A Lost Cartoon Classic (a parody)

The recent ROSIE LIVE! TV special was a horribly conceived and executed ego trip for hostess Rosie O'Donnell. Our friend Marc over at Deep Dish has already dissected it admirably. And frankly, I'm tired of complaining about it. Rosie's first guest of the evening Liza Minnelli was one of the few bright spots of the hour. Seeing Liza and Rosie together brought back memories of a little-known project these two odd gay icons did a few years back.

Yes-THE LIZA AND ROSIE CARTOON SHOW, a hidden gem from the Hanna-Barbera vault. The show only lasted six episodes, so it's not as well-loved as classics like CLUE CLUB or FRED & BARNEY MEET THE SCHMOO, but the show has it's small, loyal cult of fans, like Jim at Tulgey Wood and Laura at A Touch of Tuesday Weld.

The premise of the show is this: Liza gets out of rehab and all her gay ex-husbands and boyfriends have gone on tour with JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS, so she turns up on the steps of her good friend Rosie, the "queen of nice" - who gladly takes in the dynamic diva. Hilarity ensues as the two learn to get along despite Liza's zany antics and Rosie's "niceness".Episode # 1 "The Puss-Hide-Ing Adventure" - Liza has a gig performing on a cruise ship, and Rosie wants to join her - only she can't afford a ticket cause she was fired from from her latest TV show. Rosie and her conservative kitty Hasselbeck become stowaways, but things get turned upside down when Rosie trips over her pussy and causes the ship to flip over. Liza saves the day by singing "There's Got to Be a Morning After".Episode #2 "The Flowering Inferno" - Liza plants a poppy garden, but loudmouth Rosie accidentally lights it on fire while practicing fire-eating for her gender-bending stage role as Gene Simmons in a production of "KISS Me Kate".Episode # 3  "I Dream of Sweeney" - After a freak accident Rosie acquires the powers of a genie, BUT she can only turn things into meat pies. Luckily Liza is having a soiree to honor Stephen Sondheim-only he's allergic to meat! Rosie has a hair-brain scheme to save the day! Will she succeed?Episode #4 "Rosie's Panic Room" - When Jodie Foster stops by on her way to the Dinah Shore golf tournament, Rosie accidently locks her in a panic room. Who's gonna host the pool party now???Episode #5 "Liza Gets Her Mountie" - On a visit Canada to purchase over-the-counter drugs, Rosie backs out of her commitment to "mule" and, as a cover-up, Liza has to recruit the locals to perform a rousing number from "The Rink."

Episode # 6 "The Old Soft Shell" - When Liza's tap dance instructor gives her a wicked case of crabs, so she must fumigate the house. Only Rosie's Tom Cruise & Koosh Ball Enthusiasts Society meeting is scheduled for the same afternoon!  Could this be the last straw for these mismatched roommates??? I certainly hope not!!!