Was there any gayer year in the history of the United States of America than 1976?   

I would argue no.  No, there wasn’t.  Actually, I would even argue that despite the fact that (FINALLY) laws are being passed to allow same sex partners to marry and despite the increase in acceptance we’re seeing every day, 2008 is less gay than 1976.   

Yeah, yeah, I know that Ellen and Portia’s wedding made the cover of People.  Sure I know that Lindsey Lohan and her DJ girlfriend are making the papers everywhere.  Doogie Howser is gay… yes, yes, I know that he came out and is proud.  Don’ t get me wrong.  I’m not bagging on gay people.  It’s just that you can’t help but watch this and think to yourself that 1976 was exuberantly, unabashedly, incredibly gay.   

First of all, it’s got Paul Lynde being Paul Lynde.  That’s pretty gay, but add in Paul Lynde in a white rhinestone encrusted jumpsuit with the words “Big Red” on the back and you’ve just upped the gay-ante by about a kajillion.   

Then, you’ve got an extended disco sequence complete with spandex, glitter and androgeny (all performed on a sound stage decorated with a spooky set and featuring a generic disco track that Paul Lynde, Witchiepoo and The Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz strut out to).  

Next up, I present to you KISS who, while they may be manly men who rock completely, appeared dressed in tights, makeup, and Paul Stanley kept puckering all the time. 

His lips people… his lips.  For fuck’s sake your minds are in the gutter. 

Then there’s the clincher.  Florence Henderson in her 40s, dressed in a black high-collared evening dress singing a syrupy, string-laden version of That Old Black Magic.   

Try to argue with me.  You can’t, can you?  Without a doubt, 1976 was the gayest year in U.S. history.   

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special shouldn’t be judged by its orientation though.  That’s just a convenient way for someone to write it off.  I would never do that because I loved this show.  To me, it goes beyond being a nostalgic look back.  It’s a snapshot of one of the weirdest periods of American pop culture history.  The “TV Variety Show Special” as its own beast is an extinct phenomenon in this day and age.  Nobody does holiday specials like this anymore.  Gone are the half-rendered comedy sketches and out-of-nowhere dance numbers.  Gone are the canned audience laughs and camera mugging.  No one would even think of doing something like that now, but there was a time when these things dominated the airwaves. 

They even spun off into successful series, the most popular example of one would be Hee Haw.   

Look at it like this and a whole new world opens up before your eyes.  The Paul Lynde Halloween Special wasn’t just put together because Lynde was the most popular cast member of Hollywood Squares.  It was put together as a promotional piece for the network. Watch for the obvious marketing pitches for other shows (appearances by Donnie and Marie Osmond and “Pinky Tuscadero” from Happy Days).  Watch for the “insider” quips that only fans of other network shows would get.   

Mostly though, watch for Lynde and company to showcase all that they consider cool and hip to an audience waiting to be told exactly what was cool and hip. 

I was eight years old when this aired.  I spent that evening sitting at my friend Omar Guitterez’s house watching this special specifically to see KISS.  Not being allowed to listen to them, I became a closet KISS fanatic overnight, exactly as the creators of this special intended. 

The Paul Lynde Halloween Special is funny but not nearly as funny as it could have been.  His off the cuff quips are legendary but they’re not on display in this heavily scripted special.  Lynde was much funnier on Hollywood Squares.  Sometimes the best laughs are unintentional, though and that’s certainly the case here. 

Pick this up and you’ll likely chuckle a few times and marvel that this was considered fantastic entertainment in 1976.  If you’re male, you’ll probably also feel compelled to blow the guy next to you. 
 
 
Presentation
The back of the case contains a disclaimer about the quality of the feature.  That always scares the absolute shit out of me, especially after that TV Party debacle from when I first started writing for DIMP.  However, this proved to be much, much better than I could have hoped.  There are a few areas where you see some video interference on the master tape but overall the only thing I really have to complain about is the color bleed.  Everything seems to have soft edges… but then again I remember the 70s the same way so it could just be that the 1970s in America had soft edges. 

Sound is not an issue at all though.  This sounds way better than it has any right to sound.  I was surprised that it was as good as it was.  It’s not going to overtax your sound system by any means but it sounds as good as it probably did when it aired.  
 
Extras
Are you a true, Paul Lynde aficionado?  No?  Well, then don’t worry about these pesky extras.  They’re for people who have read his biography, visited his birthplace and laid flowers by his gravesite.  Seriously… 

The photo scrapbook contains family photos of Paul Lynde from his childhood up through the 1970s.  The majority feature him with family members or close friends from his hometown, but there are some toward the end which feature Lynde with other celebrities (such as Harvey Korman). 

The notable quotes from Paul Lynde extra is just that:  Lynde espousing wisdom on everything from mental health to acting.  These are quotes though, not quips.  They’re not all that funny but they are exactly what you need to lay the foundation for your Paul Lynde as ϋber-Messiah cult. 

The name that quip interactive game is exactly what it states and it’s fun for a round or two but didn’t really hold my interest long.  I didn’t completely beat it to find the Easter Egg hyped on the back cover.  Finally, Peter Marshall of Hollywood Squares fame gives an extended interview on Paul Lynde that accompanies a slide show.  This is a nice extra but really, you have to be a fan to truly appreciate it.  I’m a casual fan so I lost interest.

The Bottom Line
I remembered Paul Lynde as being one of the funniest comedians I was exposed to during childhood.  I suppose he was but The Paul Lynde Halloween Special doesn’t really show his strongest work.  Get it for the KISS performances and so you can satisfy your Witchiepoo cravings.