X-Entertainment.com X-Entertainment UGO
X-Entertainment is still feeling pretty bad about those lobsters.

« The Jones Soda Halloween Collection! [Main Index] GIANT SQUID FOUND! »

09/26/2005: Rue McClanahan in… The Wickedest Witch!

She's only gonna sit in an inch of water?Got a good one for you tonight. In 1989, Rue McClanahan fulfilled the naughtiest clause in her Golden Girls contract by starring in NBC’s The Wickedest Witch, a very rare Halloween special that only aired once, maybe twice. It’s thirty minutes of Blanche dressed as a bitch witch hag, fiddling around with little reptilian Muppets as she quests to take over the universe. The silly but inoffensive special is a must for Rue fans, and since you’ve got no chance of seeing the thing if you haven’t already, the review includes several video clips. Enjoy.


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

Bookmark and Share


Discussion Thread: 113 comments

A Halloween special so breath taking, it brings a tear to Sandy Duncan’s glass eye. Oh man, you gotta love the nerdy kid who mentioned something about "the secret body language of cats." It’s strange becasue I remember watching The Hogan Family on a regular basis but i don’t remember specific episodes except for one where Jason Bateman’s character painted himself into a corner. And maybe I’m not remembering that one exactly either…Rue is always great no matter what she does. i always loved how in the opening sequence to The Golden Girls the synched up her shoulders swinging when she was walking towards the camera to the theme music for that split second. She was alright in Mama’s Family but nothing will ever touch her work as Blanche Devereaux.

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 09/27/2005 2:36 PM EDT

I’ve been watching snippets of Mama’s Family lately (it’s on before SBTB, gimme a break) but I’ve only caught occasional glimpses of Rue.
Never watched Hogan Family, but I’m actually interested in seeing it now. Hopefully it’s not FOR BRITISH EYES ONLY. (Somewhere an Arrested Development fan just fell off their chair laughing if they’re anything like me).

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 09/27/2005 2:58 PM EDT

That the my worst hello ever. You have to admire a man you can keep going after something like that.

Ghosted by RAS @ 09/27/2005 3:12 PM EDT

Once again, Matt get a mention on FARK! There someone mentioned the Paul Lynde Hallowe’en Special. How can you not admire a man who has Margaret Hamilton, Billie Hayes, and KISS star on his special?

Ghosted by kingklash @ 09/27/2005 3:23 PM EDT

You know, I bet anyone who signed a contract for any NBC show in the 1980s probably had to do at least one of these specials, from "normal" to bizarre and outlandish. This likely falls into the bizarre and outlandish category. I liked that "Hogan Family will return next week" promo. I was 7 in October 1989, but I don’t remember this special, though I DO remember "The Hogan Family." My boyfriend is attempting to find a tape with "Hogan Family" on it. He’s also searching for "Growing Pains," another show I miss. They used to show reruns, but not anymore. Also, glad to see they were using the current NBC Peacock logo–I believe there was a different one in the earlier part of the 1980s.

Ghosted by Allison @ 09/27/2005 4:02 PM EDT

King Chachi, I’m scared of the Burger King, he’s so creepy. My boyfriend says he has an amazing resemblance to King Friday from Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.

Blanche: I treat my body like a temple.
Sophia: Yeah. Open to anyone…day and night!

Ghosted by Allison @ 09/27/2005 4:06 PM EDT

I remember an NBC Disney special that Bea Arthur and Betty White hosted in the 80’s. Probably for Disney’s birthday or something. It also featured Jim Varney, Emmanuelle Lewis, Harry Anderson, Dolly Parton, and the female supporting player from Moonlighting. Bea Arthur sang. Betty White basically acted like Rose.

Ghosted by JLAJRC @ 09/27/2005 4:16 PM EDT

"I remember an NBC Disney special that Bea Arthur and Betty White hosted in the 80’s. Probably for Disney’s birthday or something. It also featured Jim Varney, Emmanuelle Lewis, Harry Anderson, Dolly Parton, and the female supporting player from Moonlighting. Bea Arthur sang. Betty White basically acted like Rose."

They should’ve given that a theatrical release and just called it Star Wars Episode 3.

Because that rocks.

Ghosted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 4:25 PM EDT

Those Burger King ads are horrifying!!! Especially where the guy wakes up and the King is in bed with him. WTF!!!! I don’t know what the more disturbing image is: the King pitching or catching!?!

