Fri, May 30, 1969
Lenny Bruce's mother talks about her son and Hugh shows clips of the late comedian. Comic-musician Pete Barbutti plays the broom and does other bits. The magnificent Marvin Gaye shows up but appears to be only lip syncing. Classic comedy ensemble The Committee perform, but Howard Hesseman is nowhere in sight. The most recognizable member is Barbara Bosson who would star in Hill Street Blues a decade later. The highlight of the show is the Byrds. This is the lineup with Clarence White on lead guitar. The numbers include two Dylan songs, You Ain't Goin' Nowhere and Wheels On Fire. Clarence lays down some spectacular licks and Roger McGuinn is in fine voice. Barbi Benton sits in front of the band during their performance. It's early in the show and she's not yet Hef's co-host.
Tue, Jan 27, 1970
Typical mixed bag with a horribly dated, obnoxious routine by Larry Storch. Dick Shawn gives dance lessons to Hugh. All the while, Barbi Benton, now elevated to eye candy number one hanging on Hef's arm with a deer in the headlights look in her innocent eyes. The highlight of the show is Canned Heat's stunning set with Bob the Bear Hite and Al Blind Owl Wilson each taking a lead vocal. Sonny and Cher open the show doing covers of For Once In My Life and Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You. Vic Damone adds a song but sounds wildly out of place in this company, the last gasp of Hugh's Fifties obsession with Jazz and Big Band singer.
Fri, Feb 7, 1969
This show is heavy on talk and stand up comics. Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate are the central figures as Hef talks violence in movies with Polanski and its influence on audiences, a chilling discussion in view of events that took place only a few months later. This is one of the few extended pieces with Sharon without a script in front of her. Unlike Tarantino's movie, she comes across as jaded and serious. Hef tries to cut off the interview with Polanski by getting up and walking while but Polanski follows, blithering on causing Sharon to chuckle. Comic Jackie Gayle does a routine on the couch while seated beside Sharon. Roman sticks his nose and looks rather foolish. Overall, Polanski comes across as an oddball, though part of that may be due to heavy Polish accent. Don Adams and Bill Dana battle each other in telling tales of their shared comic past, revealing Adams's overweening ego. Lounge lizard Vic Damone does a bit that could have right out of Bill Murray's act on SNL. Della Reese lip syncs to a couple of tunes. Overall, because of Sharon and Polanski, one of the more memorable episodes.
Tue, Apr 14, 1970
The opening scene shows Lindsay Wagner coming into the party wearing a black mini-dress. Barbi Benton sits by the fireplace with a ludicrous wig propped on her head like a little girl playing dress up. Jo Anne Worley does her Laugh-In act. Oh what fun. Dancer Barrie Chase, who had previously performed on the Hollywood Palace with Fred Astaire does a routine that reminds you of Elaine on Seinfeld. Not good. Jo Anne sings, yes she really could. Uncle Miltie Berle does some card tricks. Considering it was Playboy, let's thank god he didn't decide to show us what he was really famous for. Tony Joe White with only his guitar does a nice turn on Anna Lee and Groupie Girl. In the course of the show we also learn that Berle was a songwriters. Strange program.
Fri, Mar 7, 1969
The Checkmates play. Leroy Neiman draws. Sammy Davis Jr. sings with Bill Cosby on maracas. The programs is basically a showcase for Sammy - Anthony Newley joins him at one point. Jerry Lewis crashes the party and brings Peter Lawford along. Jerry and Sammy have an extended talk session on the couch as Hugh Hefner moderates. Sammy and Jerry then sing together with Cosby on electric bass.
Fri, Jan 31, 1969
A strange show with a mixed bag of a cast. Bill Cosby does a routine and spends the rest of the show lurking at the edges of the action, occasionally offering comments that come off as more obnoxious than incisive. Songwriter Shel Silverstein gives a rendition on the acoustic guitar of his tune The Unicorn that was popularized by the Irish Rovers. Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers lip syncs a couple of songs. Classic rock band Iron Butterfly sets up on the live stage and then lip syncs as well. Hef talks religion with a theologian in the library. The show closes out with Cosby leading the Butterfly in an instrumental tune he calls the Fat Albert. Silverstein leaps on Cosby's back as the credits roll. Gawd what crazy stuff. If this is how the hip people played in 1969 you start to wonder if it wasn't more fun at Bob Hope's house.
Tue, Feb 17, 1970
Arte Johnson does comedy and makes you wonder what made him funny. We do learn that Hef and Arte were college classmates. Lindsay Wagner is a prominent extra in this show as she is in several other season two shows, though it isn't listed in her film credits. The original Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green does Rattlesnake Shake. Don Adams is his usual pompous self. Maxwell Smart was not acting, it was Don Adams. Lesley Gore, well past her It's My Party fame, tries out a lounge act. Fleetwood Mac plays out over the closing credits.