Author Topic: TV Variety Shows: Now Disc. The 2009 CMT Music Awards
solojones  33506 posts
Registered: Sep '00
24089_Obi-Wans
Date Posted: 5/18/06 1:34pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
He's taking over in 2009. It can't come soon enough. Not that I don't like Leno, because I do. He's fairly funny and seems like a genuinely nice guy (a huge contrast to Letterman), but I don't want to have to stay up so late for Conan anymore tongue

Conan is my absolute favourite comedian on the planet. He manages to make anything funny, even jokes that suck, because he's great at mocking them. He's incredibly smart, a nerd at heart, and completely random. Unlike that ***** Letterman, he's self-effacing. And gangly. What's not to love about Consey? love

 

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My short films: http://www.youtube.com/solojones1138
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Rogue1-and-a-half  22151 posts
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered: Nov '00
16485_Wedge Antilles
Date Posted: 5/18/06 2:21pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
Funniest man on television. Maybe funniest man alive.

What I love about the guy is his ability to take stupid material and just make it sing. I recall seeing terrible sketches (college football mascots, for example) and he just mocks the sketches mercilessly ("To those of you who thought that went on a little long . . ." "They said they'd fix that in rehearsal!").

He's off the wall, raw energy and just pure crazy.

Love him. Love him.

 

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Gobi-1  8576 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered: Dec '02
7013_Obi-Wan Doll
Date Posted: 5/18/06 3:46pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
The best thing about Conan is the amount of actual comedy they pack into a one hour show. They have more sketches and characters then any of the other late night talk shows. Jay Leno, who I also really enjoy, use to do sketches and characters but not anymore, now they just bring out somebody else and play a tape. On Conan he's involved with every sketch.

One negative side effect is that it leaves little time for interviews although Conan makes the most of them. Another negative aspect is that the show can get raunchy at times. I love Triumph The Insult Comic Dog mocking people but I dislike seeing him hump another dog and referring to other sex acts.

 

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In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
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Drac39  15414 posts
Registered: Jul '02
46283_SW Weekends - Aurra Sing
Date Posted: 5/18/06 7:10pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
I`ll second Rouge, the man has so much energy you can`t help but laugh. I`d say he's the best talk show variety host the small screen has ever seen.

 

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pumpkin
"That's all there is to life, just a little laugh... a little tear"- Lon Chaney
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Rogue1-and-a-half  22151 posts
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered: Nov '00
16485_Wedge Antilles
Date Posted: 5/18/06 8:05pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
God, Triumph in line with the Star Wars nerds was maybe the finest five minutes of television comedy ever.

Love the band too; best band on a comedy/variety show. La Bamba cracks me up and Weinberg, and you'd never have known this from his career with Springsteen, has an incredible gift for low key comedy.

 

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Gobi-1  8576 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered: Dec '02
7013_Obi-Wan Doll
Date Posted: 5/18/06 11:06pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien) - Date Edited: 5/18/06 11:07pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Gobi-1
One night instead of a musical guest I just like to hear Max and the band play. It's too bad we only get to here them when they go to or come back from commercials.

 

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In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
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Forcefire  992 posts
Registered: Jul '00
19942_A New Hope
Date Posted: 5/19/06 2:43pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
I actually have a mug with the Late Night logo on it that I got at NBC studios (didn't get to see the show, sadly). Great show, the best on late television.

 

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"Dear Diary, today I was pompous and my sister was crazy.
Today we were kidnapped by hillfolk, never to be seen again.
It was the best day ever."
Jayne Cobb, the Hero of Canton
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Gobi-1  8576 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered: Dec '02
7013_Obi-Wan Doll
Date Posted: 5/19/06 9:44pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
Conan has just been announced as the host of the upcoming Emmy Awards. applause

 

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In 1977 George Lucas created the Star Wars Trilogy and changed the way we look at movies.
In 1999 George Lucas created the Prequel Trilogy and changed the way we look at Star Wars.
Frasier, Lost, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? are the best tv shows ever.
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somethingfamiliar  5690 posts
Registered: Aug '03
42760_Asajj Ventress
Date Posted: 5/19/06 11:04pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
Conan has the best supporting characters/bits: Triumph, Pimpbot, Masturbating Bear, In The Year 2000, If They Made It, the interviews where they insert that guy's mouth in a static pic of a celeb like Ahnold, The More You Know, etc. And his band shouldn't be overlooked. Max, Jimmy Vivino, La Bamba, they're household names now. They play good tunes and they always sound present; you can hear the instruments instead of one big mush. They're the best band in late night by far. And, of course, the character of Conan himself is great.