Ghosted by Funky Boo Berry the 70's Ghost @ 09/27/2005 4:33 PM EDT

What a treat for me today on XE! I hear about a horrible/excellent Halloween special starring Rue….and I learn about a potential Fraggle Rock MOVIE?? Excellent! "Dance your cares away, worries for another day, let the music play, down in Fraggle Rock" Yeah! I always used that song to de-stress in University, and looks like I still need it (perhaps even more so) for teaching. Fraggles make me happy. :)

Ghosted by Muppet Baby @ 09/27/2005 4:39 PM EDT

For those longing to see the Hogan Family once again, they ran a few episodes on TVLand this summer.

Ghosted by Carri @ 09/27/2005 4:47 PM EDT

Maybe I’m just strange but i really dig the "king" ad campaign. Yeah he’s freaky but i think that’s what makes it work. He may seem freaky but he just wants to provide you with a croissandwich to warm your heart. And now apparently he plays on defense for the Baltimore Ravens and offense for the Minnesota Vikings so I guess that’ll distract him from staring in your window in the morning or ending up in your bed. I just know one night when I’ve had too many….hehehe ::shudders::

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 09/27/2005 4:48 PM EDT

Those Burger King ads are really quite brilliant. They’re hilarious but disturbing as all hell at the same time. I hope they do a Halloween-themed commercial with the "King."

Ghosted by Monte @ 09/27/2005 5:20 PM EDT

One of my favorite ads was the one where the guy looks out the window to see the King standing in the yard, glances away for a moment, then turns around to find himself FACE TO BIG FIBERGLASS NOGGIN with the dude! AAAHHH!! The phone calls are coming from inside the head!

Ghosted by kingklash @ 09/27/2005 6:20 PM EDT

I’m digging the new one with the lumberjack cutting down a tree, only to find The King standing behind it and offering him artery blockage on a bun.

Ghosted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 6:26 PM EDT

What about the add when The King confronts Darth Vader and they just look at each other. After seeing that I had to have all of the Star Wars kids meal toys :)

Ghosted by Darth Poop @ 09/27/2005 6:36 PM EDT

You are all off. "He did not come correct for breakfast!" with Bentley Farnsworth is the best new school BK commercial, followed by the one where Darth shows up at that dude’s door. The King is interesting, but I don’t find him as funny or unsettling as they seem to want me to. The Burger King, I mean. The Klash King is always funny and unsettling.

Ghosted by squee4242 @ 09/27/2005 7:30 PM EDT

Has anybody ever checked out the nutritional specs on that omelet-sandwich thing that Burger King peddles? Grab hold of your aorta and get a load of these figures:
-740 calories
-46 grams of fat
-16 grams of saturated fat
-330 milligrams of cholesterol
-1950 milligrams of sodium
YIKES! Needless to say, I’ll be stopping by BK tomorrow morning on my way to work to scarf down one of these bad boys along with a handful of hash-browns and a stack of griddle-cakes, and then I’ll chase it all down with a chocolate shake and four shots of bourbon.

Ghosted by The Yeti @ 09/27/2005 7:56 PM EDT

The King confronts Darth Vader and they just look at each other.

Not to mention breathing through their respective masks. *jibblies*

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 09/27/2005 8:03 PM EDT

ooo! Sister Act is on!! Righteous!

The Fraggle Rock theme song really does indeed rock. That’s one pumpin’ bass line, right up there with the bass from "Night Court"!@

Ghosted by kidneyboy @ 09/27/2005 8:09 PM EDT

Matt! Check out some of your countdown 2003 pages, there’s things chucking shit at my computer. It was a banner ad at the top of the page having little javascript windows trying to get me to install something called "winfixer." Yeah, anyone else see that?

Ghosted by Tom No Like @ 09/27/2005 8:45 PM EDT

It’s adware/spyware. Run whatever adware remover you’re using and see if that helps.

Ghosted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 9:22 PM EDT

It would be an ugly scene if i ever came face to face with someone who creates spy/ad ware for a living…..So much built up hatred…

Ghosted by D-Roc @ 09/27/2005 10:16 PM EDT

I think I remember that some professional spammer got shot a while back.

Ghosted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 11:04 PM EDT

Allison: How in the HELL have they gotten away with not putitng Growing Pains on DVD yet? It’s criminal…

phunqsauce: I love the King, he kicks ass :)

Ghosted by Night_Trekker @ 09/28/2005 1:35 AM EDT

Dammit, should preview my posts before submitting :(

And I wanted to see that the Halloween "frown" was, also

Ghosted by Night_Trekker @ 09/28/2005 1:37 AM EDT

I’m not the worlds biggest NFL fan, but if the Packers had the King as wide receiver, they might be better than 0-3!

