DECEMBER 2020 TVXOHOF - ROBERT GOULET

 
As Time goes by (We miss you, Geoffrey Palmer!), it gets more difficult to find someone to represent the full month of December as the showcase inductee into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  Anyone who is Christmas-centric is saved for the actual day and those are quickly running out.  (December will probably phase into being the Multiverse Month totally, a classification which has been used on occasion in the past.  In fact, I think I may have at least one this month to wrap up the Friday Hall of Famers feature.)

Our showcase inductee this month was an accident.  I basically e-stumbled over him while looking for something else.  But when I looked at his qualifications, I was surprised to see how many appearances he made as a member of the League of Themselves.

ROBERT GOULET

From Wikipedia:
Robert Gérard Goulet (November 26, 1933 – October 30, 2007) was an American singer and actor of French-Canadian ancestry. Goulet was born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Cast as Sir Lancelot and originating the role in the 1960 Broadway musical “Camelot” starring opposite established Broadway stars Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, he achieved instant recognition with his performance and interpretation of the song "If Ever I Would Leave You", which became his signature song.

His debut in “Camelot” marked the beginning of a stage, screen, and recording career. A Grammy Award and Tony Award winner, his career spanned almost six decades.

With fellow Hall member Ed Sullivan

We’ve had League of Themselves members inducted into the TVXOHOF in the past who had strong ties to the holiday spirit due to Christmas specials – Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Andy Williams….  I thought Bob Goulet also had a lengthy history with such TV specials, but I guess my memory was influenced by his appearance as himself over in the Cineverse, in the movie “Scrooged”.

Otherwise, he only appeared in one explicit Christmas special:

Bing Crosby And The Sounds of Christmas

(December 14, 1971)

But he did appear in several talk shows and variety programs during December over the years.  I’m sure he was probably called upon to sing a Christmas tune or partake in a holiday sketch.  Among these would be the talk shows of Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, and Dinah Shore; plus variety shows with Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Carol Burnett, ‘The Hollywood Palace’, and ‘Val Parnell’s Sunday Nights At The London Palladium’….

And not that it is any kind of qualification, but he did have a few Christmas albums to his credit.

Here are the shows in which Robert Goulet interacted with fictional characters, thus making him a “televersion” not only in Toobworld, but also in the Tooniverse:

The Jack Benny Program

- The Robert Goulet Show
(1963)

The Joey Bishop Show

- Andy Williams Visits Joey
(1964)

Alice

- Too Many Robert Goulets
(1980)

O’Bservation – I couldn’t find a picture of Goulet from this episode, but here’s Linda Lavin disguised as him and I'm sure she was not the only one… hence the title.

Mr. Belvedere

- Debut
(1986)
- The Trip: Part 2
(1988)
- The Field
(1989)
- Mr. Belvedere's Wedding: Part 2
(1990)

Get Smart

- Casino Evil
(1995)

O’Bservation – Actually, he was playing Agent 0 who was disguised as Robert Goulet. So at least the existence of Robert Goulet was acknowledged.

Boy Meets World

- The Thrilla' in Phila'
(1995)

George & Leo
- The Gift
(1998)

Just Shoot Me!

- Toy Story
(1999)

Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place

- Out with the Old
(1999)
- El Matrimonio Loco
(2000)

TV Funhouse

- Astronaut Day
- Safari Day
(Both in 2001)

Las Vegas
- Bold, Beautiful & Blue
(2005)

The King of Queens

- Sold-Y Locks
(2006)

Many televersions differ from the real world originals in more than just dealing with fictional characters and living puppets.  And Robert Goulet is no exception.

Emerald Nuts

3 PM Goulet

O'Bservation - Like Santa Claus and Rod Serling, Robert Goulet must have entered the chronosynclastic infundibulum so that he can be everywhere at once, but only at 3 PM in any particular time zone. That power has put Goulet into the Dark Side as he uses that downtime in people’s lives to wreak havoc in the office. (We’ve seen that play out in the Emerald Nuts commercial.)

