Posted on 05/18/2004 12:27:45 PM PDT by GSWarrior
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Saaa-lute! The straw hats and braying cartoon donkey of ``Hee Haw'' are back. Time-Life is releasing full ``Hee Haw'' shows for the first time on VHS and DVD on Tuesday, the 35th anniversary of the show's first season.
With its pickin', grinnin' and hayseed humor, ``Hee Haw'' was an American TV institution, on the air almost continuously from 1969 to 1997. The hourlong program started on CBS for two years, then went into syndication until 1993 and finally wound up on cable's old Nashville Network.
``'Hee Haw' won't go away,'' said Roy Clark, host or co-host of the show for its entire run. ``It brings a smile to too many faces.''
The format was folksy comic skits interspersed with performances by country music stars like Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson and Alan Jackson. There were no serious issues debated, no cliffhangers, no drama and no wardrobe malfunctions--just down-home silliness accompanied by grins and guitars.
``Everywhere I go, people talk about it,'' Clark said.
The show's most memorable prop was the cornfield where guests and the show's regulars told jokes.
Example:
Grandpa Jones to Junior Samples: ``I saw you riding on a mule and your wife was walking behind you. Why was that?''
Samples: ``My wife ain't GOT no mule.''
There were 24 years' worth of original ``Hee Haw'' shows--14 years more than ``Friends'' and 15 more than ``Seinfeld.'' All the shows were taped in Nashville, home of country music and the Grand Ole Opry.
Critics mostly hated the show because of its Dogpatch look, simple humor and twangy country music. And sometimes the show still gets criticized for perpetuating stereotypes.
There was a bevy of curvy Southern belles such as Barbi Benton, Gunilla Hutton (who played Nurse Good Body) and Misty Rowe. The men were most often harmless rubes in straw hats and overalls.
But TV viewers embraced it, and even non-country stars such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Regis Philbin were among the celebrities eager to appear on the show.
``They just wanted to be part of the fun,'' Clark said.
Clark, who played the hapless clerk at the show's Empty Arms Hotel, was joined by singer Buck Owens as co-host for 17 seasons. There were about 600 original episodes.
The show even had an impact on the national lexicon. The phrase ``pickin' and grinnin''' became popular after a segment with Clark and Owens playing guitar while smiling and telling jokes.
A video based on the show has been on the home market for 10 years, but it featured just parts of the program and no music. The new product, costing $14.95, has full ``Hee Haw'' shows including music performances. There will be at least four one-hour programs.
``The viewers were sort of part-owners of the show,'' Clark said. ``They identified with these clowns, and we had good music.
You have to remember Xena, most of do not have and/or are not proficient with the metal death-Frisbee thingie - we just run from our enemies - and when in a car chase, nothing else provides the soundtrack to safety like Bluegrass.
IMO, no instrument produces a sound as sweet as a pedal steel guitar.
The original Smokey & the Bandit featured a chase scene (right near the end, IIRC) set to the "Orange Blossom Special". I've always loved that tune, and it went especially well with that chase scene.
I am now convinced GWB will win the election. Sane clean television is on DVD.
Anybody seen the Haggar Twins lately?
GREAT!!! I used to have that on a 45 when I was a kid, where did you find that or was it from memory?
Simple misdirection:
Grandpa Jones to Junior Samples: ``I saw you riding on a mule and your wife was walking behind you. Why was that?'' implying, "Why are you making your wife walk - you should be walking and let her ride."
Samples: ``My wife ain't GOT no mule.'' totally missing Grandpa's implication and returning a direct, correct, but dumb answer - which is much funnier when delivered in Junior's slow, stupid style.
My favorite in that style was this one:
Archie Campbell to Junior Samples: "Say rube, can you give me change for this fifteen dollar bill?"
Junior: "Yep. A nine and two threes."
The Lorretta Lynn album is awesome! It's a heck of a lot more "country" than Toby Kieth and all the other crud they play on country radio these days. Me, I like the old stuff: Hank Williams, Flatt & Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Patsy Cline. Now that's music!
Agreed. I've never heard the White Stripes music, but Jack White did a great job producing Loretta's CD.
Let's not forget Linda Thompson, former Elvis girlfriend and current wife of uber-producer David Foster.
I live in Nashville and have been a friend of Lulu Roman, one of the show's stars for about twelve years. I was on the set with her the day the last show was taped. It felt like a funeral.
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