I’m not embarrassed to admit I loved watching variety shows as a kid. We would laugh our butts off over The Carol Burnett Show or The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Those shows were downright funny. But like any other successful genre, networks overdid it. They flooded the airwaves with variety shows—most of them forgettable, some of them unwatchable, and a few so awkward they became legends in their own strange way.
That’s why I’m inviting you on a little journey through some of the most awkward variety shows of the ’70s. In the days before cable and streaming, we watched whatever came in through our rabbit ears. And on the weekends, that meant awkward, cringey, glittery variety shows.
But you know what? We loved them.
What Was a Variety Show, Anyway?
For the uninitiated, a variety show was exactly what it sounds like—a mix of musical numbers, comedy sketches, dancing, and celebrity guests. The format wasn’t new in the ’70s, but the invention of color television gave it a fresh, sparkly, often awkward home. A typical show featured a charismatic host, an overlit stage, lip-synced performances, and comedy skits that mostly missed the mark.
All these shows seemed to dip into the same shallow pool of special guests: Tim Conway, Rich Little, Harvey Korman, Ruth Buzzi, Vincent Price, and yes—Shields and Yarnell.
Let’s pause there for a second.
Shields and Yarnell were mimes. Mimes! I ask you, who actually wanted to watch mimes on prime-time television? Does anyone even know what a mime is anymore? If a Shields and Yarnell segment came on, it was your cue to make popcorn or hit the bathroom.
Every once in a while, a variety show would book a cool band or musical guest—but even they weren’t spared from the awkwardness. These guests often lip-synced their latest hit and sometimes got roped into joining the host for a painfully corny musical number.
Awkward Variety Shows of the ’70s
Now, before you come at me with “But what about Carol Burnett? Or Flip Wilson?” and “Where are Sonny & Cher?”—this isn’t a list of all variety shows. It’s a list of awkward variety shows. No one’s dragging Carol Burnett here. She was, and always will be, comedy gold. And The Johnny Cash Show? There was nothing awkward about musical guests like Eric Clapton or Neil Young. I got no beef with these shows. They were the opposite of embarrassing.
Today, we’re exploring shows that were downright embarrassing.
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour
If The Brady Bunch defined wholesome ’70s sitcoms, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour defined how gloriously awful TV could get. Mind you, these weren’t the actors who played the Bradys singing and dancing under their own names. No, they were all performing as the Bradys. Like someone actually gave the Brady Bunch a variety show based on their, um, talent.
What I find most interesting is that Robert Reed, who played the dad, hated acting in the original series. Absolutely hated it. So what would have possessed him to participate in a truly awful variety show is beyond me.
The Brady Bunch Variety Hour had all the elements of an awkward variety show: glittery dancers, hideous costumes, forced comedy sketches, synchronized swimmers (no, really) and a fake Jan. The singing was bad. The comedy was worse. And yet, we watched it. Religiously. