WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:05.040 Weary. 2 00:00:05.360 --> 00:01:06.280 Wait, welcome back, midnight viewers. 3 00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:10.239 Well, okay, listen. If you're listening on the Patreon channel, 4 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:13.959 first of all, thank you for your continued patronage, and 5 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:17.040 you're listening to Cable Box Theater. If this is the 6 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.680 regular feed and you're listening to this for free, this 7 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:23.680 is a show called HP Hates Me. We're tonight we're 8 00:01:23.879 --> 00:01:26.840 looking at a program now from the Cable Box Theater 9 00:01:27.079 --> 00:01:29.719 point of view. We like to take shows that were 10 00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:33.239 theatrical shows that were filmed and then presented on cable 11 00:01:33.280 --> 00:01:36.439 and this fits the bill. It was recorded. It is 12 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.799 a live theatrical performance that aired on HBO on August 13 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:44.400 the ninth, nineteen eighty six. Tonight, we are looking at 14 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:47.959 Billy Crystal Don't Get Me Started, also known as the 15 00:01:48.040 --> 00:01:50.159 Billy Crystal Special. I don't know. 16 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:51.439 I don't know if there's enough here. 17 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:52.560 For a show. Are you kidding me? 18 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.879 We got tons of footage. We got tons of footage here. 19 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:58.920 Yeah, madam, people aren't even gonna know what this show's about. 20 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:01.000 Laura, will you explain it to than We explained that 21 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:02.799 you were going to do a special. You rented a 22 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.280 big house, you had all the cast members come over 23 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:07.280 there I went and documented the whole thing with my 24 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:10.319 documentary film crew. I mean, you just explain that to him. 25 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:12.960 I don't know what it's beautiful. 26 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.400 We'll get to see these characters in a deeper light 27 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:19.039 and with with with more nuance and more depth. I mean, 28 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:20.960 it's it's a chance to really get the I mean, 29 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.319 I think we only scratched. 30 00:02:21.960 --> 00:02:23.120 The surface of the first time. 31 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:25.240 It sounds like a cheap way to make money. 32 00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:26.840 Well it is that too, wouldee. 33 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:27.439 It's different to. 34 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:30.479 Me, and rather, it's not the money that I'm interested in. 35 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:31.400 It's it's it's the. 36 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:33.039 Art, ye say. Well, that's where we differ. 37 00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:36.560 I think money is part of the art. It's the 38 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.400 art of making money. See, the thing is, we got 39 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:41.840 all this footage. It's already shot. All we have is 40 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:44.840 the course of the editing. Right, that's no big deal. 41 00:02:45.199 --> 00:02:46.560 We make a cable deal with HBO. 42 00:02:47.240 --> 00:02:47.759 There you go. 43 00:02:48.360 --> 00:02:50.719 Well, let's take a look at what you got. 44 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:54.800 This is directed by Billy Crystal and Paul Flaherty, written 45 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:58.919 by Dick Blasucci, Billy Crystal, Paul Flaherty, and uncredited work 46 00:02:58.919 --> 00:03:02.840 by Rob Ryan or Stone, Billy Crystal, mainly Rob Reiner 47 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:06.159 as Marty de Berghie his second appearance as Marty de Berghie. 48 00:03:06.360 --> 00:03:08.879 Is this the second official appearance? Do you think I. 49 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:10.560 Think it was? I think this is. I mean I 50 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:13.360 mentioned to you I saw this before I saw Spinal Tap, 51 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:15.560 so going back, I was like, wow, this is like 52 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:20.599 the lost link between Tap and Billy Crystal's SNL sojourn. 53 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.599 So yeah, this was anyway, short story long this, I 54 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:26.000 believe this was the only the second time we see 55 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:26.879 Marty de Burgie. 