1980s Christmas: Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

The 1980s also offered 1988's Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. In perhaps the most fabulous, star-studded Christmas Special ever created, Pee-Wee has some holiday fun for just about everyone. There are the series’ regular attractions: Jambi grants a wish, the secret word (’year,’) a Penny cartoon, and magic screen connecting the dots. The regular guests stop by as well, like the King of Cartoons, Miss Yvonne, Ricardo, Reba and Cowboy Curtis.

Cher knows what to do when someone says the word of the day: scream real loud!

But the most fun is watching Pee-Wee with all the celebrities that want to participate in the Playhouse holiday fun: Little Richard wearing a pillow while ice skating on the frozen pond; Dinah Shore annoyingly prattles off an endless “Twelve Days of Christmas” over the videophone while a bored Pee-Wee places her on hold to walk away; and Frankie & Annette forced into slave labor handmaking Pee-Wee’s Christmas cards.

Don’t forget Grace Jones’ shocking performance of “The Little Drummer Boy.”

Other celebrity performances include: kd lang sings “Jingle Bell Rock;” Charo sings “Feliz Navidad;” and the Del Rubio Triplets sing “Winter Wonderland.” Pee Wee collects all the fruitcakes he’s received in order to build a new wing onto the Playhouse. All the fun comes to an end when Pee Wee leaves in order to assist Santa in delivering his toys.

Pee-Wee: "Feliz Navi Blah"

Special guests include: kd lang; Oprah Winfrey; Grace Jones; Annette Funicello; Frankie Avalon; Whoopi Goldberg; Magic Johnson; Cher; Joan Rivers; Del Rubio Triplets; Little Richard; Zsa Zsa Gabor; Dinah Shore; Charo; and, the UCLA Men’s Glee Club.

Ever wondered which holiday animated classic the King of Cartoons brings in this Christmas Special? It’s “Christmas Comes But Once a Year” a 1936 cartoon from the Fleischer Studios, featuring the elderly inventor Grampy, a recurring character originally introduced in a Betty Boop cartoon.

Leslie Nielsen: Santa Who?

I join the rest of the world in mourning the recent death of actor Leslie Nielsen. His abundant comedic roles have touched movie-goers for decades with his roles in Airplane! and the Naked Gun series. He has also impressed viewers with his participation in Christmas movies including All I Want for Christmas, Santa Who?, and the TV specials Noël Noël, The Nutcracker and the Mouseking and Mr. Willowby's Christmas Tree. I turn my attention here in discussing Santa Who? for it is this role that Nielsen repeats his quintessential comedic trademark as the dead serious funny man.

This TV movie is a comedy about what happens when Santa Claus has amnesia. On a practice run, Santa Claus (played by Nielsen) falls out of his sleigh and drops into TV news reporter Peter Albright’s car! This passenger seems to have amnesia and doesn’t know who he is. Since he’s good with children, Peter gets him a job working in the local mall as their Santa Claus. Meanwhile, Peter is concocting a news story about the amnesiac, hoping for a tearful reunion on Christmas for a highly rated TV special. Will Christmas be canceled if there is no Santa Claus this year?

One of the funny efforts to try to spark Santa’s memory is to expose him to familiar, emotional connections. He’s shown the movies ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’ ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ ‘The Grinch’ and ‘Rudolph,’ but the trick fails.

The cast includes: Leslie Nielsen as Santa Claus; Steven Eckholdt as Peter Albright; Robyn Lively as girlfriend Claire; and, Max Morrow as Zack, Claire’s son.

Book Tour: Akron OH recap

To keep you updated, my latest book signing was this past Saturday (Nov. 27th) at Square Records in Akron, OH. Thanks to Dave and Juniper for offering me this fantastic opportunity to meet and greet the fans of my books. It was nice to be home from my book tour--for Thanksgiving--and to be able to share my experiences and stories of life on the road with friends that dropped by the store.

I'll resume my book tour next week with stops in Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago and finally Cleveland--all before Christmas. For the dates, times and locations of those appearances, please see the '2010 Author Events' page on the right hand side of this blog.

