In the 1970s, starting from the late 1960s, variety shows were popular on television.

Carol Burnett, Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher., were some off her famous ones I remember from childhood.There were others that were not as successful, such as giving Sonny and Cher their own shows after the divorce(and Cher's show was good), Tim Conway, Redd Foxx, the infamous Brady Bunch show, Captain and Tennille.

Then after 1980, the genre died out completely. What happened? Never been revived, that's it. I think people want to forget the 1970s. Or not.

Another thing that networks do not do anymore is TV movies...."The CBS television movie 'My Baby is Ugly and Stupid' starring Shelley Hack." That is easier to deduce why they died, there are so many channels making bad movies that the networks don't need to.

In the 1970s, starting from the late 1960s, variety shows were popular on television.

Carol Burnett, Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher., were some off her famous ones I remember from childhood.There were others that were not as successful, such as giving Sonny and Cher their own shows after the divorce(and Cher's show was good), Tim Conway, Redd Foxx, the infamous Brady Bunch show, Captain and Tennille.

Then after 1980, the genre died out completely. What happened? Never been revived, that's it. I think people want to forget the 1970s. Or not.

Another thing that networks do not do anymore is TV movies...."The CBS television movie 'My Baby is Ugly and Stupid' starring Shelley Hack." That is easier to deduce why they died, there are so many channels making bad movies that the networks don't need to.
There were a lot of very popular variety shows in the 60's as well. The Garry Moore Show (where Carol Burnett got her start), The Andy Williams Show, and The Dean Martin Show for example. I think it would be very expensive to produce a variety show these days. The budget for music clearance alone would be astronomical! And the pay scale for dancers, musicians etc. would be much higher now too. Money is probably the biggest reason variety shows no longer exist.

Do the advertisers think that our attention span won't stretch to a couple of hours? Is there a shortage of comperes with the strength of personality to present such a show? And will producers take risks with untried and unproven stars or is it all about ratings at the end of the day?

I feel that SNL ended the Variety Show in the 70's. By then Variety Shows went away from prime-time. The closest show that was a prime-time variety show was Chappelle's Show.

Neil Patrick Harris is reportedly working on one for NBC.

There were a few recent attempts at launching new ones, but they ultimately didn't work out. I know of Rosie Live from 2008, the infamous Osbournes Reloaded from 2009 and the more recent The Maya Rudolph Show.

Neil Patrick Harris is reportedly working on one for NBC.

There were a few recent attempts at launching new ones, but they ultimately didn't work out. I know of Rosie Live from 2008, the infamous Osbournes Reloaded from 2009 and the more recent The Maya Rudolph Show.

I felt the variety show on prime-time bit the dust when Pink Lady and Jeff came on...who green-lighted that show?

They were a product of their era, the 3-network and a few indy station universe. People had far fewer choices in TV and entertainment in general. Families might have had one set and if you gave them a show that had a broad appeal, it was a way to bring in an audience. Now, everyone has access to only watch or listen to what they want, families watching something together is a thing of the past. No one pays any attention to anything that doesn't interest them. That's why you get these morons posting on twitter who don't know who Paul McCartney is. Kids now live in their own isolated little world. But, lots of genres have disappeared besides variety shows - westerns, anthologies, most game shows and soap operas. TV movies and miniseries.

They were a product of their era, the 3-network and a few indy station universe. People had far fewer choices in TV and entertainment in general. Families might have had one set and if you gave them a show that had a broad appeal, it was a way to bring in an audience. Now, everyone has access to only watch or listen to what they want, families watching something together is a thing of the past. No one pays any attention to anything that doesn't interest them. That's why you get these morons posting on twitter who don't know who Paul McCartney is. Kids now live in their own isolated little world. But, lots of genres have disappeared besides variety shows - westerns, anthologies, most game shows and soap operas. TV movies and miniseries.
I appreciate the above Ben and concur wholeheartedly that we now have a fractured society with a far shorter time span than in previous generations. I also cite an article by Steve Binder below,whom I assume is a journalist with some inside knowledge of the subject.http://www.caucus.org/archives/00spr_primetimevariety.html

