TVXOHOF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE - ROBIN LEACH

Space Ghost:
Greetings, y'all! I'm Space Ghost! Welcome to my incredibly entertaining comedy-style interview program, where anything can happen, and usually does. On tonight's big crazy-time joke show, legendary chronicler of high-livin' lifestyles Robin Leach, comedic author Merrill Markoe, and musical guest Bananarama, along with the usual gang of idiots.  

Space Ghost:
Now Robin, all seriousness aside, congratulations on the incredible success of your show, you must be very proud.
Robin Leach:
Back in 1982-83, when we started this, uh, extraordinary show of looking at, uh, the richest people in the world, the most famous people in the world, everybody said we were nuts, we were crazy, we should be carted off and thrown away, um, by the men in the little white coats..
Space Ghost:
Uh huh.
Robin Leach:
You probably know a few of the little men in the white coats, don't you?
(From 'Space Ghost: Coast to Coast')

The way 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' became a TV hit was prepped with the glitz and glamour of the prime-time soap operas 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty'.  And in doing so, Robin Leach became a household name.  And easy to parody.

From the Los Angeles Times:

Robin Leach, the veteran television host who titillated viewers with the rarefied perks of celebrity through “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” has died. He was 76.

The famed celebrity reporter died at 1:50 a.m. Friday after suffering a stroke on Monday while in hospice care in Las Vegas, his son Gregg Leach said by phone Friday.

Leach, who had been hospitalized after a stroke in November, was with family at the time of his death.

Robin Leach was one of those celebrities you really couldn't imagine as playing anybody else but themselves.  Richard Simmons is another.  And the TVXOHOF is full of members from the League of Themselves with a huge body of work in which they played themselves - Joan Rivers, Dr. Joyce Brothers, George Burns, Adam West, etc.

Because 'Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous' was so instrumental in launching Leach's fame in Toobworld, I think his tally of qualifying series has to begin with it.

So let's take a look at many of the other appearances in fictional settings by the televersion of Robin Leach:

All of the plot summaries provided are from the IMDb.  The O'Bservations are mine.

EARTH PRIME-TIME

First off, let me clarify why these two shows are in the main TV dimension....

D.C. Follies
- Nixon's Presidential Library Is a Bookmobile
(1987)

Fred becomes a celebrity for a few minutes when Robin Leach drops by looking for a guest for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" but is pushed aside for Princess Di.

The Bronx Bunny Show
- Episode #1.7
(2007) 

Bronx Bunny and Teddy T give Robin Leach a glimpse at the seedy side of the 'Rich and Famous.'
    
O'Bservation - Puppets are living beings in Toobworld.  Drawing from a 2nd Century tome, "True History", their ancestors were spirits who gave themselves shape with purple-dyed spider webs.  But today, in Toobworld, their land of the Island of the Blessed is known as Puppetland and they commission puppet shells to house their essence.  In doing so, they take on the nature of the puppet shell they wear. ("True History" by Lucian of Samosota is one of the few books that contribute to my vision of Toobworld.)

Sledge Hammer!
- The Spa Who Loved Me
(1987)

[Producer] Alan Spencer originally wanted ABC president Brandon Stoddard to introduce the episode. But ABC had a policy against ABC executives appearing in network programs. Robin Leach does the introduction instead.  

"Trust me. 

I know what I'm doing."
[From "Sledge Hammer!"]

The Charmings
- Birth of a Salesman
(1988)

In this episode, they have a spoof of "Lifestyles" where they show the Magic Mirror's inner dwellings, complete with narration by Robin Leach.

Thirtysomething
- Born to Be Mild
(1988)

Ellyn and Woodman's weekend is ruined when they are forced to babysit Janey.

O'Bservation: Robin Leach appears in a fantasy sequence, but in order to dream it, Hope Steadman had to know of Leach's existence.

1st & Ten: The Championship
- Take My Wives, Please!
(1990)

O'Bservation: I have no information on this at all.

Palace Guard
- Iced
(1991)

While working security for a royal wedding in Italy, Logan and Cooper must thwart a group of thieves after some valuable jewels.

O'Bservation: Robin Leach covered the wedding preparations of Princess Jacqueline, daughter of Queen Helen of Glendorra, making note that the Princess jet-skied in the nude while at Portafino.  He was seen in a later episode of the show, wrapping up the arrest of the Princess for the theft of the Crown Jewels of Glendorra.  .  .  