Goulet also has a pen-and-ink presence in the Tooniverse.  Unfortunately, he just misses enough animated credits to qualify for a separate entry as a Tooniversion.

Robert Goulet’s televersion has another marked difference from his reality in the Trueniverse.

THE TOONIVERSE
 

The Simpsons

- $pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)
(1993)

Gary the Rat

- Manrattan
(2003)

O'Bservation - I found the episode online but this guy doesn't seem to show up in it.  When I do a Google search for an image of Gouet in connection to that episode, this is all that comes up.  So I don't know what to tell ya.

Welcome to the TV Crossover Hall of Fame, Mr. Goulet.  Good night and may God bless….

Happy Holidays, everyone!

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS 11/27/2020 - "THE WEST WING'

For the final week of every month this year, we’ve been inducting the televersions of real TV shows which also exist in Toobworld as that last Friday Hall of Famer.

With November having a heavy political aura, a political series seemed to be the O’Bvious choice.  So we’re walking and talking the perfect candidate into the TVXOHOF:

THE WEST WING

Within the main Toobworld, Earth Prime-Time, there is no problem of a Zonk because ‘The West Wing’ takes place in an alternate Toobworld (which is also the home for ‘Smallville’, ‘Mr. Sterling’, ‘Minority Report’, ‘Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip’, and the miniseries ‘Pine Gap’.)  This is because Earth Prime-Time must always have the same President of the United States as in the Trueniverse.  (You never know when a TV series might reference the POTUS.)

This list is of shows which refer to ‘The West Wing’ as a TV series within the main Toobworld.  We’re excluding shows from other Toobworlds and from Skitlandia and the Tooniverse.

And since this week’s Hall of Famer is also “Black Friday”, kicking off the holiday season, we’ve “decorated” the list with a few Christmassy pictures of ‘The West Wing’ on TV which I found on IMGUR.

3rd Rock from the Sun:

Dick'll Take Manhattan: Parts 1 & 2
(2000)

Seen on the NBC lineup calendar

Popular:
Are You There God? It's Me Ann-Margret
(2000)

Nicole mentions the show.

Primetime Glick:
Rob Lowe/Billy Crystal
(2001)

Referenced during Rob Lowe's interview.

Gilmore Girls:
Haunted Leg
(2002)

Francie says, "I'll make her so ineffectual, she'll make Jimmy Carter look like Martin Sheen."

Everwood:
The Price of Fame
(2003)

When Andy and Brenda start running lines at a fast pace, Brenda complains that people don't talk that fast on "The West Wing"

Joan of Arcadia:

Only Connect
(2004)

Father Ken has been watching reruns of the series.

The Dame Edna Treatment:
Episode #1.2
(2007)

The Thick of It:
Episode #3.3
(2009)

Ollie mentions the show.

Fringe:
Over There: Part 1
(2010)

In the alternate universe, Olivia sees a billboard promoting Season 11 of the show

The Office:
Viewing Party
(2010)

The scene following the cold open mimics The West Wing's trademark "walk-and-talk" format and rapid-fire dialogue, while Michael imitates the gruff mannerisms of John Spencer's Leo McGarry.

30 Rock:

Plan B
(2011)

Aaron Sorkin mentions that he wrote the show

Fringe:
Bloodline
(2011)

Season 12 ad seen on taxi

Alan Partridge
(2013)

Mentioned when two characters are 'walking and talking'

The Almighty Johnsons:
And Then on to Norsewood
(2013)
mentioned in dialogue

The Good Wife:
Dark Money
(2015)

Alicia instructs her campaign staff to use the West Wing tweets to stop the robocalls

The Good Wife:

Red Meat
(2015)

Mentioned in dialogue

Please Like Me:
Natural Spring Water
(2015)

Ella mentions the show by name.

Mom:
Pure Evil and a Free Piece of Cheesecake
(2016)

In Bonnie's dream sequence, Allison Janney is joined by her 'The West Wing' co-star, Richard Schiff, a nod to the series.