One copy of Corey Haim: Me, Myself & I on Amazon, used for $39.99!! Holy sheeyat!@

Ghosted by kidneyboy @ 09/28/2005 1:43 AM EDT

Are you suprised at the Haim video’s price or that one is available?

Sorry I haven’t posted lately guys, volunteer coaching for high school football, a newborn son, college work, and an unhealthy Newgrounds Numa Numa fetish…I’ve been alittle preoccupied.

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Ghosted by EMajorwitz @ 09/28/2005 5:15 AM EDT

Are you surprised at the Haim video’s price or that one is available?

Sorry I haven’t posted lately guys, volunteer coaching for high school football, a newborn son, college work, and an unhealthy Newgrounds Numa Numa fetish…I’ve been alittle preoccupied.

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Ghosted by EMajorwitz @ 09/28/2005 5:15 AM EDT

Hey Matt and everyone else,
Thought you might find this interesting:

http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050926/full/050926-7.html

In short, they have a picture of a 26′3" giant squid in the wild. Crytpozoologists unite!

Ghosted by the Danimal @ 09/28/2005 5:23 AM EDT

I have traveled to 14 states this year and I am finding Burger King’s increasingly rare, especially in Pittsburgh where there are literally like 2 left! Why is this do you think!?!? Its alarming that people choose McDonald’s crap over the King! Even in Disney World all the fries are McD’s, that’s weak as hell!!!!! They need a BK commercial with a guy in a stall and he needs TP and the King’s hand reaches under from the next stall with some TP and then reaches under again with a whopper and then the guy opens the stall door and the King is standing there with hands on hips. That’d be awesome.

Ghosted by Funky Boo Berry the 70's Ghost @ 09/28/2005 9:30 AM EDT

kidneyboy: I’m not the worlds biggest NFL fan, but if the Packers had the King as wide receiver, they might be better than 0-3!

Ugh – they’re so bad this year. Oh well. At least the Badgers don’t need the king – they’re ranked #17 now! Maybe it’s really Calhoun under the king costume….

Ghosted by Gozer @ 09/28/2005 10:41 AM EDT

I remember an NBC Disney special that Bea Arthur and Betty White hosted in the 80’s. Probably for Disney’s birthday or something.

You’re right! I had totally forgotten about that. I watched it a couple of times, so it’s probably in my parents’ video tape vault. It’s times like these that I hate having them so far away.

You know, I bet anyone who signed a contract for any NBC show in the 1980s probably had to do at least one of these specials, from "normal" to bizarre and outlandish.

Personally, I miss those days. Remember all the cool stuff…Battle of the Network Stars (that new one with reality stars doesn’t count. It misses the whole point.), Circus of the Stars (which I miss terribly)… Remember when it was commonplace to see any number of network personalities "singing" on a float at the Macy’s parade? Nowadays you’d only get one if they were cross-promoting an album. The other day I was going through some of my tapes and I watched the NBC 60th anniversary special. All I could think when I watched the finale is that there’s no way you could get the actors to do that these days. I made a RealVideo file if anyone wants to watch it. Just click on my name. Granted, it’s a lot of "golden era" stars, but if you have patience (and can tolerate the buzzing), you can catch a glimpse of Estelle Getty (sans Sophia getup) as they roll the credits. For me, though, the money shot is Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas. (Ahhh…80’s NBC…THAT was TV.) I also enjoy seeing how many people don’t know the words (and don’t care.) Lastly, props to Carl Reiner for throwing his heart into everything he does.

Ghosted by Lori @ 09/28/2005 11:38 AM EDT

Gozer-
I am going to Madison again this weekend to visit my sis. I’ll be the one without the red shirt on.
I now feel prepared having seen the craziness that occurs in Wisconsin when there is a foot ball present. You guys are amazing superfans.

Ghosted by kb @ 09/28/2005 11:41 AM EDT

FBBT70’sG:
Hands on hips, pantaloons around ankles, and Ronald bound and gagged in the next stall over. While "Driver’s Seat" by Sniff N’ The Tears plays. Then Jack in the Box, over drying his hands under one of those blowers, says, "My head’s bigger."
Or is that just another one of my nightmares?

Ghosted by kingklash @ 09/28/2005 11:47 AM EDT

Another NBC Disney special I remember was called "Totally Minnie" which had Robert Carradine doing his nerd thing, the cast of Cheers and Family Ties, Elton John, Phylisha Rashad, and Cheech Marin singing or reminiscing about Minnie Mouse.

