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When I stumbled across this gem on YouTube last night, I couldn't resist pressing "play." Afterwards, all I could say was "Wow, the '70s really were a whole other planet."

For the uninitiated: "The Paul Lynde Halloween Special" is a 1976 showcase for the grating TV comedian, sitcom second banana and "Hollywood Squares" perennial, and even for those who lived through this era (like me) it is a time capsule of jaw droppingly awful mid '70s what-the-f*ck-ery.

The so called "plot": Paul is granted three wishes on Halloween night by a pair of witches (Margaret "Wizard of Oz" Hamilton and Billie Hayes, aka "Witchiepoo" from H.R. Pufnstuf). This leads to a trio of cringe-tastic fantasy sequences featuring Paul as a singing truck driver, an Arabian Sheik, and the swingin' host of a disco dance party. Even by '70s variety show standards, these segments are hellishly bad, full of eye rollingly corny jokes, terrible song-and-dance numbers, and cameos by slumming celebrities like Betty White (!), Florence Henderson, Tim Conway, and Donny & Marie Osmond.

This special is probably best remembered for giving KISS their first-ever prime-time TV exposure. Naturally their three (lip sync'd) songs ("Detroit Rock City," "King of the Night Time World," and "Beth") are the show's highlights, and the band also partakes in some unintentionally funny forced banter with the host. (Lynde: "Your makeup is really something, how long does it take you guys to get that stuff on?" Gene: "We're not wearing makeup.")

I have seen the KISS related segments of this show on various bootleg compilations over the years but this was the first time I'd ever seen the complete show. It will also be my last :D

Recommended for: KISS fans, ironic '70s kitsch enthusiasts.

Do I dare attempt to revisit "The Star Wars Holiday Special" come December? :D

366 Weird Movies published a review years ago.

https://366weirdmovies.com/the-paul-lynde-halloween-special-1976/

I saw that one. Definitely check out Pink Lady and Jeff if you haven't. that is something

I actually have vague memories of seeing the premiere of "Pink Lady" when I was a kid. I don't think I saw any other episodes cuz it came and went in something like six weeks, haha.