The Podcast Holiday Special

**The Podcast Holiday Special** is episode 38 focusing on "The Star Wars Holiday Special," as part of the podcast's continuing coverage of the Star Wars Sequels. Posted 23 Dec 2015.

## Summary

> In 1978, CBS aired a two-hour Star Wars holiday special. Only a year prior, A New Hope had been released to critical success and with the Empire Strikes Back in production and to be released in a year and half, this was Lucasfilm’s opportunity to keep fans engaged with the franchise (and sell some merchandise of course) by developing a science fiction variety special using everyones favorite characters.
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> But it was terrible! So much so, that it has never been re-aired or made available for purchase ever. Nor should it be. Even George hates it, famously saying “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of the show and smash it.”
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> Griffin and David, joined by Pilot Viruet (Flavorwire) discuss this truly insane piece of television history. Together, they examine a storyline involving Chewbacca and Han Solo trying to return to Kasyyyk to celebrate Life Day, a Wookie holiday, Chewbaca’s weird family and extended grunting, the first introduction to Boba Fett, bad french circus dancing, 1970’s cocaine use and so much more!
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   Sometimes you have no words. That's why Griffin and David invited Pilot Viruet into the studio to talk about this... this... whatever this thing is.

Pilot was so dedicated to this appearance that she watched all six existing Star Wars movies for the first time, just for the podcast. And then the infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special" on top of that!

It should be noted that Pilot has an affection for many weird pop-culture artifacts that are bad - or at least, things that aren't appreciated by most people. And yet, even she could not get on board with this entry in the Star Wars canon (and it IS canon).

The mythical status of the "Holiday Special" is awesome. It aired once on TV in 1978 and then according to legend George Lucas repossessed the master tape from CBS and secreted it away, never to let it see the light of day again. However, fortunately or unfortunately, two people who owned brand-new cutting-edge home videorecording equipment taped it live, and made duplicates and duplicates to pass around. And now it's available on YouTube in all its kitschy glory.

Were Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher blissed out on something? What the hell is going on with Itchy's face, and good lord almighty, does Itchy watch some kind of softcore porn in the middle of the special, on camera? Why are Emmy-winner Harvey Korman and Oscar-winner Art Carney in this thing? Is Bea Arthur the acting MVP? What is Life Day, anyway?

Stay tuned at the end for Pilot's great Star Wars joke, and Griffin and David's predictions for what will happen in *The Force Awakens*.

### Milestones and Ephemera

* Musical Guest: Jefferson Starship. *Not* Jefferson Airplane, *not* Starship.
* This was the first-ever appearance of Boba Fett, in the cartoon segment.
* **THIS IS CANON.**
* First (?) on-air discussion of the future podcast name: Blank Check with Griffin and David. (Start around 1:10:00). Griffin proposes "Hulking the Hulk". Other proposals: Batman Returns and superhero movies.

## Predictions

At the end of this episode, recorded prior to seeing *The Force Awakens*, Griffin and David make their predictions about what happens.

**David**

* Darth Maul comes back. He has been cloned. The movie is not called *The Force Awakens* but is actually called *The Second Attack of the Clones*.
* Everything leading up to the opening has been a MacGuffin. The movie was actually made by George Lucas.

**Griffin**

* Inspired by the Holiday Special, he's hoping for scenes in bars!
* "It's gonna be fun."

**Pilot**

* Force won't wake up. It's really sleepy.
* A golden retriever will learn how to play basketball and will win the championship.

**Ben**

* Opens on Al-oh-gashu fighting with his nunchuck light saber, stays on him the whole time. Batt Pecki is also in it.

## References

1. ↑ The Podcast Holiday Special on Audioboom.