Whatever Happened to Saturday Night?

From 2009: 

Basically Saturday night TV is a dumping ground and graveyard for failing shows and reruns of hits from other nights. This was not always the case.

Once upon a time, Saturday nights hosted some of the best and/or popular TV that ever was. From YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS and JACKIE GLEASON in the 1950s,to LEAVE IT TO BEAVER and GUNSMOKE in the 1960sto MARY TYLER MOORE and THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW in the early 1970s,to LOVE BOAT and FANTASY ISLAND in the late 1970s.The 1980s brought hits like GOLDEN GIRLS, AMEN, EMPTY NEST and 227. But after those shows ran their course, people started renting movies, watching cable or actually going out on Saturday nights and the networks got lazy and filled the night with cheap programming like news shows, theatrical movies, "reality" TV and reruns. Lots and lots of reruns.

I really miss Saturday night TV. It is very doubtful that the networks will rethink their weekend strategy. Maybe if they aired shows that people actually want to watch - then people would tune in!

Here's an odd & rare ABC Saturday-night line-up from my youth that I fondly remember:

HERE WE GO AGAIN starring Larry Hagman, A TOUCH OF GRACE starring the terrific Shirley Booth and wonderful  THE JULIE ANDREWS HOUR. Ah - if I could turn back time...

The MISMATCH GAME Returns This Weekend Only

The weekend, I'll once again be the contestant wrangler for The MISMATCH GAME–A live, on-stage parody/homage to TV's Match Game! 

If you're in LA this weekend, come out and play.

METROSOURCE LA calls it "A low-tech screamer...not to be missed." 

With your host, Dennis Hensley, and an All-Star Cast.

SCHEDULED TO APPEAR:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30 - 8 PM

Jack Plotnick as Paul Lynde

Ted Biaselli as Miss Piggy

Tony Tripoli as Charles Nelson Reilly

Jackie Clarke as a mystery guest

Felix Pire as Ricardo Montalban

Madeline Long as Shelley Winters

plus John Carrozza as Greg Evigan

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31 - 8 PM

Jack Plotnick as Paul Lynde

Tony Tripoli as Charles Nelson Reilly

Tom Lenk as Margot Kidder

Oscar Quintero as Charo

Madeline Long as Shelley Winters

plus John Carrozza as Greg Evigan

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1 - 7 PM

Drew Droege as Karen Black

Tom Lenk as Heidi Klum

Tony Tripoli as Charles Nelson Reilly

Nadya Ginsburg as Cher

Felix Pire as Ricardo Montalban

plus John Carrozza as Greg Evigan

For clips and more, visit: myspace.com/mismatchgame

The Renberg Theatre • 1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood

(One block east of Highland, just north of Santa Monica Blvd.)

Tickets $15 • Call 323-860-7300 • By tickets online 

Ricardo Montalban 1920-2009, Patrick McGoohan 1928-2009

HOLY MISMATRIMONY! EMERGENCY 'NO ON 8' FUNDRAISER

Come Out and Join Us This Thursday September 23 at 8PM for a Special "No On Prop 8" Edition of THE MISMATCH GAME!!!

Laugh along as we send-up the classic TV game show and raise $$$ to combat the evil forces that want to make gay marriage illegal in California. Basically - they want to take away a right that we ALREADY HAVE! WTF? Can't these people deal with their own fucked-up lives and leave us alone? There's sure to be some timely politically charged humor as well questions about the latest celebrity bullshit. Madonna's divorce, anyone?

Hosted by DENNIS HENSLEY with an All-Star Cast including...
TED BIASELLI as Miss Piggy
DREW DROEGE as Karen Black
JOHN CARROZZA as Greg Evigan
MADELINE LONG as Shelley Winters
TOM LENK as Heidi Klum
NADYA GINSBURG as Cher
SAM PANCAKE as Lisa Whelchel
JACK PLOTNICK as Evie Harris
FELIX PIRE as Ricardo Montalban

DOUGSPLOITATION (that's me!) will also be there working the line and recruiting contestants! YOU can play on stage with the stars - and win fabulous prizes! There may be other special guests and surprises as well!

ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Thursday, October 23 at 8pm
at the Renberg Theatre
1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood, USA
(one block east of Highland, just north of Santa Monica Blvd.)

All proceeds go to benefit the ‘NO on 8’ Campaign to help secure Marriage Equality in California.

Tickets $25
Call 323-860-7300 or Buy tickets ONLINE at: www.lagaycenter.org/boxoffice

For clips and more, visit myspace

Tragic Halloween Costumes (Aaron Spelling edition)

Aaron Spelling was responsible for some of the most memorable TV shows of the 1970s. His ABC shows of this period ran the gamut from crime dramas to romantic comedies. Most were Top 10 hits and were mostly aimed towards "adult" audiences, but a few inspired Halloween costumes.Nothing like dressing up your little girl as Farah Fawcett-Majors, the queen of "jiggle tv". Not sure why Farah's costume isn't branded as a CHARLIE'S ANGELS costume like Kate Jackson's Sabrina. Oddly enough, the horse-faced Kate mask looks more like Tori Spelling!

Wow - a Gavin  MacLeod costume! Well, he didn't get one as Murray from MARY TYLER MOORE, but I wonder what little kid actually wanted to be Captain Stubing from THE LOVE BOAT for Halloween.
And finally, Tattoo from FANTASY ISLAND. What a wonderful way to empower your short child! Wonder if they had a Mr. Rouke get-up for the taller kids?

Tattoo You

Did diminutive FANTASY ISLAND star Hervé Villechaize actually record a version of Annie Lennox's "Why" accompanied by a motley crew of young runaways? If so, WHY???