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Travel to a Galaxy not quite far enough away: The Star Wars Holiday Special


 A long time before Disney took over Star Wars and brought it into our homes with the outstanding Mandalorian series George Lucas handed the keys to the franchise over to director Steve Binder and his production company who produced the rather infamous Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on CBS on this day in 1978. The show featured the first appearance of Boba Fett in an animated sequence, (that was the good part) several low grade comedy sketches, a couple of strange musical numbers including a song by Carrie Fisher that was bad by even 70s standards and a boring plot that centered around Chewbacca trying to get to his home planet of Kashyyyk to celebrate their version of Thanksgiving know as Life Day.

I remember how excited I was for a Star Wars TV special and after experiencing the train wreck that was KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park a couple of weeks before I couldn't have imagined the disappointment that my beloved Star Wars was about to unleash on the world.

The show was a mess. There I was, an eleven year old Star Wars fanatic being subjected to endless sketches performed by the likes of Art Carney, Harvey Corman and Bee Arthur and songs performed by Diahann Carroll, Jefferson Starship and the afore mentioned Carrie Fisher.

Now Art Carney was great in the Honeymooners back in the 50s plus he makes a legendary chili, Harvey Corman is a comedy legend that starred in the Carrol Burnett Show and Blazing Saddles, and Bee Arthur is cool now because of her role in Golden Girls. Back in 1978, however, these were probably the least appealing three comedians that you could have assembled for this show. This was a show about Star Wars and back in 78 it was the biggest pop culture icon ever produced, I'm pretty sure that the production company could have featured anyone the wanted, yet these are the stars that they chose.

As far as the music was concerned ... well I'm almost certain that the Beatles would have reunited for this one.

Okay, probably not but they could have gotten some top tier musical acts and they didn't.

If you don't believe me go ahead and check it out:


Okay, don't do that to yourself here is the cartoon:


I have to give a shout out to Harrison Ford who despite the horrible script acted as if it was a grade A production. I can only assume that the production team convinced him that he was shooting scenes for The Empire Strikes Back.

I was tempted just now to post Carrie Fisher singing but I want all of you to enjoy Thanksgiving and the holidays to follow plus I don't want to be accused of committing a crime against humanity so I held that back.

It's all about showing love for your fellow human being.

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