56 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:31.199 Speaking of Spinal Tap, Also starring Christopher Guest, Eugene the Levy, 57 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.840 Theodor Gottlieb. That's brother Theodor for those of you who 58 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:37.240 don't know. In fact, if you don't know Brother Theodor, 59 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:40.759 what are you doing here? Also with Mark Shaman as 60 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:45.039 a piano player and Billy Crystal and Billy Crystal and 61 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:50.240 Billy Crystal because he plays multiple roles HB. The question remains, 62 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:51.520 why do you hate me? 63 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:57.280 Don't get me started now this. I don't remember how 64 00:03:57.680 --> 00:04:01.879 I came across this recently. Maybe you can refresh my memory. 65 00:04:01.919 --> 00:04:04.199 We were communicating back and forth and I don't know 66 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:06.719 how the subject came up. Maybe I just went down 67 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:11.039 a YouTube rabbit hole. But at any rate, I I 68 00:04:11.240 --> 00:04:13.360 back then this would have been eighty six, so I 69 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.759 was we were thirteen years older thereabouts, and the VCR 70 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:21.399 for us was everything. I would tape everything on the VCR, movies, 71 00:04:21.560 --> 00:04:25.360 TV specials, you name it, and I remember videotaping this 72 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.319 and rewatching it. But I had mentioned to you that 73 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:32.920 watching this and this is available free on YouTube. By 74 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.519 the way, there was no real effort expended to find this. 75 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.199 That is a hallmark of cable box theater. Everything we 76 00:04:40.240 --> 00:04:42.839 review can easily be seen, so don't pretend you can't 77 00:04:42.839 --> 00:04:43.439 go watch this. 78 00:04:43.879 --> 00:04:47.199 Yeah, they're very little effort expended. But the thing that 79 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:49.639 I quoted to you, that I messaged you, I said, 80 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.839 watching this all these years later is I felt like 81 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:58.800 somebody who had amnesia and they suddenly remembered everything, like 82 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:04.519 they got their memory back, because things, line, readings, shots, 83 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:07.439 scenes all came rushing back to me. These are things 84 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:11.959 that I haven't thought about in forty years. Almost eighty 85 00:05:12.040 --> 00:05:15.560 six were coming up on forty years. So it was 86 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.439 a remarkable experience, to be sure. But to try to 87 00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.000 answer your question, of course, I don't hate you, but 88 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:27.759 I had to spread the gospel of this because the 89 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:31.399 fact that we're on the precipice of a new Spinal 90 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:36.199 Tap sequel. It seemed very current and appropriate to delve 91 00:05:36.279 --> 00:05:39.959 into this lost piece of the mythology where you have 92 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:43.199 Marty de Berghie, who of course was the fictional director 93 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.279 of Spinal Tap. So I was just delighted by the 94 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:49.439 fact that he's in this and it's shot in a 95 00:05:49.439 --> 00:05:53.240 mockumentary format. Although I'm not sure how much of it 96 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.959 was actually improvised. I suspect most of it was written, 97 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:59.000 but I just I was charmed by it and I 98 00:05:59.040 --> 00:06:02.120 wanted to see what you thought, So that was the 99 00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:02.839 genesis of this. 100 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:05.759 I think the improvisational parts that made it to the 101 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.040 screen are the only funny parts of this special. Here's 102 00:06:09.079 --> 00:06:14.839 what I'll say, Okay, round about nineteen eighty six, Billy Crystal. 103 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:18.560 In fact, everyone here, basically, in one way or another, 104 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:21.680 seemed to have had a resurgence thanks to their appearances 105 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:24.240 on Saturday Night Live. Christopher Guest and Billy Crystal were 106 00:06:24.240 --> 00:06:29.199 both cast members on Basically it seems like they finished 107 00:06:29.240 --> 00:06:31.720 their season on Saturday Night Live and then made this. 108 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.160 I don't know if that's the time works out there, 109 00:06:34.199 --> 00:06:39.959 but anyway, so I watched every one of Billy Crystal's specials. 110 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:42.279 I remember the one previous to this one a whole 111 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:45.480 lot better than this one actually, which is a much 112 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:50.319 more straightforward, hour long one man show. This is not 113 00:06:50.560 --> 00:06:54.279 that this is part of a Broadway part of a 114 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:57.240 one man's show, and then a bunch of filler to 115 00:06:57.319 --> 00:07:00.399 fill out the hour. Basically, he was a. 116 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.839 Weird hybrid for sure, and I for me I at 117 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:06.759 the time, I remember I had Billy Crystal. He had 118 00:07:06.759 --> 00:07:11.399 a comedy album called Billy Crystal Marvelus, and that featured 119 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:14.800 the song you Look Marvelous, which I think Paul Schaeffer 120 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:18.040 was involved in. I think he might have performed and produced. 