They were a product of their era, the 3-network and a few indy station universe. People had far fewer choices in TV and entertainment in general. Families might have had one set and if you gave them a show that had a broad appeal, it was a way to bring in an audience. Now, everyone has access to only watch or listen to what they want, families watching something together is a thing of the past. No one pays any attention to anything that doesn't interest them. That's why you get these morons posting on twitter who don't know who Paul McCartney is. Kids now live in their own isolated little world. But, lots of genres have disappeared besides variety shows - westerns, anthologies, most game shows and soap operas. TV movies and miniseries.

I know who Paul McCartney is...and I was born in the 80's!

PS-Another dead genre...SatAM Cartoons! Sadly...I'm the last generation that knows about that gem!

As much as I like the old variety shows,I have no interest in them making a new variety show.The old ones had talented and likeable hosts,cast members and guest stars.They were great entertainment. Can you imagine what a variety show would look like today,or in other words how terrible it would be with todays "celebrities". "Special guest star this week--Justin Bieber" "Next week "Paris Hilton"--No thankyou.

As much as I like the old variety shows,I have no interest in them making a new variety show.The old ones had talented and likeable hosts and guest stars.Can you imagine what a variety show would look like today with todays "celebrities"."Special gest star this week--Justin Bieber" "Next week "Paris Hilton"--No thankyou.
I would like to think of them as a vehicle for new talent to get exposure with the inevitable celebrities which you name being top of the bill. But maybe as some have already intimated these shows are a thing of the past.

As much as I like the old variety shows,I have no interest in them making a new variety show.The old ones had talented and likeable hosts and guest stars.Can you imagine what a variety show would look like today with todays "celebrities"."Special gest star this week--Justin Bieber" "Next week "Paris Hilton"--No thankyou.

I feel the only one that can make a decent Variety Special now is Michael Buble.

As much as I like the old variety shows,I have no interest in them making a new variety show.The old ones had talented and likeable hosts,cast members and guest stars.They were great entertainment. Can you imagine what a variety show would look like today,or in other words how terrible it would be with todays "celebrities". "Special guest star this week--Justin Bieber" "Next week "Paris Hilton"--No thankyou.

I agree 100%. I personally think the stars of today don't hold a candle to the ones back then. I have no interest in seeing anything they'd offer now.

I agree 100%. I personally think the stars of today don't hold a candle to the ones back then. I have no interest in seeing anything they'd offer now.
And I agree with you Patty Duke.I also have no interest in watching almost anything they offer now.In my opinion even todays so called A listers (top celebrities) don't even come close to the celebrities of previous generations. I don't know what got into that Hollywood water.

For one thing, reality competition shows like The Voice, American Idol, and Dancing With the Stars, where you choose who wins and loses, and there's a high tendency for manufactured drama, has replaced all-star variety shows.

And I agree with you Patty Duke.I also have no interest in watching almost anything they offer now.In my opinion even todays so called A listers (top celebrities) don't even come close to the celebrities of previous generations. I don't know what got into that Hollywood water.
I agree 1000%. All the good talent have passed away with no one to replace them, they were great at their craft. One of my favorite variety shows is Dean Martin, you could tell they were having fun.

In the 1970s, starting from the late 1960s, variety shows were popular on television.

Carol Burnett, Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher., were some off her famous ones I remember from childhood.There were others that were not as successful, such as giving Sonny and Cher their own shows after the divorce(and Cher's show was good), Tim Conway, Redd Foxx, the infamous Brady Bunch show, Captain and Tennille.

Then after 1980, the genre died out completely. What happened? Never been revived, that's it. I think people want to forget the 1970s. Or not.

Another thing that networks do not do anymore is TV movies...."The CBS television movie 'My Baby is Ugly and Stupid' starring Shelley Hack." That is easier to deduce why they died, there are so many channels making bad movies that the networks don't need to.

