In Praise Of: The BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS!
Why praise? Because to paraphrase Tallulah Bankhead after seeing the rushes of her close-ups in "Die, Die, My Darling," I'm older than God's wet nurse! I remember "Battle of The Network Stars," and they were EVERYTHING to this little blond homo. Where else could you see little Joanie Cunningham competing at gymnastics against "Barney Miller's" Abe Vigoda? Or see the know-it-all eldest sister from Eight Is Enough kick-boxing Robert Urich right in his meaty crotch and then doing a victory dance over his prone, writhing body? Or Linda Evans fighting an exfoliation deathmatch against Joan Van Ark? (okay, maybe that last one didn't happen but it should have!) Those were the days, my friend, I hoped they'd never end! Just check out the sheer STAR WATTAGE in this clip! I mean, could you just? Robin Williams, Dave Letterman, Val Bertinelli, Bill Shatner, the adorable LeVar Burton (pre Geordi La Forge), and Gabe Kaplan. Also Robert Conrad, Tim R...