Long Lost U.S. TV Variety Show's Bizarre Salute To Canada

Skip to: New Posts  Last Post
Posted by RadioActive Online!
March 25, 2025 4:25 pm
#1

This very rare and very strange sample of an old show contains one of the weirdest and not-really-all-that-entertaining "salutes" to Canada I've ever seen. 

It was back in 1978, and I'm sure almost 100% of us have no memory of Mary Tyler Moore's disastrous variety show on CBS. It was an attempt to revive the star after her incredibly successful Mary Tyler Moore Show went off the air as a huge hit. (It was also one of the few shows whose last episode is considered a classic of sitcom television.) 

This was not Mary's finest hour, and this particular clip is unusual in that it presents an unedited version of the show, with the stars often standing around and waiting for their cues. Among them: a still pretty raw and new David Letterman as the show's announcer.

The bizarre musical salute to this country is followed by an odd but not very amusing rebuttal by Letterman himself. I can see why the show was not a big hit, even if it is a rough cut allowing it to drag in places. ("And salmon.")

But with all the vitriol spilling out of the U.S. towards us these days, it's still kind of refreshing to see a time when we were considered a cliché in America - but not an enemy.

The Canadian production number starts around the 6:20 mark. If nothing else, it harkens back to a very different kind of television that would never be seen on your screen today. And the unedited production elements make it even stranger.

 
Posted by Paul Jeffries
March 25, 2025 7:24 pm
#2

RadioActive wrote:

The bizarre musical salute to this country is followed by an odd but not very amusing rebuttal by David Letterman. I can see why the show was not a big hit, even if it is a rough cut allowing it to drag in places. ("And salmon.")

I'm born and raised in Canada, and I've never said "oot and aboot" in my life. 



PJ
 


ClassicHitsOnline.com...Toronto's ORIGINAL classic hits station!
 
Posted by Dale Patterson
March 25, 2025 11:39 pm
#3

Paul Jeffries wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

The bizarre musical salute to this country is followed by an odd but not very amusing rebuttal by David Letterman. I can see why the show was not a big hit, even if it is a rough cut allowing it to drag in places. ("And salmon.")

I'm born and raised in Canada, and I've never said "oot and aboot" in my life. 



PJ
 

Likewise. In fact, I don't recall anyone saying that in conversation.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 
Posted by mace
March 26, 2025 7:54 am
#4

We do say sorry quite a bit.

 
Posted by Jody Thornton
March 26, 2025 7:58 am
#5

I'm so sorry for being so apologetic 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 


 
Main page
Login
Desktop format