121 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:22.279 But nevertheless, I was very aware of his stand up. 122 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:24.120 I mean I saw him on SNL and I knew 123 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:26.319 him from Soap. He was in Soap when I was 124 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:29.839 a little kid. But he certainly was on the rise, 125 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:35.000 and I think the Marvelous album was a precursor to that. Shortly, 126 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:38.879 I think I'm trying to think when it probably came 127 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:40.879 out in eighty six, actually that's probably about the time 128 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:43.839 it came out. But then all of a sudden he 129 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.720 got on a roll. He was in Running Scared, that 130 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:49.800 movie with Gregory Hines from the Train. 131 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:52.399 We should review this on We could potentially call this 132 00:07:52.439 --> 00:07:56.519 show Crystal Clear, Crystal Fest, no Crystal. 133 00:07:57.319 --> 00:08:01.079 It really this kind of presaged a real I don't 134 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.560 want to call it a renaissance because but it was 135 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:07.120 because he had been doing this for so long and 136 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:10.000 yet here he was having this sort of second act 137 00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:13.240 as a comic actor, dramatic actor in some cases, and 138 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:17.720 a director. So it was like the second coming of 139 00:08:17.720 --> 00:08:20.800 Billy Crystal, if you will. And this really was the flashpoint, 140 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.480 if you will, this these specials, but this one in particular, 141 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:27.720 I thought of that way Billy with the crystal plumage, 142 00:08:28.360 --> 00:08:29.519 always going back to. 143 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:32.840 Argente. 144 00:08:33.519 --> 00:08:35.440 That's it, Argento. I was gonna I was going to 145 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:36.120 talk about. 146 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:38.399 Nevermind, Harlan Ellison. I love Harlan Ellison. 147 00:08:38.440 --> 00:08:39.960 Harlan Ellison, That's what I was going to say. 148 00:08:40.080 --> 00:08:42.519 That's a weird one to go to anyway. Weird, right. 149 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:46.879 So the conceit here is that, just like Spinal Tap, 150 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.919 the conceit in Spinal Tap is that filmmaker Marty de 151 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.399 Bergie has heard that Spinal Tap are going back on 152 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:54.799 tour after an absence of some time, and now he 153 00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.960 wants to document that and now he's gotten away from 154 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.399 documentaries and an attempt to make I wish I knew 155 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:02.840 what that? Do you know the title of the movie 156 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:05.080 he made? Like in between he says it at the 157 00:09:05.080 --> 00:09:05.799 beginning of this. 158 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:09.720 Attack of the Busty Women or something. It's implied that 159 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:12.240 it's like something softcore. 160 00:09:12.360 --> 00:09:15.720 Perhaps I said to myself, Marty, it's time to move 161 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:19.720 out of that documentary bag and stretch yourself, get into 162 00:09:19.799 --> 00:09:20.600 feature films. 163 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:23.000 And I've done that. I just finished my. 164 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:25.440 First feature, The Attack of the Full Figured Gals, which 165 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:28.519 I understand the studio is holding for Academy consideration. 166 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:30.919 So the documentary world was behind me. 167 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:33.320 And so now he hears that Billy Crystal is going 168 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:36.960 to be doing this live special and wants to He's 169 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:40.720 gotten the documentary bug. He's going to film the lead 170 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:44.559 up to the special, and in that vein, I guess 171 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:46.799 I'm doing the plot here hps is where it's okay. 172 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:52.720 So Billy Crystal has gotten this rehearsal mansion basically where 173 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:56.120 he's gathered together this group of performers and hangers on, 174 00:09:56.360 --> 00:09:58.360 and well it starts at a party and then they 175 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:02.399 show everyone away who