WKRP IN CINCINNATI: VENUS RISING (TV)
Summary
One in this series of comedy programs about the staff of a small radio station in Cincinnati.
Venus is offered the job of program director at another radio station, and sets up a meeting with them to discuss the matter. He wishes to keep it secret from the rest of the staff, but Les finds out and informs him that he has already told them. He has not decided about leaving, but is distressed that no one else on the staff seems at all to care about it. Andy and Arthur soon find out about the job offer, and Arthur sends Andy to make a counter-offer to convince Venus not to leave. Others at the office have mixed reactions to Venus’s potential departure: Johnny believes he should take the more lucrative program director job, but Bailey believes that Venus’s talents lie as a DJ and that he should stay. Herb is crestfallen when his latest advertising contract backfires, leaving the office filled with artificial hams. He talks to Jennifer about feeling underappreciated, and he manages to get her to give him a hug, albeit with extreme reticence. Venus confesses to Andy that while he is unsure that he will take the new job, he feels as though he is getting older and can’t spend the rest of his life as a DJ.
Venus visits the other radio station, WREQ, finding it quite dissimilar to WKRP. While there he becomes enamored of the station’s secretary, Amanda. However, Venus becomes unnerved when he discovers that the station has no DJ’s, preferring to use a computer system to automate all of their music 24 hours a day. His job would be to tape occasional interviews and promos to give the illusion that the station is being broadcast live. It is also implied that Venus is only being offered the job due to newly-implemented affirmative action policies, much to his displeasure. Meanwhile, Herb claims to Johnny and Les that he got a job offer as a salesman for a local television station. He explicitly cautions Les not to tell anyone about the offer; it becomes clear that Herb has fabricated the job offer in order to increase his salary at WKRP. He speaks with Venus later, who says he has decided not to take the job at WREQ due to disagreeing with its policies. Herb reveals to Venus that his plan backfired, noting that everyone at the station seems all-too happy to see him leave. Herb feels angry and depressed about the situation. Venus recommends that he tell the truth, but Herb fears being exposed as a liar and meekly leaves.
Andy finds out about the higher salary WREQ offered Venus and tries to make a counter-offer before Venus can tell him about his dissatisfaction with the job offer. Venus compromises by negotiating for a modest salary increase, and asks that Herb be given a slight salary raise to coax him to come back to work. Andy is confused by this stipulation and by Venus’s various excuses as to why Herb should be kept on, but agrees to make the offer anyway. Later Herb returns to his desk and expresses his gratitude to Venus for getting him his job back. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 10, 1980 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:24:55
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:67591
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; TV - Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1978-1982
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Hugh Wilson … Executive Producer, Created by
- Rod Daniel … Producer
- Max Tash … Associate Producer
- Nicholas Stamos … Director
- Steve Marshall … Writer
- Dan Guntzelman … Writer
- Tom Wells … Music by, Theme Music by
- Gary Sandy … Cast, Andy Travis
- Gordon Jump … Cast, Arthur Carlson
- Loni Anderson … Cast, Jennifer Marlowe
- Richard Sanders … Cast, Les Nessman
- Tim Reid … Cast, Venus Flytrap
- Frank Bonner … Cast, Herb Tarlek
- Jan Smithers … Cast, Bailey Quarters
- Howard Hessman … Cast, Dr. Johnny Fever
- Terry Kiser … Cast, Jason Realli
- Brenda Elder … Cast, Amanda