Watch Aretha Franklin playing herself on a 1991 episode of Murphy Brown - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 08-16-2018, 09:51 PM

http://www.vulture.com/2018/08/remem...own-cameo.html

Quote:

While most of the Aretha Franklin memories being shared today are from live performances like Barack Obama’s inauguration or the Kennedy Center Honors, the legendary singer also gave a memorably sweet performance in a sitcom cameo back in 1991. During Murphy Brown’s season-four episode “The Queen of Soul,” Brown lands an interview with Franklin on her show, only for Franklin’s train and limo to the studio to get so delayed that she doesn’t make it on time, leaving Brown and her crew scrambling to fill the dead airtime. Eventually, Brown gets a one-on-one meeting with Franklin, who treats her fan to her own personal performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” The song was somewhat of a hallmark on Murphy Brown, with Bergen’s character singing it in both the series-premiere episode “Respect” and the season-four finale “Birth 101”:

In an Instagram post today, Bergen shared a still from Franklin’s Murphy Brown appearance, saying “Aretha Forever!”

JamesG · 08-21-2018, 08:17 PM

How "Murphy Brown" Wooed Aretha Franklin for that Famous Cameo
by Diane English
August 21, 2018

It took four years to get her there, but we were persistent because  I was such a huge fan. We opened the first show, in 1988, with 'Respect' and we closed the episode with 'Natural Woman', so Aretha was always sort of our spirit animal.

But she was in Detroit and didn't fly and we shot in Los Angeles — so that was an issue. We finally got  a yes if we could meet in New York, so  we built a piece of the FYI set in New York. And then she appeared and it was magic. There was no rehearsal, we just gave her the lines and she and Candice Bergen sat down at the piano and we rolled cameras and it was unbelievable.

You could just see on Candice's face the amazement that she was sitting at a piano next to Aretha Franklin. Aretha ad-libbed some things — like when Candice started singing with her, she said, "I'm a solo act" — which was hilarious.

Aretha was not an actress, but she was very funny. You could see her having fun. We all just sat there and watched it, stunned that it was actually happening. It was one of my favorites.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...-cameo-1136284

TMC · 09-19-2018, 03:34 AM

Murphy Brown's season premiere will pay tribute to Aretha Franklin

Franklin’s music was a huge part of the original Murphy Brown, which used "Respect" in the pilot episode.

08-21-2018, 08:17 PM	#2
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 56,951	*How "Murphy Brown" Wooed Aretha Franklin for that Famous Cameo* by Diane English August 21, 2018 It took four years to get her there, but we were persistent because  I was such a huge fan. We opened the first show, in 1988, with 'Respect' and we closed the episode with 'Natural Woman', so Aretha was always sort of our spirit animal. But she was in Detroit and didn't fly and we shot in Los Angeles — so that was an issue. We finally got  a yes if we could meet in New York, so  we built a piece of the FYI set in New York. And then she appeared and it was magic. There was no rehearsal, we just gave her the lines and she and Candice Bergen sat down at the piano and we rolled cameras and it was unbelievable. You could just see on Candice's face the amazement that she was sitting at a piano next to Aretha Franklin. Aretha ad-libbed some things — like when Candice started singing with her, she said, "I'm a solo act" — which was hilarious. Aretha was not an actress, but she was very funny. You could see her having fun. We all just sat there and watched it, stunned that it was actually happening. It was one of my favorites. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ne...-cameo-1136284

09-19-2018, 03:34 AM	#3
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 124,428	Murphy Brown's season premiere will pay tribute to Aretha Franklin Franklin’s music was a huge part of the original Murphy Brown, which used "Respect" in the pilot episode.