I think what happened is that starting in the 1980's and even more so in the 1990's networks started producing shows that were more edgy and aimed at a younger audience; I'd say it started with "Miami Vice", and the old variety shows seemed more like a relic from the past that didn't have much appeal to the younger MTV audience they were looking to get.

The more edgy fare that came on the less hip variety shows looked.

As for TV Movies; the simple fact is that there are just too many platforms for entertainment now and the networks realized that their TV movies weren't making any money for them. Cable took over and did it better; produced better movies; also the advent of the internet and streaming made the network TV film obsolete. Why wait for a movie to air on NBC once a year when you can go online and watch any movie you want?

Andy Kaufman tried 2 or 3 times to launch a variety show, but no dice. I think entertainers like him are extinct. I will agree that Michael Bublé could do one, even Colbert.

I know who Paul McCartney is...and I was born in the 80's!

PS-Another dead genre...SatAM Cartoons! Sadly...I'm the last generation that knows about that gem!

McCartney was the lead singer of the 1970's group "Wings". Band on the Run! He was also in some teeny bopper band in the 1960's, name escapes me now.

I think that one reason why variety shows started to die out by the end of the '70s (many point to NBC's Pink Lady & Jeff as final nail in the coffin) is that they failed to adapt with the times. What I mean is that they seemed to be drowned in a wave of cheese and were not at the cutting edge in regards to comedy and music. For example, Laugh-In was actually pretty on target when it first came out in the late '60s w/ its frenetic pacing.

As has been alluded to, "celebrities" today have no talent. They are famous for being famous.

Here's what would be on a variety show today.

OK, ladies and gentleman, thank you for tuning in. On tonight's big show we have:

Paris Hilton, who will babble unintelligibly while promoting her line of cheap crappy clothing only a fool would wear.

Some boy band whose name escapes me who will desperately try to look cute while trying to stay within the auto tune microphone limits.

Some girl band whose name escapes me who will lip sync to their big hit "My false eyelashes fell in my eye and now I can't ****ing see".

And...... Two interchangeable moronic brain dead rappers who will get into a gunfight for no reason whatsoever right... here... on.. this.. stage!

Don't wanna miss it!

I'll guess we'll see if the new variety show Maya and Marty will generate interest with viewers. So far some critics aren't impressed.

I'll guess we'll see if the new variety show Maya and Marty will generate interest with viewers. So far some critics aren't impressed.

Neither am I. The problem is people today just lack talent.

I think that one reason why variety shows started to die out by the end of the '70s (many point to NBC's Pink Lady & Jeff as final nail in the coffin) is that they failed to adapt with the times. What I mean is that they seemed to be drowned in a wave of cheese and were not at the cutting edge in regards to comedy and music. For example, Laugh-In was actually pretty on target when it first came out in the late '60s w/ its frenetic pacing.
Exactly! Laugh In came out during the Vietnam War and the hippie movement. It was a perfect timing. I can't see the variety show revived today. The closest we have is the late night talk and SNL.

I'll guess we'll see if the new variety show Maya and Marty will generate interest with viewers. So far some critics aren't impressed.
I don't think they did themselves any favors by having Miley Cyrus as a guest on the first episode. I'm sure she was there to bring in younger viewers but if this show is going to succeed it's core audience will be baby boomers who remember the variety shows of an earlier era not the Rave crowd!

The Variety Show in my opinion, kind of disappeared in the early 2000s following the retirement of Johnny Carson in 1992? So really the only major variety show still on the air was SNL

A few reasons I can throw around:
--An ideal variety show host is a veteran, multitalented performer (Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, etc.). Way too many variety shows in the 70s were given to flash in the pans like the Starland Vocal Band or never-weres like the Keane Brothers, who just didn't have the comedy or vocal skills to pull it off.
--Hopelessly outdated musical bookings. The charts were heavy on the Eagles and Led Zeppelin, but the variety shows preferred to have the likes of Joey Heatherton.
--Demographics starting becoming big in the 70s, and variety shows tended to draw either the elderly or kids. That's exactly who your average advertiser didn't want.

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