using air quotes again here very accurately people episode ones plot. The Brady kids fear their father is not talented enough to appear on their variety show. So Bobby schemed to replace him with Tony Randall.
Ironically, ironically, Robert reads or Mike's acting is atrocious. I want you all to listen to this whole soundbite. Hi.
Speaker 1 56:32
I'm Mike. Brady. I'm Mike Brady. Husband, and the Father and that sort of thing. Look, when I really am as an architect, and my family wanted this variety show, you know it was there. I didn't want to do it. But I love my family. You
Michelle Newman 57:00
guys. I wish I had time to get into costumes and choreography today. But I don't but for sure we will have an episode devoted to this delightfully fun train wreck and an upcoming season. Let me just leave you here with a few more episode plots, because just the names of these guest stars is the 70th thing you're going to hear all week. Maybe except for Lassie and when his family criticizes his his singing and dancing talents, Mike decides to prove he can carry a tune. But when he teams up with Charo for rehearsal, Carol becomes jealous. And perhaps my very favorite, rich little develops amnesia and believes he is one of the Brady children devastatingly The Brady Bunch our went off the air after just six months and nine episodes due to sporadic scheduling. Oh, because consistency would have made it a hit I'm sure I'm sure. And TV Guide listed this series as number four in a 2002 compilation of the 50 worst television sealers in American history. Oh my god. Clearly they made the best. Susan Olsen rationalizes the disaster of it like this. To see this family engaging in the most commercial and soulless art forms is unsettling. It is difficult to see Mike Brady dancing and a Carmen Miranda dress without feeling some level of an urge to spoon one's eyes out. Time to break out my handy dandy band aid that covers all our crimes against art. It was the 70s That's honestly the best excuse. I want you all to know I got much of my information from this truly fabulous book called love to love you Brady's the bizarre story of the Brady Bunch variety hour that was gifted to us by a great PCPs listener and supporter and lucky you because you can still find it on Amazon and many online used bookstores for less than $20. And we'll definitely add links in this week's Weekly Reader email newsletter. Shows like this often, in current times get what's like a cult following because they were so bad. Yeah, that now they're just fabulous. And this is definitely one of them that has kind of achieved that cult following status. And I gotta tell you, I'm kind of here for it
Kristin Nilsen 59:28
so what you might notice you three women and all the people listening is that we don't have variety shows anymore. They're gone, in a big way gone. And there's a great podcast episode on variety shows by our friend Amy lively on the for the record, the 70s podcast, and she says that Donnie and Marie was really the last gasp of successful variety shows, and it will likely never happen again. Donnie and Marie ended in 1979 and that show reflected everything that we loved about variety shows the musical performances, the silliness the innocence. But 1980 was looming and the world was changing. It was more than people's waning interest in Donnie and Marie or Don Yasmin's marriage to Debbie. That led to the cancellation of the show. It wasn't those two things, it was more it was the world. In fact, she says she views the true end of the variety show era as the BGS concert special that documented their Spirits Having Flown tour, and it aired on November 21 1979. It was not a variety show, per se. But we were tuning in for the same reason to see our favorite stars perform. And this was the last example of that kind of TV before the dawn of wait for it, MTV. So she sees the airing of this special as the bridge between the variety shows of the 1970s and MTV. So the Buggles told us that Video Killed the Radio Star, but it also killed the variety show. Why? Because MTV removed some of that need to see musical performances on TV. We had a steady diet of everybody huge stars up and coming stars 24 hours a day in massive quantities. Why would I tune into a TV show that might have one person once a week who might interest me? So a few people have tried to remake the format recently, and it just doesn't translate Michael boob Leigh has won Kacey Musgraves has won Maya Rudolph and Martin Short did one for a very short period of time. Neil Patrick Harris tried it. They can't find an audience. But also in addition to MTV, there's one big reason that this isn't catching on anymore. Someone asked Donny Osmond recently, if there's any modern day person who could recreate the joy of the variety show today, someone who could pick up where Donny and Marie left off. And he was incredulous. He was like, no, not possible. He said it will never happen again. And his reasoning is sound. He said people back then were looking for simplicity and innocence. They wanted something that they could watch with the whole family. And today's audience wants reality TV with shock value. That's true. And I can't think of a single show that is attractive to mom and dad and their teenagers and the little brother and the sister and the grandma. And he's right. Unless you can get the real housewives to do a variety show. I don't think people will care. I think he's right. It's really sad.
Carolyn Cochrane 1:02:32
I'm gonna tear. You know, we're
Kristin Nilsen 1:02:33
also you're gonna see Jim Nabors and Lassie, right. So yes, these variety shows from the 70s may have been cheesy and cornball, but hidden underneath was something more. They gave us access to our favorite stars and our beloved heroes. They brought us our favorite songs from the radio, and those cheesy cornball comedy sketches provided constant commentary on what was going on around us. According to Amy lively again, all of these shows from Ed Sullivan and the Smothers Brothers to Glen Campbell and Donnie Murray. They were all a time capsule into what was happening in politics, fashion and music, sports, TV and film. It's like they are a dissertation on the culture of the times not just what we were entertained by. But what we were wearing what we were watching what we were listening to and what we were talking about shows like Sonny and Cher, Carol Burnett, and even the Brady Bunch variety our were the finale of the golden era of regularly scheduled music and sketch comedy programming on network TV. And that makes them historical treasures deserving of our time and attention and our love and affection. Thank you so much for listening today and we will see you next time.
Speaker 2 1:03:41
I'm so glad we had this time together just to have a laugh This seems we just get started. And before you know
Unknown Speaker 1:04:07
so
Michelle Newman 1:04:10
today's episode was brought to you by Carole Harvey Tim Vicki sunny share Greg Marcia. Really, today's episode was made possible by these fine folks who support us on Patreon, Diane Sherry, Mike, Christina Tracy, Stella, J. S, Jennifer, Erica, Lisa and Natalie.
Kristin Nilsen 1:04:32
In the meantime, let's raise our glasses for a toast courtesy of the cast of Three's Company to good times to Happy
Michelle Newman 1:04:39
Days to Little
Carolyn Cochrane 1:04:41
House on the Prairie today shares.
Kristin Nilsen 1:04:46
The information opinions and comments expressed in the pop culture Preservation Society podcast belongs solely to Carolyn the crush ologists and hello Newman, and are in no way representative of our employers or affiliates. And though we truly believe we are always right, there's always a first time The PCPs was written produced and recorded in Minneapolis Minnesota home of the fictional w j m studios and our beloved Mary Richards nananana keep on truckin and may the Force be with you
Transcribed by https://otter.ai