The "I Saw Something REALLY Weird Today" Thread

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

I just discovered The Paul Lynde Halloween Special.
Yes, that Paul Lynde. The snide and snarky guy with the one-liners from Hollywood Squares. The darling of 1970s TV. The most openly gay, closeted gay man in history.
It was a really weird special from 1976. The guests included Betty White, Tim Conway, Florence Henderson, Donnny and Marie Osmond, Pinky from Happy Days, and even the band Kiss in their first ever prime time TV appearance.
Paul plays a witch, from a family of witches, which consists of Margaret Hamilton and, @D'Snowth may or may not know this, Witchiepoo from H.R. Puffnstuff.

The whole thing is just so awkward and bizarre. I don't even know what to say about it other than, this is terrible, i'm so glad that it was made:

 

[D'Snowth]

This is certainly a guilty pleasure for me. Not the greatest thing that Paul Lynde could lend his talent to, but I mean, it definitely falls into the So Bad It's Good category, I think.

It's also commonly mistaken for being a Sid & Marty Krofft special, not just for the inclusion of Witchiepoo, but Billy Barty, Margaret Hamilton, and Florence Henderson were connected to the Kroffts back then - this was also around the time the Kroffts began producing variety shows, so this almost seems like something they would have produced.

Nevertheless, from what I understand, this was supposed to be some sort of an attempt to give Paul a series of annual specials on ABC, but I guess this one did so poorly, that never came to fruition. Even Bruce Vilanch, who was one of the writers of this special, admitted that carrying a whole show, or even a special, was not Paul's bag.

The full special did used to be available on YouTube for the longest time, but it looks like it was finally nuked for copyright, I assume.

And geeeeosh! What an aggressive, hyper-active laugh track this special had (yes, it was a laugh track, not a live audience)!

 

[Pig'sSaysAdios]

(yes, it was a laugh track, not a live audience)!

Gosh, I hate that!

Nevertheless, from what I understand, this was supposed to be some sort of an attempt to give Paul a series of annual specials on ABC, but I guess this one did so poorly, that never came to fruition. Even Bruce Vilanch, who was one of the writers of this special, admitted that carrying a whole show, or even a special, was not Paul's bag.

Agreed. Paul was good at playing off of others with his witty one liners. I never thought i'd say this but, this special was too much Paul Lynde.
I actually kind of wish they could have done more specials like these though, only because I would've loved to see these specials get progressively worse, haha. And, I love me a good, awful Christmas special. The Star Wars Christmas special is my beautiful, ugly baby.

 

[MikaelaMuppet]

This:

 

[LittleJerry92]

This!

Watching this made me just see my life flash before my eyes.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Uhhh....

 

[D'Snowth]

A school zone's lights flashing . . . on a Saturday night.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Oh, I've seen that happen.

 

[ConsummateVs]

Seeing that result that I underlined as one of the top results for "sonic underground" on Google. I know the foot fetish is a very popular and common one, but I never realized people like Sonia's feet that much.

 

[D'Snowth]

You ask me what is it with me and legs, but I ask the world: what is it with people and feet?