Dame Edna's Hollywood
- Episode #1.3
(1993)

O'Bservation; Dame Edna's guests for that last episode were Burt Reynolds, Sean Young, and Barry Manilow, with Cesar Romero as Dame Edna's butler.  I've found clips of them all online, but none with Robin Leach.  It might have happened at the beginning.

Boy Meets World
- On the Air
(1995)

Robin Leach appears in the final scene and conducts a tour of the Matthews' house.

O'Bservation: Actually, he had a check for $100,000,000.00 for the woman who lived next door.  And he and his crew just wanted to relax in the Matthews' house while they waited for her.

Roseanne
- Millions from Heaven
(1996)

After finding out they won the Illinois State Lottery, the Conners and family imagine how to spend their new-found wealth. Kathleen Sullivan and Robin Leach interview Dan and Roseanne in their home.  

O'Bservation: By the end of the series, this was all revealed to be a fantasy in a novel Roseanne was writing.  Based on the show's return to life as it once was, I don't think that book was ever published.  So this was another fantasy sequence for Leach.

Love Boat: The Next Wave
- Captains Courageous
(1998)

O'Bservation: Robin Leach was a passenger on board the cruise liner and he was recognized by another passenger.  She bragged that she was about to come into $10,000,000.  Leach sized her up and he could tell that with her extravagant style, she would spend that much money in just a weekend.  (It was just a glorified cameo, but he still got top billing.)
 
V.I.P.- Escape from Val-catraz
(1999)

O'Bservation: In the pre-credits sequence, Val had hidden a prized microchip in Leach's pocket.  Before an enemy agent could kill him for it, Val rescued the TV personality.

  

Robin Leach:

Valerie Irons! 

I've been wanting to talk to you for my show.

Do I get a hug at least?

Everybody Hates Chris
- Everybody Hates Greg
(2005)

Robin Leach's voice is heard describing the mansion that Chris had inaccurately imagined Greg living in.

O'Bservation: So... another fantasy sequence.
 
Great News
- Carol Has a Bully
&
- Carol's Eleven
(both 2017)

Robin Leach:
Well, I think it's a product people will really want. And since I've definitely got the money to invest, my offer to you, good sir, is 10 billion caviars. 
Contestant:
Well, wrong again, Leach.

THE TOONIVERSE

Family Guy
- Peter, Peter, Caviar Eater
(1999)

Peter changes for the worse after he and Lois inherit a mansion in Newport.  Aunt Marguerite's video for her will is based on 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' with Leach narrating.



Space Ghost Coast to Coast 
- Zoltran 
(1997)

O'Bservation: The show is set in the Tooniverse but the guests are being transmitted in from Earth Prime-Time.  But this isn't actually Robin Leach as Space Ghost's first guest.  It is Moltar's brother-in-law Zoltran who has infiltrated the show by either assuming the form of Leach, or possessing his body.

Robin Leach:
Your talent booking department booked the wrong guest. 
Space Ghost:
How do you mean?
Robin Leach:
I am, in fact, Zoltran,
and I have been kidding you all along.
I have taken the identity of Robin Leach
to fool you, Space Ghost.

NEW TIMELINE 
Seven Days
- Love and Other Disasters
(1999)

Olga and Ballard attend a royal wedding. While there, there's an explosion so Frank is sent to stop it. 

O'Bservation: Leach opens the episode doing a presentation about the wedding for his TV show.  It is pozz'ble, just pozz'ble, that Leach may have died in that explosion.  And in that dimension's timeline, he would remain dead.  But in the new timeline created by Frank's intervention, Leach survived.  By this time in the show's line-up, the team were now several dimensions removed from the original Toobworld's timeline.

SKITLANDIA

'Saturday Night Live'

O'Bservation:  In the sketch comedy TV dimension, Dana Carvey played Robin Leach on 'Weekend News Update', looking at baseball as if he was reporting for 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'. 

Here's how he sounded as Leach, from a comedy club appearance:

 Good night and may God bless, Mr. Leach.  And welcome to the Hall.

Champagne wishes; caviar dreams, 

And nobody said anything about chips!

Robin Leach

'V.I.P.'