X-Entertainment | Rue McClanahan in… The Wickedest Witch!

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 on 09/26/2005. E-mail me!

Discussion Thread: 114 comments

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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.

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 09/27/2005 2:36 PM

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).

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/27/2005 2:58 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by RAS @ 09/27/2005 3:12 PM

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?

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/27/2005 3:23 PM

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.

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/27/2005 4:02 PM

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!

Chestnuts roasted by Allison @ 09/27/2005 4:06 PM

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.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 09/27/2005 4:16 PM

"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.

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 4:25 PM

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!?!

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

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.

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 09/27/2005 4:39 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 09/27/2005 4:47 PM

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::

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 09/27/2005 4:48 PM

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."

Chestnuts roasted by Monte @ 09/27/2005 5:20 PM

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!

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 09/27/2005 6:20 PM

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.

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 6:26 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Poop @ 09/27/2005 6:36 PM

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.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 09/27/2005 7:30 PM

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.

Chestnuts roasted by The Yeti @ 09/27/2005 7:56 PM

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

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

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 09/27/2005 8:03 PM

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"!@

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 09/27/2005 8:09 PM

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?

Chestnuts roasted by Tom No Like @ 09/27/2005 8:45 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 9:22 PM

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…

Chestnuts roasted by D-Roc @ 09/27/2005 10:16 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by The Wukong Effect @ 09/27/2005 11:04 PM

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

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 09/28/2005 1:35 AM

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