A while ago, I attended a taping of “That 70’s show” – For those who care it was episode – 49, “Red Fired Up”
When you see a show taping, first-off you need to remember that you will be there approximately 6 minutes for every minute of air time (including commercials). Thus a 30 minute program will probably take up 180 minutes, or 3 hours of time.
Further you will see lines that the writers are testing in the script and may change or lose entirely. One such line was the final credit-crawl joke.
The foreign character of Fez has been watching “Hollywood Squares” through the entire episode. At the very end of the episode while the credits are rolling we hear him make a comment aloud to himself. “You know… I think this Paul Lynde may be Gay.”
It was completely out of the blue, and I must admit that the audience and myself nearly wet ourselves with hysteria. The line was delivered with such a level of 70’s innocence to something that we now reflect upon as obvious beyond measure.
Paul Lynde, the poster child for what we often view as a male homosexual stereotype. Well, we can do that now; but in 1971 at the height of Bewitched, most had no idea.
Thanks to one of today’s posts by theferrett. I am looking forward to reading a new biography on America’s ‘Center Square‘
There is a wonderful interview with the author at Salon.com
Sadly, the producers of “That 70’s Show” never let this pearl of humour out in the airing of the episode. But at least a man who’s comic delivery was a highlight of the 70’s as finally been given some proper honour.
Where is the show shot? Were you in LA?
It was shot in the Valley
I don’t remember which studio it was, but it was the one just off Ventura near the Samuel French bookstore. About halfway between Sherman Oaks and Studio City. I lived in that area for about 3-4 years.
I never even thought about Paul Lynde’s orientation. Ever.
i made it through years of watching bewitched reruns and hollywood squares without having any idea.
then one day years ago someone made a comment “gay as paul linde”
i quickly ran some long ignored memories through a more mature/experienced eye, and it clicked
there were similar moments over freddy mercury and rob halford
It kind of amazes me how long it took for that to sink in. Probably someone said something, I don’t remember. But of course as a kid watching Bewitched, I had no idea what that meant. I remember being surprised and confused when people were saying that about Liberace too.
It would be fun to see one of those live and see the parts and lines they cut out of it, but I would image that that one is over by now. If they were keeping up with time, it would be the mid-80s on there already.