 

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I had all bases covered. I had the Hulkamaniacs watching DiBiase. I had Virgil in his place.
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Rogue1-and-a-half  22151 posts
Title: Manager: Amphitheatre
Registered: Nov '00
16485_Wedge Antilles
Date Posted: 5/20/06 8:14pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien) - Date Edited: 4/12/07 9:52pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Zaz
somethingfamiliar posted:
the interviews where they insert that guy's mouth in a static pic of a celeb like Ahnold


Oh, heck, yeah!

I saw them do a Bush interview about Iraq being renamed Tostitos in order to at least make some advertising money from the war and I laughed until I thought I would die.

Conan, we are confident that the Tostitians will adapt . . .

 

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Don't be a fool, don't be blind
Heart of mine
If you can't do the time, don't do the crime
Heart of mine
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RX_Sith  4009 posts
Title: C&G Game Host
Registered: Mar '06
42342_Star Wars Monopoly
Date Posted: 5/23/06 7:52am Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien)
U2 was featured last night on Conan for the whole show. It was pretty funny when they did the "Year 2000" bit with "The Edge" and "Bono", plus Conan of course. It was a very good episode. U2 performed 4 or 5 songs during the show. They ended with "Vertigo".

Discuss.

 

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Zaz  38339 posts
Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre
Registered: Oct '98
40038_Jawa
Date Posted: 5/23/06 12:55pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing Conan O'Brien & U2)
I missed that one, dammit. frustrated

 

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RX_Sith  4009 posts
Title: C&G Game Host
Registered: Mar '06
42342_Star Wars Monopoly
Date Posted: 5/27/06 9:07am Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing "Your Show of Shows")
This week I will discuss "Your Show of Shows" starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Carl Reiner and Howard Morris joined the show later. Two of the great skits on the show were "The Hickenloopers", a battling husband-and-wife team and the clock in the Bavarian town of Baverhoff which always broke when the hour was struck.

Your Show of Shows

The link above goes to the IMDB site.

"Your Show of Shows" also did lampoons of popular Hollywood films. There are two skits that stand out in my mind. One was a burlesque of the Academy Award winning "From Here to Eternity," with Caesar and Coca mimicking the roles of Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr doing the beach scene with the tide coming in. In the travesty the ocean water keeps hitting the two would-be lovers in the face until it nearly drowns both of them. The other parody that I recall was of "On the Waterfront," when Caesar and Reiner do a takeoff of the famous backseat scene between Marlon Brando and Rod Steiger playing brothers when Brando coins the phrase, "I could've been a contender."

"Your Show of Shows" aired on NBC during the early 50's.

2/25/1950 - 6/6/1954 NBC
Black and White
90 minutes

Created by Sylvester "Pat" Weaver
Produced by Max Lieberman
Feb 1950 - June 1954 Sat. 9:00 - 10:30

Starring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca
With Carl Reiner and Howard Morris

Your Show of Shows was a star vehicle to display the immense talents of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.

Caesar could do it all and when partnered with Coca, his talent was presented to perfection. Among the characters they created together were Doris and Charlie Hickenlooper and Caesar alone is remembered for Progress Hornsby, Cool Cees, Somerset Winterset and Guiseppe Marinara.

Carl Reiner, a regular, would use his experience with Caesar as material for The Dick Van Dyke Show.

The writing staff included young talents such as Woody Allen, Mel Brooks, Neil Simon and Larry Gelbart (M.A.S.H.).

A popular segment was the spoof of a movie.

Passings

Imogene Coca died in 2001.

Discuss.

 

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RX_Sith  4009 posts
Title: C&G Game Host
Registered: Mar '06
42342_Star Wars Monopoly
Date Posted: 6/5/06 7:13pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing "50's TV Variety Shows")
Wow, so no one really enjoyed "Your Show of Shows". Oh well.

This time I will discuss a group of 50's TV Variety Shows.

Perry Como Show
(The Chesterfield Supper Club)
The Kraft Music Hall


2/24/1948 - 6/12/1963 NBC/CBS
Black and White/Color
15 minutes 1948- 1955 60 minutes 1955 - 1963

Theme Song "Dream Along With Me (I'm on my Way to the Stars)" by Carl Sigman

Starring Perry Como
Orchestra - Mitchell Ayres

Regulars - Fontane Sisters, Ray Charles Singers, Louis Da Pron Dancers, Peter Gennaro Dancers

Regulars - Kraft Music Hall - Kaye Ballard, Don Adams, Sandy Stewart, Jack Duffy, Paul Lyne, Pierre Olaf

Perry Como was already a popular singer with an easy going style and a relaxed manner. His show never varied much over the years. Perry sang his hit songs. Big name guests sang their hit songs. The atmosphere was always warm and inviting.

