Searching for Variety

They killed off the variety show with Ed Sullivan, leaving only a trace of Topo Gigio. Others have since tried to revive the format; everyone from Carol Burnett to Howard Cosell, from Jeff Altman and Pink Lady to Mel Tillis and Susan Anton. But the conspiracy runs deeper than anyone in the know is willing to admit.

Do you expect me to believe we can put a man on the moon, we can even televise our putting a man on the moon (although there is the belief the footage we witnessed was really staged on the sands of Kingman Arizona) but we can’t successfully televise a rock concert?

We’re not exactly in the "Golden Age" of television anymore. The days of "Sheriff Lobo", "BJ and the Bear", and "Hello Larry" probably will never be repeated, achieved or matched again thus there is plenty of air time for a weekly concert or two. The expenses would be minimal, slightly more than a newsmagazine like "Hard Copy" and quite frankly probably would make for better TV than most

"But the conspiracy runs deeper than anyone in the know is willing to admit."

Sporting events. Aren’t made for TV movies a drag? Yet each network seems to have plenty of time for those.

Last week FOX broadcast live Paul McCartney’s final concert of his North American Tour. Although there were major flaws in the presentation (enough to suspect sabotage), it was better than an evening of "Down the Shore" and "Herman’s Head." Having seen pretty much the same concert in person here in the dome, it must be reported that Paul’s energy wasn’t captured very well on the small screen. But perhaps that was intended.

McCartney is a master at "pacing" his show into a thematic whole. The necessity to include commercials during the live

"We’re not exactly in the ‘Golden Age’ of television anymore."

performance, threw the balance of the show off kilter. It’s not coincidence nor a simple twist of fate that the man juxtaposes "Looking for Changes" with "Another Day" (a song about the traps of routine, the hum drum monotony of every day life) or strings together an alliteration of song titles, "Lady Madonna", "Live and let Die", and "Let it Be." This is the musician who created musical jeopardy by posing a question, "how many people" long after he provided the answer, "too many people." (This is something you might try in your spare time, find an artist who answers his own questions in song. It’s fun if done in moderation.)

In person the show was an adequate reflection of McCartney’s magical musical tour. As shown on TV, it seemed more like a Beach Boys’ Las Vegas nostalgia act. It was down right sacrilegious to run the credits through "Hey Jude" and cut the song off right as the "Nah Nah Nahs" were beginning.

The proletariat is crying out for the showing of more live concerts. Even through the commercial interruptions, subpar performances, annoying banter, glimpses of inspiration are bound to appear. That’s something lacking elsewhere on TV and perhaps the reason variety (and Ed) are dead.