isn't inv special but give us 176 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:04.200 some of give us some of our guests, would you. 177 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:10.600 So the guests are Eugene Levey plays a producer. His 178 00:10:10.720 --> 00:10:13.759 name is Morty Arnold, and it's just an excuse for 179 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.720 him to do his oily New York stick. He doesn't 180 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:19.080 Eugene Levey doesn't have a ton to do. But he's 181 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:22.360 fine Eugene Levy. But the people that come to attend this, 182 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:24.159 and these are all people that are supposed to help 183 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:27.559 him write this and perform this special. So first of all, 184 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:32.080 I guess in order of stardom, it's Billy Crystal doing 185 00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:37.200 Sammy Davis Junior. We'll get to the problematic bit there, 186 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:38.240 and it is a problem. 187 00:10:38.320 --> 00:10:42.480 There's no, it's not the only one, not the only one. 188 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:43.399 Can you dig it? 189 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:46.879 I know that you can not by a long shot. 190 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:52.000 So there's Sammy brother Theodore, as you mentioned, brother Theodor 191 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:55.519 playing himself. We'll talk about him. Chip dement to Bella, 192 00:10:56.159 --> 00:11:01.639 which is Clair. It's Corky Saint Claire A Jason I. 193 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.720 This might actually be the same choreographer from the Synchronized 194 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:10.399 Swimming definitely is. They never say his name. 195 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:12.480 And then let's say you were to point at each other, 196 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:14.840 you're doing the same thing, aren't you. 197 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.919 No, you're not angry at him. No, you're just pointing 198 00:11:16.960 --> 00:11:21.000 at him, right, Hey you, I know you. I know you. 199 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:24.360 But it's basically the same. Hey you, I know you. 200 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:27.559 That's him. He's gonna be the choreographer. He's he works 201 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:31.159 with Sammy in this Buddy Young Junior, which is another 202 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:34.840 of Billy Crystal's characters. This might even be the first 203 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:39.120 appearance of Buddy Young Junior. He's essentially he's an old 204 00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:40.720 borsch belt comic. 205 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:45.639 And mister Saturday Night. It's this weird obsession of his 206 00:11:45.840 --> 00:11:48.519 with the Boris Beelt comedians and paying tribute to. Billy 207 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:52.360 Crystal is always paying tribute to everything of his fucking childhood, 208 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.120 and this Buddy Young character, this bane of our existence, 209 00:11:56.159 --> 00:12:02.080 this unfunny bor spelt like like sub Don Rickles like 210 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.919 he's like an insult comic kind of Yeah he is. 211 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.320 But I heard you say, mister Saturday Night. Do you 212 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:13.399 mean the Oscar nominated picture Mister Saturday Night Father Malone? Yeah, 213 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:17.360 because David Paymer was nominated as Best Supporting Actor for 214 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.600 I'm as surprised as anybody to remember that because it 215 00:12:21.639 --> 00:12:24.440 wasn't a very well received movie he directed, He wrote 216 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:27.159 and directed and started it. It was his passion project. 217 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.200 But this might very well be, like I said, the 218 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:31.639 first appearance of Buddy Young Junior, he might have been 219 00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:33.840 on SNL as one of his characters. 220 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:36.759 Probably he probably showed up on some special he did 221 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:39.440 in the early seventies or something to late seventies or 222 00:12:39.480 --> 00:12:40.320 something like this. 223 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:44.840 Yeah, it's probably. That's probably the most fully formed of 224 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:48.720 the characters that we see involved in this sort of 225 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:50.960 I don't know this mansion that they're workshopping all of 226 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.360 this material on, but those are the people that have 227 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.159 been gathered to work on this special. Now, I want 228 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:00.360 to talk a little bit before we get into the 229 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:03.279 actual like nuts and bolts of it. You would you 230 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:05.039 talked a little bit about Brother Theodore. 