TVSquad

While ABC, NBC, and CBS have historically remained in a cutthroat battle for viewers, each network has shared one common trait: come the season of network promotional campaigns, all actors must be prepared to look absolutely ridiculous.

After the jump ... Remember this pop cultural gem (video below) that gained traction on the Net not too long ago? The sheer oddity of the clip alone forces us to ask ourselves several questions: do these people all live together? Why is Marla Gibbs dressed like an astronaut? Does Bea Arthur do everybody's shoppingl? CAN'T NELL CARTER JUST SIT DOWN AND REST HER FEET FOR A SECOND? (Seriously, give her a break!)

(Continued from Part Three...)

After the press conference, the cast was shuffled into a larger gymnasium filled with what the organizers said was 3000 people. I'm going to tell you this right now: the Cast Q & A was unwatchable.

This was because after every single thing any one of the cast members said, the entire audience of 3000 people would hoot and holler with almost religious excitement. When Darryl got up and kissed Kelly, I half expected the majority of those in attendance to fall to the floor shouting in tongues.

"Super bad guys
Try to crush us
Fight for freedom
And for justice."

For some reason, network promos and commercials have been seared in my mind. I remember pretty much all of them, going back to the late 70s. The ABC promo after the jump is completely new to me though. It looks like it's from around 1985 or 86, judging from Richard Dean Anderson's hair and the clips they show of early MacGyver episodes.

But the thing that's interesting about the promo is that they actually use Randy Newman's "I Love L.A." as the promo's theme song! Though it's not Newman singing the song. Listen to the lyrics and you'll see how crazy and lame network promos can be. (The slogan that fall on ABC was "You'll Love It!" Though I'll always have a soft spot for "Still The One!") The announcement that they'll return to The Concorde: Airport '79 is just icing on the cake.