NEW BILL COSBY SHOW, THE: PETER SELLERS, LILY TOMLIN, THE STAPLE SINGERS (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy/variety series starring Bill Cosby. Lead performer Lola Falana welcomes the episode's guest stars, Peter Sellers, Lily Tomlin and the Staple Singers, and introduces the other regulars. Cosby takes the stage and chats with his two guests, but has a hard time getting the two comedians to be "serious." Cosby then talks about his recent experience barbequing at his home, which he considers to be "man's work," explaining the perils of lighter fluid. In the first sketch, Sellers and Tomlin portray seatmates on a malfunctioning airplane who discover that they are in one another's spots, and are therefore observing the other person's life as it flashes before their eyes. They comment on each other's funny and sordid past experiences, but just as they seem to make a love connection, the plane resumes normal function and they go back to being strangers. The Staple Singers then perform "I'll Take You There," after which a typically-inebriated Foster Brooks joins Cosby onstage and talks about the network's censors, then presenting him with the "Clean Show" Medal of the Week.
Sellers briefly appears as an unimpressive magician, with Falana as his assistant, and Cosby presents the "Wife of the Week" segment, in which Tomlin portrays his spouse who has "had it up to here." He returns home to a messy house and she declares that she is sick of housework and has "resigned" from mothering their children, but he charms her back into her usual routine. Cosby then comments on the stringer airport safety rules, and portrays a man whose attempts to get through security are hindered by his ticklishness. The Staple Singers perform "Respect Yourself," and Tomlin next portrays a brokenhearted woman visiting a travel agent in order to get over a past lover, Ramon. The agent hurriedly sends her off to Cairo, but then secretly sends Ramon chasing after her as well. The final sketch involves an American embassy in Africa, in which the ambassador departs for the evening and leaves his butler, Cosby, in charge. While he is gone, eccentric ambassadors from India, England and Russia appear, all played by Sellers, and keep the butler extremely busy with their demands and mix-ups involving bottles of vodka, a bed of nails and a number of live snakes. The American comes back and chastises his servant for bungling things, and the butler reveals that he too is secretly played by Sellers. Cosby then thanks his guests, and Sellers returns as the magician and makes Cosby "disappear" as the Donald McKayle dancers close out the show. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 18, 1972 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:53:20
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:45354
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy/Variety; African-American Collection - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1972-1973
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Mennen E deodorant
- TV - Commercials - Wonder bread
CREDITS
- Quincy Jones and his Orchestra … Music Group
- The Donald McKayle Dancers … Dance Company
- Bill Cosby … Host, Cast
- Peter Sellers … Guest
- The Staple Singers … Guest
- Lily Tomlin … Guest
- Foster Brooks … Cast
- Oscar DeGruy … Cast
- Susan Tolsky … Cast
- Lola Falana … Cast