231 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:07.279 Yes, fascinating. 232 00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:12.919 I admit I knew and still don't know much about 233 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:15.919 Brother Theodore. My memory of him at the time was 234 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.240 he was a recurring guest. He was a frequent guest 235 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:23.639 on The David Letterman, which I was watching religiously around 236 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:28.960 this time. But much like Harvey Peacarr, who I had 237 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.240 no idea who he actually was, I only knew him 238 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:34.279 as this, you know, grumpy, angry guy that would be 239 00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.519 on Letterman every once in a while. Brother Theodore was 240 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:39.919 basically in the same vein he was this. I saw 241 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.879 him as this sort of Germanic, angry street preacher esque 242 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:48.759 guy that would just basically shout at Dave and just 243 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:55.080 be generally truculent and unhappy. You seem to know more 244 00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:58.879 about the actual Brother Theodore and his stick. Can you 245 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:02.799 elaborate on who he was and what he represented? No, 246 00:14:03.879 --> 00:14:06.000 for sure, you were gonna say, well, he was a 247 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:08.679 performance comic from blah blah blah. 248 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:11.919 Here's what I know about Brother Theodore. Here's what I 249 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:14.759 knew about Brother Theodore. By the time this special rolled around, 250 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:19.919 I recognized his voice instantly because I was a fan 251 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.399 of those Pobbit and Return of the King animations, the 252 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:28.639 rankin and bass covers of the adaptations of the Token. 253 00:14:29.080 --> 00:14:31.080 Thinks he was Gollum in those. 254 00:14:31.360 --> 00:14:35.720 Good God really, Oh yeah, it is tricksy. 255 00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:41.519 It says he doesn't know the way out, but it 256 00:14:41.799 --> 00:14:51.159 knows the way, my precious, it must no that way out. 257 00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:55.000 And you know, it's a great voice as Gollum. It's oh, 258 00:14:55.080 --> 00:14:57.679 it's so wonderful. So I knew him from that, and 259 00:14:57.679 --> 00:15:00.159 I knew him from the Letterman appearances, and that's on. 260 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.240 Then eventually, when I think of brother Theodore, now I 261 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:06.720 think of the verbs because he's one of the Klopex. 262 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.320 Right, but that all stemmed from him his odd ball 263 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:10.919 appearances on Letterman more than right. 264 00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:13.360 So where did he come from? I have no idea, 265 00:15:13.399 --> 00:15:14.679 and I do not intend to know. 266 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.879 It's better him being a mystery, isn't it a little 267 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:19.399 bit I time to think of it. 268 00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:21.600 Now, He's one of the few mysteries left in my life, 269 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.399 I think, so I intend to keep him that way. 270 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.879 Oh one guest I neglected to mention because he never 271 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:31.360 actually makes it to this gathering. It's Fernando. I talked 272 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:38.120 about the marvelous album Billy Crystal's biggest recurring character on SNL, 273 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:41.399 I think we can all agree was Fernando's Hideaway, which 274 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:44.720 was a he was doing Fernando Lamas basically, I think, 275 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:48.759 without actually calling him Lamas, he was you know, Spanish 276 00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:51.000 sort of bone Latin lover. 277 00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:54.200 Yeah, I like, but an aged one. He's got silver 278 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.080 hair and he's basically talking about the past. Now everything 279 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.720 is crazy, go nuts more doing. 280 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.200 I'm in the desert near a town called rizom speed. 281 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:04.440 Yeah. 282 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:06.840 I spent last night with the last remaining members of 283 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:09.240 the Great Peace March. We had the Hobo Steward. 