Variety Shows

I love old variety shows. I may have said it here before. For some reason, TV producers have got it into their heads that variety shows no longer work and that the format died with "The Carol Burnett Show".

What they fail to realize is that the reason "The Carol Burnett Show" worked is the writing and the repertory company. Recent attempts include "The Wayne Brady Show". I like Brady as a comedian. Problem was, his variety show came hot on the heels of "Who's Line is it Anyway?" where Brady and crew ad-libbed their way through the show.

This ad-libbing did not carry over very well to his variety show and as a result, ratings suffered.

One of the old ones I picked up on DVD recently for $5, was the old "Tony Orlando and Dawn" show. I found it just as fun as when I originally watched it from 1974-1976. Orlando, Hopkins and Vincent are good at singing and also the light comedy they provided.

It is this kind of show that TV is lacking today.

Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson did an homage to old variety shows (particularly "Sonny and Cher") in 2004 and they pulled it off. They (or someone similar) could do it again...