Popstar:
Never Stop Never Stopping
(2016)

CMZ reporter says "The guy from The West Wing?" when Martin Sheen is seen fighting Conner.

Please welcome the televersion of ‘The West Wing’ to the Television Crossover Hall of Fame!

TVXOHOF MEMOR0I0AL TRIB0UTE - MAYOR DAVID DINKINS

 

From CNN:

David Norman Dinkins, the genteel first and, to date, only Black mayor of New York City who dedicated much of his public life trying to improve race relations in the nation's largest city, has died at age 93.

Dinkins died Monday evening at his residence on Manhattan's Upper East Side, the New York City Police Department told CNN.

From Wikipedia:

David Norman Dinkins (July 10, 1927 – November 23, 2020) was an American politician, lawyer, and author who served as the 106th Mayor of New York City from 1990 to 1993. He was the first and, to date, only African American to hold that office.

As a matter of course with the death of some public officials, I checked tp see if Mayor Dinkins qualified to be into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  Not all public officials do, but since Ed Koch was mayor, the New York City mayors have been candidates.

David Dinkins does qualify, with just over the bare minimum, but three appearances in separate TV productions is all that it takes.  And he enters as a multidimensional, with each of his appearances located in alternate Toobworlds.

EARTH PRIME-TIME

Sesame Street

- Episode #22.95
(1991)

O'Bservation - Gordon gets an award from the Mayor.

TOOBWORLD’S TOOBWORLD
(possibly)

Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story
(archival footage)

O'Bservation - Rudy Giuliani IS Rudy Giuliani in Earth Prime-Time October 2001, so this TV movie has to go somewhere....

THE WEST WING DIMENSION
AKA “Toobworld Jed”
(Possibly)

Blue Bloods

- Risk Management
(2018)

O’Bservation – The placement of ‘Blue Bloods’ in ‘The West Wing’ dimension depends on who the POTUS is in the series. But it can’t be in the main Toobworld because it deviated from that timeline at some point after Dinkins’ administration.

SKITLANDIA

‘Saturday Night Live’

O'Bservation - Tim Meadows played Dinkins in several shows, as well as referencing the Mayor while playing his biggest supporter, Lionel Dauber.

Good night and may God bless, Mister Mayor.  I hope this small tribute meets with approval.  I admire your sense of timing, right up until the end.  If you had to pick any month in which to die, November was probably the most appropriate when we induct politicians.  (February would have been a very close second....)

 

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS, 11/20/2020 - CONNIE CHUNG

In this month dedicated to the newsmakers and newscasters, the Television Crossover Hall of Fame is continuing with another newscaster and television personality….

CONNIE CHUNG

From Wikipedia:
Constance Yu-Hwa Chung (born August 20, 1946) is an American journalist. She has been an anchor and reporter for the U.S. television news networks NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, and MSNBC. Some of her more famous interview subjects include Claus von Bülow and U.S. Representative Gary Condit, whom Chung interviewed first after the Chandra Levy disappearance, and basketball legend Magic Johnson after he went public about being HIV-positive. In 1993, she became only the second woman to co-anchor a network newscast as part of ‘CBS Evening News’. She was removed in 1995 as ‘CBS Evening News’ co-anchor after a controversial interview with a fireman, during rescue efforts at the Oklahoma City bombing, which seemed inappropriately combative, and her interview tactics to get Newt Gingrich's mother to admit her unguarded thoughts about Hillary Clinton.

Having inducted Julie Chen last week, I’m not going after any particular theme here.  If I was, I would have saved them for the next lunar new year.

Actually, I thought of Ms. Chung (Mrs. Maury Povich) first, remembering her appearance on ‘Murphy Brown’ with several other women in the broadcast news business.  From there, I thought of Ms. Chen in an episode of ‘Yes, Dear’.  And since I needed the fodder to fill out all the Fridays in the month, I decided to feature them both….