284 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:10.000 It was pretty nice. 285 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.679 I'll tell you that right now. Listen more. I don't 286 00:16:12.679 --> 00:16:14.440 think I can get there tomorrow. Even if I could, 287 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:18.000 my agent and his infinite lack of wisdom and hide 288 00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:20.440 had booked me to do the Hands across America too. 289 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:23.000 I got to be in Missouri holding hands with Peter 290 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:25.960 Lupez from the Mission Impossible and Rodney Allen Rippey, who 291 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.519 got so big people are going to think it's going 292 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:28.279 Mitchell or something. 293 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:30.039 Yeah, And he would always there was his catch for. 294 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:35.879 So it's better to look good than to feel good. 295 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:40.399 Than to feel good. And he periodically during this mockumentary 296 00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:43.240 part of the special, he will he's he gets lost 297 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:46.120 driving to this mansion and he'll call and say, Dolling, 298 00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:48.759 I don't know where I am, and he'll you know, 299 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:50.279 it'll be a little bit of a comedy. 300 00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:54.840 With the tribe. They want to use the payphone. 301 00:16:55.559 --> 00:16:59.000 So so he is yet another character that Billy Crystal 302 00:16:59.080 --> 00:17:03.039 is doing. So they all gather and it's I think 303 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:05.279 you're right. The stuff that you can tell is improvised. 304 00:17:05.319 --> 00:17:08.440 There is some stuff I know. When Rob Marty de 305 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:12.160 Berghi is interviewing Buddy Young Jr. I am positive that 306 00:17:12.680 --> 00:17:17.720 he's actually delivering this comedy in the moment, because Rob, 307 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:22.319 I keep saying, Rob Brander de Berghie's reaction is so genuine. 308 00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:28.759 He's actually laughing, real laughter, reacting really amused. He's acting 309 00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:30.799 very amusedly to his antics. 310 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.000 See, this is what we're talking off the top of 311 00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:36.880 my head. What's left of it that decided to recede 312 00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:41.279 around nineteen I'll tell you that suddenly wake up on 313 00:17:41.359 --> 00:17:44.279 my fod my neck. Are the same guy? It took 314 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:46.240 me four hours to wash my face. I said, what 315 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:48.519 the hell is this? I look doesn't ask what eyes? 316 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:48.680 Hey? 317 00:17:52.640 --> 00:17:54.440 Oh the hell no that I gotta ask what eyes? 318 00:17:54.480 --> 00:17:57.240 I look like Daddy Wallbucks. I don't know whether to 319 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:00.880 wash my head, A'll wipe it. 320 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:04.759 It's nuts. 321 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.039 Getting old is awful. I got a prostatect the size 322 00:18:07.079 --> 00:18:10.480 of a void basketball. Now I just sit around. It 323 00:18:10.519 --> 00:18:12.640 takes me an now what a pipe like a guy's studs? 324 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:13.240 It's awful. 325 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:17.119 This is what your kids at home have to look forward. 326 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:19.880 To, so that at least I know it is genuine 327 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:23.680 so clearly is also a fan of that type of 328 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:24.720 Boris Belt comedity. 329 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.799 He remembers them fondly, probably from his childhood, so he 330 00:18:27.839 --> 00:18:31.440 thinks that's hilarious. I'm glad somebody found that character, Fronnie. Yeah, 331 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:34.119 but I agree with you. It's clear that he that's 332 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:38.680 Rob Ryaner like genuinely enjoying himself and he's. 333 00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:42.839 Laughing like it's not just a fake haha. He's really 334 00:18:42.920 --> 00:18:47.079 having a ball watching Billy do his thing. But one 335 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:48.720 thing leads to another. I'm just gonna give you the 336 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:51.000 nutshell and then we'll delve into the actual like nuts 337 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:54.440 and bolts of what was so off about this thing. 338 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:59.599 Eventually things fall apart. Buddy Young Junior's mother in law dies, 339 00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:04.680 so he has to leave this enclave. Then Chip Dementabella 340 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:09.440 is working with Brother Theodore and Sammy and he's given them. 341 00:19:09.599 --> 00:19:12.119 They're doing Who's On First? They're doing their version of 342 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:16.240 Who's On First, and Brother Theodore gets so upset by 343 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:19.400 the madness of it all that he hits Sammy in 344 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:22.640 the head with a baseball bat, which prompts Sammy to leave. 