or...

Dual Duties With Blondie

Deborah Harry, is one of those performers that I'm pretty surprised that I didn't pay more attention to her throughout my history with music. Sure, I knew and liked her hits, and if asked I would say I was a fan yet, I've never owned one of her albums.

I was pretty excited to see that she was going to both host and perform with her band because I fell in love with her performance of Dreaming when she was the musical guest for Steve Martin. Not only did I like the song, I remember liking her energy during both of her performances that left me feeling that she would be pretty fun.

It turned out to be an average episode for this season, with the same problems that I've pointed out in the past. Mainly, I was disappointed that our host wasn't spotlighted more. Once again, I thought it was weird that they'd treat the star as if they were a featured player.

Alright, now it's time to move on and share what I saw as I give you...

The Wicker Breakdown:

The show starts with an update from Reagan who asks the question Is Sinatra a Hooligan? and then goes on to question the legend himself, before announcing, "Live from New York..."
Deborah Harry then opens the show with a monolog about love being that it's Valentines weekend. We quickly meet her parents who have her blond hair with dark roots, and we also get a quick visit from Eddie Murphy as cupid who kills a member of the audience with his love arrow.
Don't Look in the Refrigerator is a short film/fake movie trailer where a woman is terrified by whatever is in the fridge.
We then get another visit from the Liveleys where the wife is way too into the fact that her husband is a game show host and this time they have to deal with her ailing father. We also get a game show style intro of the potential new nurse.
This was followed by a Newsbreak with Eddie Murphy it's not quite Weekend Update, but it's almost the same exact thing as if they are testing Eddie out to take over.
A family of rednecks sit on their porch questioning where Cooter is. It's almost like the Steve Martin What Is That Thing sketch where everyone talks in circles while just repeating their simple speak. They eventual get a visit from The Tennessee Williams Authority who informs the family that they qualify to live out their life as a one-act play as a group of upper-class types pull up some chairs and watch how the day plays out.
In this week's Rocket Report we take a trip to Central Park to see just how scary it is, only this segment takes place midday when none of the muggers are out and about.
Joe Piscopo then shows up to a card store as his, "I'm from Jersey," character who meets up with Blondie who is equally excited about her Jersey zip code and the two really hit it off.
Deborah Harry then hits the stage to performs TKO
Once again, Rocket and Gail give us the News. This week Gilbert discusses Reagan's plans to cut most of the funding for the poor, an ambassador from Poland checks in to discuss the fictional story that they have just invaded Russian, and Joe Piscopo gives us the sports. (Clip 2) (Clip 3)
We then go to a futuristic apartment that is run by Big Brother/Gilbert Gottfried where Blondie talk to him through a monitor for her daily brainwashing when he finally decides to ask her out but is far too nervous based off of everything that he's seen.
We then go to a short film that's a black and white noir-ish mobster flick called Sweethearts that's far too hard to describe.
The Waxmans escape their public access show to visit Blondie and Gail in SOHO and meet their first lesbian, but it takes them forever to finally get all the hints.
Deborah Harry then returns to the music stage to perform Come Back Jonee
Once again we get a Newsbreak with Eddie Murphy where they interview the man on the street about this fake story about how Poland is invading Russia and most people instantly have answers and act like they are fully aware of it even though it never happened.
Blondie and Piscopo return from a first date, and he's nervous to be in her home. She playfully calls him a big ape which causes him to freak out. It turns out that the reason for these panic attacks is that he's some form of were-ape which actually turns Blondie on.
We then go to a High School Hallway where Gail as her ten character talks with Blondie about her decision to be a dropout and pretends like she doesn't know her best friend Denny in her efforts to try and fit in.
Funky Four Plus One then hit the stage to perform That's The Joint which turns out to be the very first televised hip-hop performance ever.
Finally, Deborah Harry closes the show by thanking the audience and saying her goodnights.

Even though I complained up above that Blondie could have been in the show more, but this is the first time that I remember in a while that the host has been in all of my favorite moments that I'm about to list.

First, I loved the sketch where Piscopo's "I'm from Jersey," guy meets his perfect match at a card store because I like it when these sketches actually let the loser win. Next, I liked the Where's Cooter sketch because it brought back memories of an old dog friend of mine. Finally, I was a fan of the Big Ape sketch because I like the idea of this were-ape.