At the risk of destroying whatever smidgen of credibility I’ve gained with folks out there, I’m going to confess that I actually watched–and, worse, enjoyed–The Nick & Jessica Variety Show tonight. There were high points and low points–Jessica’s American Idol-worthy wails on Take My Breath Away being the worst of the latter–but overall it was an amazing simulation of a better-than-average 1970s-era variety show.
High- and low-lights:
- Both stars handle self-parody well: Nick La Shave and the Mouseketeer bit were probably the most fun.
- I’m not sure exactly what Simpson was trying to accomplish in her duet with Jewel: was it mockery of Jewel’s style, an impression of Cher, or the way she actually sings?
- Mr. T. I pity the fool who doesn’t like T. Ten Seconds Of Awkwardness wouldn’t have been possible with anyone else.
- The goofy jokes in the She Works Hard for the Money montage… heard ’em all, but again they were able to pull them off.
- The real Kermit and Piggy, straight from the Muppet Show set, and not the impostors that have replaced them for the last 20-odd years.
- Jessica’s… um… smashes bottle over head.
- I’ve Got You (Babe). It had to be done, it had to be the finale, and it worked.
I’ve been contemplating writing a screed about how current popular music is overwhelmingly angry–I even have difficulty listening to Weird Al
Yankovic’s last album of parodies, and I’ve been a fan of his forever–but the show tonight was enough goofy, simple, plain ol’ fun that I’m just too happy to get any of it down. They got it right.