S1E14 Desi Arnaz

I'm surprised I didn't comment last post on the unexpected host for this week: Desi Arnaz. One of the oddest host choices for the first season. I remember watching the rerun of this one as a kid, at a time when I Love Lucy was still aired every day on local stations, and being thrown by just how old Arnaz looked.

THE HOST

It's a strange choice, and the main reason Arnaz is hosting is to promote his autobiography. Has anyone else hosted SNL to promote a book? I can't think of anyone.

Anyway, Arnaz actually does a fine job. He opens with a marijuana joke. I'm guessing as a bandleader in the 1940s, Arnaz had already had plenty of experience with pot, but his feigned ignorance over the special "cigars" the cast gave him is still funny, and immediately indicates he'll be up for anything. He's in plenty of skits, and he's the musical guest. Not bad for a guy pushing sixty, but who looks like he's already in his seventies.

THE GOOD

The highlights, naturally, are the I Love Lucy Parodies. The parade of failed I Love Lucy Pilots is a classic skit, one of the great early TV parodies done by the show. It's easy to forget, that for this cast, I Love Lucy was still an integral part of their lives. Not only had they grown up with it, but it was still aired every day. Up through the eighties, it was almost impossible to not find one local station showing reruns, unlike today. For many viewers, this was a long overdue parody, and it pays off great. Gilda does a great Lucy, and Desi Arnaz, Jr. guests as a young version of his father

Many people might not realize that Arnaz's production company was responsible for The Untouchables television show. Arnaz plays the villain, along with Radner reprising her Lucy, while Aykroyd nails Robert Stack's Eliot Ness. I've never seen an episode of The Untouchables, but the amount of detail that went into this skit tells me the SNL writers have. It's also a little odd seeing Arnaz Sr. and Jr. take part in a skit that involves Lucy being shot and killed at the end.

THE BAD

Only two things, and one is only here because I'm sick of seeing it. Enough with the diet pill commercial.

We've also entered the period where Gary Weis overstays his welcome. A film about Taylor Mead, a writer/actor/etc associated with Andy Warhol, and his cat, is fine, but why is it on this show?

THE MEH

Sadly, the rest of the episode doesn't fare as well as the two television parodies.

Gilda reprises her Lucy for one more skit and a commercial for Arnaz's book, and the gimmick wears thin from overuse.

Chevy gets a lot to do in this episode. He plays a white version of Barry White; a husband hoping to have sex on his 40th birthday but instead finding himself in the middle of a surprise party; and a man using nonsense phrases to frustrate his girlfriend and break up with her. All three skits are just okay, as is his Weekend Update.

Arnaz has two more showcases: His reading of the Jabberwocky, foiled by his Cuban accent, is entertaining. His performance as a Cuban acupuncturist treating John Belushi.... well, I can't remember a thing about it, so it didn't make much of an impact.

Garrett Morris gets a quick bit as Rubin Carter shilling for American Express, and Laraine Newman does an advertisement for cosmetics. It's another one of Newman's characters that doesn't really stick with you, and this is the second time in two weeks that Morris has played Carter. I guess this is the point when he was in the news a lot.

THE MUSIC

How awesome is Desi Arnaz? Seriously, I never paid attention to his music on I Love Lucy, but he's terrific here. He plays Cuban Pete, his biggest, pre-TV career hit, and he dances everyone out at the end to Babalu. He was good enough to make me seek out more of his music.

GRADE: A

Nothing too bad, the weaker skits are fine, and we've got two lengthy, classic skits. Weis's film is brief enough to be painless, and the music is great. Surprisingly, this is one of my favorite first season episodes.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I was shocked to learn that Arnaz was about 59 at this point. He looks much, much older. And his teeth look dreadful, especially watching this on a big screen, digitally streamed. Hard living, I guess? I'd assumed he was in his 70s, he could even pass for 80s.

Radner does a great Lucy. It's a shame they beat it into the ground by using it four times in one show.

NEXT

Jilly Clayburgh with Leon Redbone. I have no feelings either way about that. Maybe she'll be funny, who knows.