Monday, March 6, 2017

TVXOHOF, 03/2017 - ROB REINER ON HIS 70TH BIRTHDAY



I've always wanted March to be the month in which members of the League of Themselves who qualified for entry could be inducted into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  But it hasn't always worked out so.

However, this year we have a candidate whose 70th birthday falls on today, March 6, so it makes perfect sense that it's the perfect time to induct him since he's had so many opportunities to portray his fictional televersion on a variety of sitcoms.

Here's the list of them, with many of the episode summaries supplied by the IMDb:


'Wizards of Waverly Place'
- "Future Harper"

'Hannah Montana' 
- "You Gotta Lose This Job"Hannah is up for a role in a movie she really wants and Oliver has a chance to sing at school, but Miley's success as Hannah is bothering him.


'Primetime Glick'
- "Jon Lovitz/Rob Reiner"


'Morton & Hayes' 
Rob Reiner hosts a showing of the long-lost films of that wacky old comedy team 'Morton & Hayes'... 

- "Home Buddies"
- "The Vase Shop" 
- "Oafs Overboard"
- "Society Saps" 
- "The Bride of Mummula"
- "Daffy Dicks"

'It's Garry Shandling's Show'
- "Save Mr. Peck's: Part 1"

When Garry finds out that Mr. Peck's club is closing so a mall can be built, he decides to seek some help from some celebrity friends to save the club where he got his start in stand-up.
- "Save Mr. Peck's: Part 2"
It's the all-star benefit show to try to save Mr. Peck's night club. Things threaten to fall apart, though, when Red Buttons doesn't show up as Garry has promised.

- "Home Sweet Home"
- "Dial L for Laundry"


'The Larry Sanders Show'
- "Doubt of the Benefit"
Larry thinks his refusal to host a charity benefit has spoiled his chances to get Rob Reiner as a guest.


'Curb Your Enthusiasm'
- "The Thong"


'Happyish'
- "Starring David Ogilvy, Anton Chekhov and Gluten Enteropathy"
- "Starring Vladimir Nabokov, Hippocrates and God"


'30 Rock'
- "Let's Stay Together"
Jack tries to embrace diversity to satisfy a grandstanding congresswoman who could potentially block the NBC/KableTown deal, and Jenna tries to help Kenneth get his page job back.

In this, Reiner was a member of Congress, so that's how it would be in Toobworld from that point on.  But he may have served only a single term in office.  
Earth Prime-Time is not the only dimension in which Rob Reiner appeared as himself......

OTHER DIMENSIONS

'Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip'
- "The Focus Group" 
The Guest Host, appearing on screen, was Rob Reiner. The Guest Musical Act, not appearing, was Gwen Stefani.

I'm not sure what world this would be.  Since it is a Sorkin production, it could be the world of 'The West Wing' - unless they hewed closely to the real world in terms of who was occupying the Oval Office.


'The Simpsons'
- "Million Dollar Abie"
O'Bviously this is the Tooniverse.....

I had always hoped that I might be able to get the four main characters of 'All In The Family' into the TVXOHOF, but it looks as though only Archie Bunker and his daughter Gloria Stivic (along with her son Joey), will be allowed into the Hall.  As for Edith, I might be able to use her as the official portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in Toobworld when the First Lady is inducted, but there are two other candidates for the position who might have a better claim for it.  And as for MIke, I'l have to check to see if he ever appeared in an episode of 'Gloria'.  Or... I could always claim that some of his nameless characters in sitcoms were Mike Stivic before he hooked up with Archie's daughter.

But in the meantime, this definitely gets Rob Reiner's mug-shot into the Crossover Hall of Fame as a member in good standing of the League of Themselves on his 70th birthday.

Ohhhhhh, Rob!  Happy birthday!

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