A weird collision happened in the universe last night. I'm working away with the tv on in the background. Everything's fine. Then I glance up at the screen when the show changes as the hour rolls over. It's an old Macgyver. Hmmm, haven't seen that show in a decade or more. I watch the pre-credit scene, and what do I see?!?!?!?!?!?
(Note some of these names may not ring a bell for some of you...)
Abe Vigoda (Fish from Barney Miller) dancing a jig in front of a jail. Lyle Alzado (football dude) comes running out after him and acts like old Abe is the shit. Scene cuts to Dick Butkus riding a Chopper-trike with - no kidding - Wendy O. Williams. If you like punk, and you don't know who she is, you should be ashamed. Wendy O, lead singer of the Plasmatics, known for Electrical taped nipples and masturbating with microphones onstage, is in a fricking Macgyver episode..........riding a trike with Dick bloody Butkus.
Oh, it's gets better. We see James Doohan (Star Trek's Scotty) as a sleeping mechanic, Marion Ross (the mom in Happy Days) plays a criminal bashing nun, Henry Winkler (the FONZ.... who also produced the Macgyver series) plays a fussy lawyer, and the whole episode wraps up with Canadian impersonator Rich Little riffing on a psychotic (and disoncertingly long)monologue using all his voices.
There might have been a few more in there but my little brain had blown so I lost control of all critical thought. I can sort of get pouring all of those late 70's and early 80's actors in one episode as something fun and whacky. But how in Gawd's name did they contact, let alone convince Wendy O to play a cheesy villain in a pop-tart tv series like Macgyver. Wow.
This smilie is finally used for it's real purpose
(Note some of these names may not ring a bell for some of you...)
Abe Vigoda (Fish from Barney Miller) dancing a jig in front of a jail. Lyle Alzado (football dude) comes running out after him and acts like old Abe is the shit. Scene cuts to Dick Butkus riding a Chopper-trike with - no kidding - Wendy O. Williams. If you like punk, and you don't know who she is, you should be ashamed. Wendy O, lead singer of the Plasmatics, known for Electrical taped nipples and masturbating with microphones onstage, is in a fricking Macgyver episode..........riding a trike with Dick bloody Butkus.
Oh, it's gets better. We see James Doohan (Star Trek's Scotty) as a sleeping mechanic, Marion Ross (the mom in Happy Days) plays a criminal bashing nun, Henry Winkler (the FONZ.... who also produced the Macgyver series) plays a fussy lawyer, and the whole episode wraps up with Canadian impersonator Rich Little riffing on a psychotic (and disoncertingly long)monologue using all his voices.
There might have been a few more in there but my little brain had blown so I lost control of all critical thought. I can sort of get pouring all of those late 70's and early 80's actors in one episode as something fun and whacky. But how in Gawd's name did they contact, let alone convince Wendy O to play a cheesy villain in a pop-tart tv series like Macgyver. Wow.
This smilie is finally used for it's real purpose
MacGyver: "go call the police.
Vigoda: "I don't have any change."
MacGyver (exasperated): "Dial 9-1-1. It's free!"
Dick Butkus did a few episodes, Marion Ross did two. I think even the Fish did two. I won't speculate how Wendy O got there. The entire episode was stolen by Rich Little.
One of the most unusual episodes ever (from the last season or next to last)
Thanks for the thought and the recollection