By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Sonny Bono. When I was little, reruns of THE SONNY & CHER COMEDY HOUR (1971) would be on every morning before school. I loved everything from the colorful cartoon beginning, to the initial songs Sonny and Cher would sing, to the marvelous and hilarious banter between the two, to the ridiculous sketches and fabulous guest stars.
There was such affection and love between the married duo. It was an insight into their lives that viewers rarely ever saw with any other of Hollywood’s IT couples. Though the show is brilliantly written and side-splittingly funny, there was also a genuineness and moments of spontaneity that captured the minds and hearts of millions. It’s the reason the show stole my heart nearly 20 years after it aired and why now even at almost 50 years since its debut, the show is still in such high demand.
THE SONNY AND CHER COMEDY HOUR is a one of a kind, feel-good escape into a landscape of wild insanity, constant less-than-subtle innuendos, 1970s fashion and tunes, and laugh-out-loud moments that feels more as though you’re hanging out with some cool peeps than watching a television show. It was this type of near personal experience that made celebrities seem so much more relatable and likable. Whether it was Sonny and Cher or the guests that came on, ego was left at the door. It was all about having fun, laughing, and if someone (namely, nearly always, Sonny) was the butt of the joke, it was all in good spirits.
I love sketch and variety shows, and THE SONNY AND CHER COMEDY HOUR was the best of the best. I miss the show and am thrilled that TIME LIFE is releasing a 5 Disc “Best of” collection with over 8 hours of footage.
I cannot recommend this set enough. It is not only something you’ll enjoy watching, but something you’ll enjoy re-watching over and over again.
Special Features Include:
Never-before-released episodes of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Celebrity guest stars include Tony Curtis, Carroll O’Connor, Art Carney, The Supremes, Jim Brown, Bobby Vinton, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Paul Anka, The Coasters, Neil Sedaka and Wolfman Jack!
Sonny & Cher’s pilot, an appearance on The Barbara McNair Show (Original Air Date: February 15, 1970)
Jerry Blavat’s 1970 interview of the duo on “Jerry’s Place” featuring an impromptu performance of “I Got You Babe”
Interviews with Frankie Avalon, producers Allan Blye and Chris Bearde, and Cher herself!