I did go with Julie Chen first because she had more credits.  But that could be attributed to being married to Les Moonves, who was head of CBS at the time.  I’m more impressed with the credits Connie Chung has acquired.  After all, I don’t think being Mrs. Povich opened any doors for her in that regard.

Here are the episodes which have gained her access to the TVXOHOF (following the Toobworld timeline):

Fresh Off the Boat

- Ride the Tiger
(2018)

O’Bservation – Literally, she phoned it in!

Murphy Brown

- TV or Not TV
(1989)

Documentary Now!

- Batsh*t Valley, Part 1
 (2019)

The Undoing
- See No Evil
(2020)

And she has a doppelganger in at least one alt-Toobworld….

House of Cards

- Chapter 64
- Chapter 65
(Both 2017)

Welcome to the Hall, Ms. Chung!

 

FRIDAY HALL OF FAMERS, 11/13/2020 - JULIE CHEN

 
So we kicked off the month with a US President and then inducted the next First Lady.  Now we’re going to add a newscaster/television personality to the mix….

JULIE CHEN

From Wikipedia:
Julie Suzanne Chen Moonves (born January 6, 1970) is an American television personality, news anchor, and producer for CBS. She has been the host of the American version of the CBS reality-television program ‘Big Brother’ since its debut in July 2000 and is the longest-serving host of any country's version of the show. Chen Moonves was a co-host and the moderator of the CBS Daytime talk show, ‘The Talk’, for eight seasons. Previously, she was a co-anchor of ‘The Early Show’ on CBS.

There are three reasons why Julie Chen got so many credits as a member of the League of Themselves:

1) Her affiliations with ‘Big Brother’ and ‘The Talk’

2) Most of the shows involved had CBS connections

3) She is married to Les Moonves, who was the CBS head honcho at the time.

Here are the credits which gained her entry into TVXOHOF:

Yes, Dear

- Big Brother-in-Law
(2003)

DEFINITE connection to ‘Big Brother’

Veronica Mars

- Normal Is the Watchword
(2005)

From the Veronica Mars wiki:
Julie Chen is an American television presenter for CBS. She appears in her own role in the first episode of the second season, as she interviews Keith Mars about the murder of Lilly Kane and his newly released book.

Possible reference to ‘CBS Early Morning’

The Millers
 - Internet Dating
(2013)
- Give Metta World Peace a Chance
(2014)

The Comeback

- Valerie Faces the Critics

From a fan site:
Valerie Cherish explicitly stated to the ladies of ‘The Talk’ that ‘Seeing Red’ is a dark comedy. ‘The Talk’ also brings up the topic of Val’s marriage, breaking out Valerie and Mark’s ski slope wedding photos.

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2014)

The Young and the Restless

 - Episode #1.10419
(2014)
- Episode #1.11178
(2017)

Life In Pieces

- Bunny Single Nightmare Drinking
(2017)

Jane the Virgin

- Chapter Seventy-Four

From a fan site:
Rogelio goes on ‘The Talk’ – and how fun is it that we have the whole cast! Julie Chen, Sharon Osbourne, Sheryl Underwood, and Sara Gilbert! Fields denies that Male Post-Partum depression does not exist. Rogelio gains ground by dissolving into tears. Rogelio is ready to accept it as a draw, but Fields and Rogelio are also in the next segment… on wild animals.

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2018)

She has doppelgangers in other TV dimensions as well:

ALTERNATE TOOBWORLDS

The Unit

- Hero
(2009)

Her connection to ‘CBS Early Morning’ may have referenced.

Madam Secretary

- Pilot (2014)

O’Bservation – This is probably from Tea Leoni’s appearance on ‘The Talk’ as herself and not as Elizabeth McCord.

Beauty and the Beast

- Ancestors

Crossover with 'The Talk'
(2014)

Supergirl

- Falling

Crossover with ‘The Talk’
(2016)

Welcome to the Hall, Julie Chen!  You’ll find your husband Les already here….