A couple of years ago ABC and NBC did anniversary specials where they had cast members from various shows past and present in an auditorium setting doing reunions, clips, bloopers, etc. SNL did one too. They still do them, but their VERY rare.

Ghosted by JLAJRC @ 09/28/2005 12:13 PM EDT

Thanks Lori, that NBC clip ruled!

Ghosted by Carri @ 09/28/2005 12:48 PM EDT

what realy bugs me is when they show commercials for fast food places that don’t even exist in my part of the world. i keep seeing commercials for Sonic, and there isn’t one within a 200 mile radius of me! ok, maybe i’m exaggerating, but there aren’t any in the greater Pittsburgh area and they look really tasty! you don’t see eat n park advertising in Florida, do you??

Ghosted by bitchpants @ 09/28/2005 1:08 PM EDT

HEY bitchpants where are all the BKs in Pgh going?

Ghosted by FBBT70G @ 09/28/2005 1:22 PM EDT

FBBT70G–I honestly don’t know. there are still a few around. there’s one in the southside, one in Bridgeville and a couple in Robinson. i’m a little bummed that they are vanishing from all other parts though because i LOVE whoppers!

Ghosted by bitchpants @ 09/28/2005 2:18 PM EDT

Lori-
That clip was the best. Kinda sad how many of those people have passed on though. It desn’t seem like it could really be 20 years old.

Ghosted by kb @ 09/28/2005 2:26 PM EDT

FBBT70G, bitchpants –

The only one I can think of is on the Southside, that old-timey one that I love but have never visited. Where are the ones in Robinson?

Ghosted by Jessica Marie @ 09/28/2005 3:02 PM EDT

The BK Pittsburgh mystery:

I was skeptical of this thread. I mean, BKs don’t just abandon major cities, but you guys are totally on to something. Check out the BK restaurant finder for Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Cleveland. Those three cities should be comparable as far as BK numbers go. Buffalo and Cleveland have dozens of BKs which is normal while Pittsburgh has only five within a five mile radius.

What’s going on Pittsburgh? Who’s usurping the King’s fast-food throne?

Ghosted by Carri @ 09/28/2005 3:13 PM EDT

Jessica Marie, the one in Robinson that I know of is at the Pointe all nestled in behind Petsmart by Best Buy. Where’s the Southside one at? How many people on here are from the Burgh anyways?!

Ghosted by Funky Boo Berry the 70's Ghost @ 09/28/2005 3:29 PM EDT

If there was a BK commercial of the King playing for the Steelers he’d put his arm up for a fair catch and get drilled so hard he’d soil his majesty’s britches and then get piled on and buried in Heinz field like Hoffa at Giant’s stadium….that’s what’d happen in that commercial.

Ghosted by FBBt7G @ 09/28/2005 3:33 PM EDT

let’s not cut up on the Steelers…

i was thinking of the one at the pointe in Robinson. there was another one on steubenville pike near sheetz, but now that i think of it, that one might be gone too.
FBBt7G- the one in the southside is right on carson street, near fat head’s i believe.

jessica marie–why do i get the feeling that i know you…

Ghosted by bitchpants @ 09/28/2005 4:08 PM EDT

Here’s an animalia sidenote: a giant squid has been photographed:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20050928/ca_pr_on_sc/japan_giant_squid

Ghosted by AlphaCentaurian @ 09/28/2005 4:13 PM EDT

many of the burger king’s in the dallas area have closed, and it saddens my soul :(

i don’t eat carbs anymore but i still like those little flame broiled patties.. i’m sorry but mcdonald’s tastes like alien meat

Ghosted by diamondzdigidul @ 09/28/2005 4:30 PM EDT

speaking of burger king does anybody remember when they had those little white castle style burgers?

i used to luv those little flame broiled morsels of goodness

Ghosted by diamondzdigidul @ 09/28/2005 4:32 PM EDT

I’m not cutting up the Steelers, I’m commenting on BKs failings as a company in the Pgh region in relation to their football ads where the King is making big plays….cause he ain’t in Pgh., although I live in Greentree and will now be going to the Carson St. BK this weekend, I have a 2 for 1 triple whopper coupon and will revel in 6 patty flame broiled goodness and then promptly restart my heart a-beating with a jolt of electricity my wife will have standing by when I return home. and the little burgers were Burger Buddies.

Ghosted by FBBT7G @ 09/28/2005 4:42 PM EDT

Add A New Comment!


This entry was posted on Monday, September 26th, 2005 at 8:06 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.