The Tonight Show: You Are the Author

The Tonight Show: You Are the Author

Different edition, from '91

NBC

1990?

Talk Show

VHS

B-

Johnny Carson reads aloud the studio audience's submissions for a romance novel.  I suspect these have been tweaked a bit by the staff writers, since it runs together pretty smoothly.  The best part is seeing the band break Johnny up.

Siskel & Ebert 500th Anniversary Special

Siskel & Ebert 500th Anniversary Special

Rough beginnings

Syndicated

June 3, 1989

Movie Review

VHS

B-

While it's undeniably interesting to take a look at fourteen years of Sisbert's teamwork (it's their 500th episode, obviously not 500 years), I'm not sure how well this all holds together, especially in front of a live audience.  My favorite part is probably the segment on their experiences growing up at the movies, particularly now that I've read Ebert's biography.  And there's a different sort of poignancy to Roger asking Gene in all earnestness "if we really hate each other or really like each other."  Gene teasingly promises to answer next special, but we know, especially now, that they loved each other like brothers.

Of particular note in retrospect are their comments on not having any influence on the issues of changing the ratings system and letterboxing.  They thought in the '80s that they had lost, but NC-17 came along in 1990, and the shift from VHS to DVD (and later Blu-Ray) helped make letterboxing more acceptable.  Danny Thomas and Bob Hope appear in one of the many parodies sprinkled throughout the show, while the other three men I've tagged are from late night talk show appearances.

The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special

Yes, I would rather watch Donny Osmond
on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.

The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special
Showtime
Copyright 1985 but aired sometime in 1986
Parody, Variety
VHS
C

We're going to step back a little in time, to this precursor to The Larry Sanders Show, although it more immediately paved the way for It's Garry Shandling's Show.  I saw it after watching the first season of IGSS and was disappointed.  It hasn't improved with age.  It's not bad but it's not particularly funny.  It's mainly of historical interest, from a time when Johnny Carson was till the King of Late Night TV but had faced some challenges.

Paul Willson, who would be Leonard Smith on IGSS, plays Garry's sidekick Pete.  Britt Leach, who was Davy Jones's manager on The Brady Bunch, Reporter Dan Blevik on M*A*S*H, and three different characters on Three's Company, is Dr. Robert Lebec here.  DeVera Marcus, who was Violet on Bosom Buddies, plays Dee here and would be Willa on Who's the Boss?  Helaine Lembeck, of Welcome Back, Kotter, is Mindy here.  Doug McClure is among the many people appearing as themselves.  Tom Trbovich, who did one Bosom Buddies episode, is this special's director.