One of the highlights of the Square Records signing was the opportunity to finally meet in person a fellow blogger, Erick, who writes Wonderful Wonderblog and is also a fan of Christmas on TV. I'm jealous of his crazy Christmas music collection--including the Star Wars Christmas Album: Christmas In the Stars.

He even wrote about meeting me--which was very nice. Click here for that blog post on Wonderful Wonderblog. Thanks Erick.


This is the second time on this book tour that I've been able to meet a blogger who has inspired me. In the Washington DC/Baltimore area, I also met Amanda By Night who writes Made for TV Mayhem.

Erick from Wonderful Wonderblog and myself: Happy Life Day to us!

The Gathering (1977)

On book tour this past month, I was asked repeatedly about a much beloved TV movie from 1977 entitled The Gathering which starred Edward Asner, Maureen Stapleton, Gregory Harrison and Stephanie Zimbalist among others.

I wrote about this TV movie this past summer for the blog Made for TV Mayhem a site devoted to TV movies. Click here to read my post about The Gathering.

An added bonus that I brought to that posting are photos from several locations where that film was originally shot. Coincidentally, I happen to live in Northeast Ohio--very close to Hudson and Chagrin Falls, Ohio where several locations doubled for the snowy New England setting in the movie. Surprisingly, those locations have changed little since 1977. Please check those out on Made for TV Mayhem.

1980s Christmas: The Simpsons

How many people remember that 1989's “The Simpsons Christmas Special” was the first episode of the new series The Simpsons on the young Fox network? Also known by the title "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," this holiday special was the first half-hour length story with the animated characters introduced in short bumpers on the comedy/variety series The Tracy Ullman Show. The plot of this now legendary Christmas show is familiar: When the family’s Christmas money has to be spent on tattoo removal surgery for Bart, Homer’s last chance is found at the dog track, gambling for a merry Christmas. Homer loses his money but comes home to present the family with a dog they name Santa’s Little Helper.

But the first Simpsons Christmas story debuted the previous year, in 1988, on The Tracey Ullman Show. It features a holiday Simpsons’ short entitled ‘Simpson Christmas.’ Bart provides his own version of the poem, “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Though the animation is a bit more rough, the irreverence and cleverness we have come to expect from this series is already perfected. This animated series would go on to produce many more classic Christmas episodes. Which is your favorite Simpsons Christmas story? (Mine is 1995's "Marge Be Not Proud.")

“So, to those of you groovin’ on my holiday rap: Happy Christmas to all and to all a good nap.”

Book Tour: Baltimore recap

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm finally home from the first leg of my book tour. But just for a week before I head back out again. In December, I'll be signing books in Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Chicago. Check the schedule on this blog (along the right hand side) marked 'Author Events 2010' for the locations, dates and times for my upcoming appearances.

My last signing was in Baltimore, Maryland on the 20th at Ukazoo Books. But the highlight of that stop was getting to finally meet a fellow blogger, Amanda By Night, who writes about TV movies especially horror TV movies. She knows her stuff. If you haven't already, you must check out her blog: Made for TV Mayhem.

Amanda guest posted on my blog this past July writing about her favorite Christmas TV special, Nestor the Long-Eared Donkey. Click here to see that post again. Maybe I can persuade her to write another for me?

Schlemiel, Schlimazel. Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!

Joanna on TV: Set Your DVRs

Well, the holiday specials have already begun to air on TV like they do every year at this time. The Hallmark Channel started televising their holiday movies last weekend and ABC Family Channel begins their countdown to the 25 Days of Christmas programming this weekend. The Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade is next Thursday and the flood of old and new programming will be unleashed.

Add to that two upcoming new specials that will include your favorite Christmas TV expert (Don't shrug your shoulders! I'm talking about myself, Joanna Wilson). As you may already know, I was asked to participate in two TV specials adding commentary about Christmas TV episodes, specials and movies. Look for me:

on the History Channel special The Real Story of Christmas scheduled to air Nov. 30th at 8pm

and TV Guide Network's 25 Most Hilarious Holiday Moments scheduled to air Dec. 5th at 8pm


I expect these programs to be repeated before Dec. 25th but check your listings to be sure. Thanks to both production companies for asking me to participate: Workaholic Productions and Atlas Media Corp. respectively. I'm sure everyone is looking forward to seeing these new holiday TV specials as well as my contributions.