Donny and Marie Star Wars

Donny and Marie Star Wars

Jun 22

How did this stay dormant so long? While the Star Wars Holiday Special survived in legend, lore, and VHS bootlegs for years, Donny and Marie’s Star Wars tribute episode of their variety show apparently sat in some basement somewhere. I wouldn’t call myself the biggest Star Wars fan out there, but I’m no lightweight, Han-come-lately, and this was new to me. Did I miss out? Was there a memo? Or is this truely, out-of-the-blue new?

Suffice to say that, for all its Donny and Marie glitz, it can’t hold a candle to the effects and set-filled Holiday Special. It parallels it in so many ways, inviting Paul Lynde to be an Imperial Commander and sing a tune about rockets. Kris Kristopherson stands in as Han. And just to blow your mind, Chewie, R2, and C3PO are loaned out, giving the event a certain thumbs-up from 20th Century Fox, if not George Lucas himself. One might say the Donny and Marie tribute makes the Holiday Special look like Empire Strikes Back.

Warning: You can’t un-see this, so bear that in mind before you press play.

[VIA BoingBoing]

50 comments

  1. It’s been around. I had it on VHS in the mid-90s, and it’s been on YouTube for at least a couple years. This is a much higher-quality version, however.

  2. Jeff

    Sadly, this is not the first time that I’ve seen it.

    My primary thought whenever I watch it is that it must give all the fleet junkies in SW fandom an apoplexy. I mean, they’re using Earth rockets to travel around in.

  3. Marie’s boobs don’t bounce when she walks like Carrie’s did.

    Tribute…..my ass!

  4. Matt

    yeah, this is really an unrecognized nadir of Star Wars as a pop culture phenomenon, and really, George Lucas’ career. Oddly enough, for Redd Foxx, it’s a high point.

    I’ll flaunt my nerd cred by admitting I’ve owned this on VHS for about ten years now. I honestly thought it was online already. How fucking cool am I??

    DO NOT ANSWER DO NOT ANSWER DO NOT ANSWER

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