Most TV box sets rely on nostalgia to attract an audience, but WKRP is smart and funny, and it still rocks after all these years. The most intriguing bonus feature is the four-minute "A Fish Story," which explains the show's battles with CBS, who battled Wilson to add more dumb gags instead of thoughtful laughs. It was the legendary rock band’s first local performance since Dec. Gary Sandy (station programmer Andy Travis) looks back on the show is his own featurette, while Do My Eyes Say Yes? is a shorter, fluffier segment focusing on blonde bombshell Jennifer/Anderson. By CityBeat Staff The Who finally returned to Cincinnati on May 15 at FC Cincinnati's TQL Stadium. (No word on why Sanders and Frank Bonner, who played salesman Herb, are missing). It collects most of the cast members and key creatives on a panel discussion, including series creator Hugh Wilson, to reflect on the series. A Paley Center Reunion from June 2014 is a gem. WKRP remains a comedy, and the laughs have endured surprisingly well, especially in these episodes: The Scum of the Earth punk band, the live turkey giveaway dropped from a helicopter, the commercial jingle for the funeral home, Bailey (Jan Smithers) helping a Soviet national defect to America, Sparky Anderson's ill-fated radio show, Johnny's Rip Tide alter ego crisis and Mama Carlson dating Andy (Gary Sandy).Īll 88 episodes are handsomely packaged on 12 discs, while a bonus disc offers nearly two hours of new material. It took chances, such as broadcasting a serious episode of the Who concert tragedy of 1979 when several fans were trampled to death in Cincinnati. WKRP wasn't afraid to mix laughs with serious issues such as race, drugs or draft dodging. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman), receptionist Jennifer (Loni Anderson) and nerdy newsman Les Nessman (Richard Sanders). It was nearly 33 years ago that The Who played Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati on Decemand eleven people were killed in a stampede for festival seating. Fans embraced this ensemble of misfits, including the rebellious DJ, Dr. TV series come and go, but WKRP has endured over the years, because the writing was ahead of its time and smarter than most. The music is important for a show about a radio station. This DVD release ends decades of hearing this beloved sitcom butchered in re-runs and an earlier DVD release. They couldn't clear the musical rights to a few songs, but AC/DC, Blondie, Ray Charles, Albert King, Bob Marley, the Pretenders, Queen, the Rolling Stones and many others are included here. About 80% of the songs that played on original WKRP broadcasts from 1978-1982 have been restored for this gorgeous box set compiled by the folks at Shout! Factory. scholarship awardees, as well as three current student musicians sat in with the orchestra that backed the band.įans described the show as not only emotional and historical, but also one that brought some closure to the events of that tragic day 43 years ago.Yes, the music is back - most of it. It was nearly 33 years ago that The Who played Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati on Decemand eleven people were killed. Members of nine of the 11 families impacted by the tragedy were there, and photos of the 11 victims were shown on the screen during "Love, Reign O'er Me."ĭuring the final song of the show, "Baba O'Riley," The Who were then joined by seven members of the Finneytown Children's Choir, which is part of the scholarship program while one of the P.E.M. This week I’m reading Pete Townshend’s recently published autobiography, Who I Am, and it brought to mind how we document part of his life here in the Archives & Rare Books Library. We're gonna go back and try to play the way we used to play in 1979 - loud, messy.here we go." Anyway, it's so lovely to be here in this brand new place. But, you are paying, and your money is going to great causes - many of which are related to what happened back here in Cincinnati in 1979, which is probably time for us to both remember and try to forget. Pete talked about the charitable aspect of the concert, saying, "As you probably know, we're not being paid for this so I'm not gonna work very hard. The scholarship goes to high school seniors who pursue degrees in the arts or music. Memorial Scholarship Fund, which was founded in memory of the three seniors from the city’s Finneytown High School killed that fateful evening – Stephan Preston, Jackie Eckerle and Karen Morrison. Sunday night's concert was a benefit for the P.E.M. He said, "You know, I've been trying to think of what to say, what would be cool to say, what would be uncool to say, and really, there's no words that we can say that can meet with the fact that you guys have come out tonight and supported this event. While performing at TQL Stadiumi, Pete Townshend talked with the crowd following a few songs. The Who returned to Cincinnati, Ohio Sunday night for their first show there since Decemwhen 11 fans were trampled to death rushing the gate at their show at Riverfront Coliseum.
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