345 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:29.079 Then Brother Theodore leaves, Then Chip and the producer Fellow 346 00:19:29.160 --> 00:19:32.880 leave everyone leaves except for Billy Crystal, who decides that well, 347 00:19:33.799 --> 00:19:35.519 I guess now I have to do the special all 348 00:19:35.519 --> 00:19:38.359 by myself. And then we cue wait the actual stand 349 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:38.799 ups part. 350 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:42.720 I don't I can call in one friend, right, this 351 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:46.319 superstar will come and save the day. Who should I call? 352 00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:47.599 Who does he call? 353 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:47.920 He? 354 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.240 Fernando shows up. 355 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:51.039 He calls what be Goldberg? 356 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:54.119 Oh? Oh, I'm sorry. You're right. I blocked that part out. 357 00:19:54.319 --> 00:19:59.359 That's the other trouble I could I forgot that's the premise. 358 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:00.839 He goes, all, I'll call all in a favor. But 359 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:05.319 what but Whoopee has to drop out at the last 360 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:06.079 minute because. 361 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:09.000 Yeah, because brother Theodore also hits her in the head. Hey, 362 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:11.599 who's playing with Goldberg? Who's playing whoopi Goldberg? 363 00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:14.480 Here it's Billy Crystal. All right, you know what we 364 00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:18.720 can't we can't. Let's talk about the real you know, 365 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.319 the discomfort of watching this in twenty twenty five. Now, 366 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:27.400 I was uncomfortable watching it then, I if I'm being honest, 367 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:30.079 it was a different time. It because he was doing 368 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:33.359 Sammy all the time on SNL and no one had 369 00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:34.279 a problem with it. 370 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:37.440 The thing really, because here's the thing, Billy Crystal is 371 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:41.119 never punching down. He's never punching anywhere. He's trying to 372 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:45.240 do the most accurate recreations of these people that he can't. 373 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:48.519 He is an impressionist in the truest sense of the word. 374 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.359 If he's going to do Howard Cosell, then he wants 375 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:54.119 prosthetics to make him look like Howard Cosell. If he's 376 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.640 doing I don't know, jumpin Jack Flash, he wants to 377 00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.799 look like jumping Jack Flash. So he's just in the 378 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:03.200 I don't know. There's no way to defend it. It 379 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:05.799 sounds like I'm defending blackface here, but I'm absolutely not 380 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.200 it other than to say that everyone knew at that 381 00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:12.519 time that Billy Crystal was coming from a place of 382 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:15.960 a deep love with his impression of Sammy Davis Junior. 383 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:21.200 There is nothing but admiration and genuine affection from Billy 384 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:23.960 Crystal to that man. And I know they interacted with 385 00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.839 one another, and I'm sure Sammy Davis probably you know, 386 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.160 had some comment or another, But the fact is he's 387 00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:33.000 not coming from a place of anything other than affection. 388 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:37.279 And nevertheless, it was fucking how horrifying then and it's 389 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:38.160 even worse now. 390 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:42.880 It's really bad to agree. Like, I'm not impugning Billy 391 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:47.160 Crystal's motives for doing this. I think it is truth 392 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:49.799 be told, putting aside the blackface part of it, which 393 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:52.720 is impossible to do, I realize that. But taken as 394 00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:56.079 a as simply as an impression, it is a solid 395 00:21:56.119 --> 00:21:58.880 impression of Sammy Davis Junior. 396 00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:00.799 At least, it is an incredible a little impression of 397 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:01.640 Sammy Davis Jacks. 398 00:22:01.720 --> 00:22:05.640 Hi, I'm Sammy, I'm a feodore for you. I've heard 399 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:07.160 so much about you. We're gonna be doing a lot 400 00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:10.279 of stuff together. It's gonna be fun. It can hardly wait. 401 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:13.599