Every November, the Television Crossover Hall of Fame is dedicated to Newsmakers and News Reporters. Many of those are Presidents of the United States. Several journalists have been inducted, beginning with a fictional one.
And then there are those who are world leaders, and sometimes, even a few notorious inductees.
Not that I’m suggesting anything….
Henry, hello.
Henry Kissinger:
Hello, Alexis, good to see you.
Alexis:
Good to see you.
I haven't seen you since Portofino.
It was fun.
I haven't seen you since Portofino.
It was fun.
(As seen in the Pink Floyd video)
From Wikipedia:
Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as United States Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977 and National Security Advisor from 1969 to 1975, in the presidential administrations of Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
Born in Germany, Kissinger emigrated to the United States in 1938 as a Jewish refugee fleeing Nazi persecution. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he attended Harvard University, where he excelled academically.
He later became a professor of government at the university and earned an international reputation as an expert on nuclear weapons and foreign policy. He acted as a consultant to government agencies, think tanks, and the presidential campaigns of Nelson Rockefeller and Nixon before being appointed as national security advisor and later secretary of state by President Nixon.
Here are the shows which qualified him for membership in the TVXOHOF:
THE DEAN MARTIN CELEBRITY ROAST OF BOB HOPE (1974)
Kissinger appeared in a pre-recorded message from Washington, D.C.
O’Bservation:
I count these as fictional presentations because every so often somebody would show up as a fictional character. (Most famous of these was Peter Falk as Lt. Frank Columbo to roast Frank Sinatra.) Foster Brooks was there as himself, but in his drunk persona.
DYNASTY
CAROUSEL (1983)
Parts of this program were filmed in October 1982 at the real-life Carousel Ball, an annual event that benefited the Children's Diabetes Foundation of Denver, and famously featured cameos by former President Gerald Ford and his wife and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Each received the standard $330 union payment for their appearances.
O’Bservation:
All three are now members of the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.
BROTHER’S KEEPER
POLITICALLY IMPOLITE (1999)
Porter is invited to appear on ‘Politically Incorrect’, not realizing he'll have to share the spotlight with Bobby.
O’Bservation:
This episode provides a fictional televersion of ‘Politically Incorrect’, so that show gets absorbed into Toobworld.
THE COLBERT REPORT
O’Bservation:
Since Stephen Colbert was playing his fictional televersion, I’m treating this as I did with the “Dean Martin Celebrity Roast of Bob Hope”.
ALTERNATE TOOBWORLDS
FOR ALL MANKIND
From Wikipedia:
"For All Mankind" is an American science fiction drama television series created by Ronald D. Moore, Matt Wolpert, and Ben Nedivi and produced for Apple TV+. The series dramatizes an alternate history depicting "what would have happened if the global space race had never ended" after the Soviet Union succeeds in the first crewed Moon landing ahead of the United States. The title is inspired by the lunar plaque left on the Moon by the crew of Apollo 11, which reads, in part, "We Came in Peace for All Mankind".
The series stars an ensemble cast. The series features historical figures, played by actors or appearing through archival footage, including astronauts and NASA officials as well as American presidents and other politicians.
O’Bservation:
Kissinger appeared in two episodes, both in archival footage.
1] HE BUILT THE SATURN V (2019)
President Richard M. Nixon:
“I have been informed by Dr. Kissinger that, thanks to our recent military operations, we may be within reach of an honorable peace with the North Vietnamese. I have instructed him to begin negotiations with Lê Ðuc Tho so that we may focus our efforts and resources on the new challenges facing our nation. And on this momentous day, as Apollo 12 readies to begin the search for the location of the first American lunar base, I commit that we will do whatever it takes.”
2] RUPTURE (2019)
MUSIC VIDEO TOOBWORLD
BRAIN DAMAGE/ECLIPSE – Pink Floyd (1973)
O’Bservation:
Kissinger is seen twice in a collection of clips featuring world leaders of the day, including Nixon, Brezhnev, Mao, Elizabeth II, Pope Paul VI, Golda Meir, Harold Wilson, Idi Amin, Indira Gandhi, and Gerald Ford. It’s a shame they didn’t use a video of him with animation added in as they did with some of the others.
BORDERLANDS
O’Bservation:
This particular Borderland is a TV dimension which combines actual footage with material added in by the regular cast. I don’t have a name for that Toobworld yet. But “Not The Nine O’Clock News” would share this dimension.
NOT NECESSARILY THE NEWS
In one episode, he presented a proposal for a new movie to an agent.
O’Bservation:
When Kissinger and Stuart Pankin’s agent are sharing the camera shot, it’s a double for Kissinger seen from the back of his head.
SKITLANDIA
O'Bservation:
First John Belushi played Kissinger during the first five years of the show. From 1979 on, Al Franken was the former Secretary of State.
O'Bservation:
First John Belushi played Kissinger during the first five years of the show. From 1979 on, Al Franken was the former Secretary of State.
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
From ONE SNL A DAY:
FINAL DAYS
the final days of Richard Nixon’s (DAA) administration were stormy
— I really like the format of the sketch, showing multiple scenes by going back-and-forth between Nixon’s wife writing in the diary to Nixon in the Oval Office.