Webmaster's note ...
When I was a little girl, my family attended the same church as Mr. Como. Every Sunday he would talk to me and sometimes walk from church with me adoringly by his side. After the eternity of Mass (still in Latin in those days), I always had my moment with Mr. Como to look forward to. This man truly was a gentleman - and I will never forget his kindness to a small child.

Passings

Perry Como died in 2001 of Alzheimer's disease.
Perry Como

Did you know that ...
Perry Como was the first male solo artist to win a Grammy Award?

In 1958 for “Catch a Falling Star,” Perry Como won Best Vocal Performance, Male.
BUY Dean Martin on VHS & DVD

~~~~~

The Colgate Comedy Hour

9/10/1950 - 12/25/1955 NBC
Black and White/Color
60 minutes
Sept 1950 - Dec. 1955 Sun. 8:00 - 9:00

11/22/1953 - First show to ever be telecast in color, as part of an test of RCA's new color system

Every big name in comedy or music appeared on this show which presented rotating hosts. Although thought of now as separate acts, Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were a very hot pair until personality conflicts broke them up in 1956. Other alternating hosts included Abbott and Costello, Jimmy Durante, Bob Hope, Donald O'Connor, Eddie Cantor and Fred Allen.

~~~~~

Your Hit Parade

10/7/1950 - 4/24/1959 NBC/CBS
Black and White
30 minutes
Theme songs: "Lucky Day" and "So Long for Awhile"
Hosts: Andre Baruch and Del Sharbutt
Regulars: Eileen Wilson, Snooky Lanson, Dorothy Collins, Sue Bennett, June Valli, Russell Arms, Gisele MacKenzie, Tommy Leonetti, Jill Corey, Alan Copeland, Virginia Gibson, Johnny Desmond

The regular performers presented the seven most popular songs of the week. The number one song came last after a big buildup. Expensive production numbers were incorporated to keep interest for songs that stayed onthe charts for weeks.

What was never mentioned, hmm, was that the people who supplied the Top Seven lists was none other than BBD&O, sponsor American Tobacco's ad agency!

~~~~~

The Jack Benny Show

10/28/1950 - 9/10/1965 CBS/NBC
Black and White
30 minutes
The Jack Benny Show Cast

Jack Benny
Mary Livingstone (Mrs. Jack Benny) (1950-1959)
Don Wilson - Announcer
Eddie "Rochester" Anderson as Rochester Van Jones (valet)
Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, Artie Auerbach and Frank Nelson

Jack Benny moved his successful radio to show to TV slowly. First aired as a series of specials, then increasingly shown more often as the years passed.

Benny, known for his repetitve 39th birthdays, had an unstated sense of humor. His exchanges with Rochester are classics of comedy.
Passings

Jack Benny died in 1974 of pancreatic cancer, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson in 1977 of heart problems. Don WIlson in 1982 of a stroke, Mary Livingstone in 1983 of heart disease and Mel Blanc in 1989 also of heart disease.

Did you know that ...
This was an early directorial effort of Fred De Cordova who later was the mainstay of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

Also Mel Blanc was the voice of Bugs Bunny.

~~~~~

People Are Funny

9/19/1954 - 4/2/1961 NBC
Black and White
30 minutes

Art Linkletter hosted skits which often involved the audience. A Univac computer, then in its infancy, tried to match up couples.

He did a wonderful bit with children called Kids Say the Darndest Things which was recreated by Bill Cosby in 1998.

~~~~~

The George Gobel Show

10/2/1954 - 6/5/1960 NBC
Black and White
30 minutes
George Gobel Theme Song

Gobelues by John Scott Turner
George Gobel Show Cast

Anita Bryant, Eddie Fisher, Peggy King, Jeff Daniels, Joe Flynn, Harry Von Zell, the Modernaires, Shirley Harmer and Paul Kelly

"Well, I'll be a dirty bird!
"You don't hardly get those no more."

"Lonesome George" Gobel opened his show with a monologue, most often one involving his wife, Alice. Alice was his real life wife's name but she did not appear on the show. Alice was played by Jeff Daniels and Peggy King.
Passings

George Gobel died in 1991.

Discuss.

 

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Zaz  38339 posts
Title: Manager, The Ampitheatre
Registered: Oct '98
40038_Jawa
Date Posted: 6/5/06 8:05pm Subject: RE: TV Variety Shows: (Now Discussing "Your Show of Shows")
Most of the people who post here aren't old enough to remember these shows. I only know about "Your Show of Shows" because they released a movie compilation of it: "Ten From Your Show of Shows" and because the movie "My Favorite Year" was based on it. Haven't actually seen the compilation, but "My Favorite Year" is a keeper.

I've seen clips of Jack Benny, and he was a master of timing, pauses, and silence.

 

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