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TV's Grooviest Variety Shows (of the '60 and '70s) ReviewThis should be a five-star book, considering the fact that it covers many of the great TV variety shows that so rarely get treated with respect in books on the history of television.But the book is deeply flawed by misinformation, speculation and shocking stereotypes. On multiple pages the author calls Midwesterners racists. He groups Midwesterners with Southerners as hick, anti-black TV viewers, which shows a lack of understanding of the wonderful people of the Midwest who fought for diversity in media.
The book has much information culled from other books and publications, but the problem is that the author didn't double check some of this information--resulting in incorrect "facts" included. He also doesn't include enough research on the ratings history of shows and put the programs in proper perspective regarding their popularity. He obviously doesn't have a good grasp of the history of television and just based much of his "research" on things stated by other authors.
For example, he goes overboard praising Carol Burnett to the point that the '90s flop "Carol & Company" was called a "success" (it wasn't) and calling "Mama's Family" a "spin-off of sorts." (There was no " of sorts" about it--it's a spin-off of a character from The Carol Burnett Show.)
For the failed show "Turn On" (which was cancelled after one episode in 1969) he wrongly states that Tim Conway was "among the regulars" (sorry--he was the guest host that week) and it seems that the author never watched it, otherwise he wouldn't write that it "wasn't really all that bad a show" (I saw it and it deserved the description as TV's "most notorious flop"). His inaccurate description of the show appears to not be based on first-hand viewing but on information culled from some other books. He even compares "Turn On" to "Seinfled"!!! Is he serious?
His writing style is also very odd--he will tie a TV variety show to a totally unrelated historical fact or mention an unrelated famous death at the time the show aired. The writing style is often "cheesy" and uses forced hype to create an improper image of what was happening with a show.
On the plus side, the book does include many long-forgotten books that are rarely mentioned in other sources. The book's title is even somewhat misleading, since the book includes many pages of shows that were not "groovy." So in addition to including Sonny & Cher, the author follows up with sections on "Turn On" and Phyllis Diller's variety show. It's fun to read about these--but the title should be adjusted to note that much of what is in the book is an homage to some of the worst variety shows.
Some insignificant shows should be dropped (Pop Goes the Country, The Music Scene) and the definition of "variety show" is too broad (Monty Python, Benny Hill and Solid Gold?). The book is a fun read for those who are old enough to remember variety shows (mostly those over age 50) but you have to able to tolerate a quirky writing style and incorrect information.TV's Grooviest Variety Shows (of the '60 and '70s) Overviewis an irresistible, page-turning account of TV's greatest and goofiest variety shows of the pyschedelic 1960s and '70s. With the nostalgia trend kicked off by Boogie Nights and Austin Powers and VH1's I Love the '70s specials, combined with the phenomenal success of shows like American Idol and Carol Burnett reunions, now is the perfect time for this book—the first of its kind.Designed to be browser-friendly, the book covers the main shows of the era—Ed Sullivan, Lawrence Welk, Dean Martin, the Smothers Brothers, Laugh-In, Flip Wilson, Sonny and Cher, Midnight Special, classic Saturday Night Live (1975-80), SCTV, and The Muppets. Each of these key chapters is fast-moving and fun, with quick, easy-to-skim sidebars like "Memorable Moments," "Quotable Quotes," and "Bloopers & Breakups," plus a brisk narrative of a show's behind-the-scenes dramas, cast, and history. Including the main shows, Davidson covers more than fifty shows in all, making for a volume that is neither too comprehensive and exhaustive nor too short and superficial.In addition, other shows chosen primarily for their camp appeal and retro quality are grouped together by genre. For example, "Definitely Not Ready for Prime-Time" features campy classics like the Brady Bunch Hour and Pink Lady. "Black & Blue" showcases the curious cancellations of the Pearl Bailey, Leslie Uggams, and Richard Pryor shows. And "The Mod Squad" details ABC's embarassing late-'60s efforts to get stars like Tom Jones and the Lennon Sisters installed in their own shows.This straightforward, fun-to-read account of the campy, funny, popular, and well-remembered TV variety shows of the 1960s and 1970s covers everything from Elvis to the Beatles to the Brady Bunch and Pink Lady, from Dean Martin and Laugh-In and Saturday Night Live and SCTV. It's all here.
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