— All-in-all, an excellent sketch and among some of the best political satire the show has ever done.
NORMAN LEAR AS HOST (1976)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
PEACE TALKS
Henry Kissinger (JOB) uses song while mediating Rhodesian negotiations
— I think I remember seeing this sketch before. Doesn’t this have a scene toward the end with John and some other guys crouching on the table while bickering like kids, or singing in a drunken manner, or something like that?
— Ah, there’s John crouching on the desk, like I had remembered. However, my memory of it was a little fuzzy, getting some of the sketch details mixed together.
— Hilarious ending.
— Overall, I liked this sketch a lot. The silliness of it appealed to me, and the performances were fun.
PAUL SIMON AS HOST (1976)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
BABA WAWA AT LARGE
Henry Kissinger (JOB) talks about his career
— Some of John’s deadpan facial reactions are pretty funny.
— Baba Wawa: “Have you any final words for the Amewican pubwic?” Kissinger: “(bluntly) No.”
RICHARD DREYFUSS AS HOST (1978)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW
momma’s-boy celebrities & their mothers
— First time we’ve seen John’s Kissinger impression in a long time.
— I like the concept of these celebrities having mothers who are similar to them.
TED KNIGHT AS HOST (1979)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
COLD OPENING
from Panama, Shah Pahlevi (BIM) celebrates Christmas with friends
— Haha, we get the debut of Al Franken’s Henry Kissinger impression, which I remember he would later do quite a number of times in the mid-late 80s era. Franken’s impression is a lot more accurate than the one Belushi used to do, and is really funny.
CHEVY CHASE AS HOST (1980)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
COLD OPENING
while visiting Gerald Ford (CHC), Henry Kissinger (ALF) plays it safe
— The return of Franken’s funny Henry Kissinger impression.
— Loved Franken’s monotone “Oh, yes” after the applause finally stopped.
BRUCE DERN AS HOST (1983)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
SATURDAY NIGHT NEWS
prominent figures express their sorrow over Buckwheat’s death
— At first, I thought the pre-taped segment of celebrities addressing Buckwheat’s death was genuine footage filmed specifically for SNL, when the segment started with Charlton Heston and Henry Kissinger. I was about to say “Wow, SNL is REALLY fully committed to this Buckwheat premise”, but then the next two tribute clips were from President Reagan and the Pope, making it obvious that these are all just unrelated clips taken out of context to make it seem like they’re talking about Buckwheat.
O’Bservation:
This sketch could actually share the same TV dimension as ‘Not The Nine O’Clock News’ and ‘Not Necessarily The News’ as it mixes actual footage with the sketch elements.
TONY DANZA AS HOST (1986)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
LYNDON LA ROUCHE THEATRE
Henry Kissinger (ALF) & host conspire
— A lot of funny lines during Randy’s intro, especially his mention of “the evil homosexual Henry Kissinger” as well as “the most evil man of the 20th century: Walter Mondale.”
— Good use of Al Franken, and nice to see his Kissinger impression back from season 5.
— Amusing interactions between Al and Tony.
— Overall, a pretty fun sketch with a lot of silly humor. Felt uncharacteristic for this season.
BRONSON PINCHOT AS HOST (1987)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
NIGHTLINE
Henry Kissinger (ALF) & others discuss “Amerida” plausibility
— Very nice way to carry over the Amerida storyline into a separate sketch. Very rare for SNL to do something like this.
— Good to see Al Franken back as Henry Kissinger.
— I got a big laugh from Al’s Kissinger concluding that the Amerida concept “was just stupid”.
— Good random part with the Nightline secret word.
ANGIE DICKINSON AS HOST (1987)
From ONE SNL A DAY:
THE ASSIMILATED JEW’S HANUKKAH
Henry Kissinger (ALF) touts record album
— Another good use of Al Franken’s Kissinger impression.
— The “Assimilated Jews Hanukkah” record title was worth a laugh.
— I’m enjoying this premise of Hanukkah-ized classic Christmas songs.
— Okay, this is starting to kinda run out of steam after the joke was established. Still fairly funny, though.
THE KISSINGER PUPPETS
as seen in:
SPITTING IMAGE
D.C. FOLLIES
O’Bservation:
It’s my contention that these take place in Earth Prime-Time, just like ‘Sesame Street’, ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’, ‘Captain Kangaroo’, ‘The Muppet Show’, ‘Pinwheel’, etc.etc. etc.If the spirits which inhabit puppet shells and take on the characteristics of their bodies, then if they can be washing machines and rogue cheeses, why can’t they wear puppet shells resembling celebrities and then take on their characteristics?
I’m sure there are plenty of references to Dr. Kissinger in conversations between fictional characters in other shows which would verify the existence of Kissinger in the main Toobworld. If I’m not mistaken, this would be one, from an episode of ‘Barney Miller’:
But for now, these examples make my point for his inclusion, my personal feelings aside. ‘Twill serve….
Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Dr. Kissinger.
Well, that's rude....
1 comment:
Additional Toob trivia: The set in the Chevy Chase-hosted episode is a barely reworked version of the Clampett foyer in a Beverly Hillbillies parody sketch "The Bel-Airabs" seen two months prior in the episode fronted by Howard Hesseman.
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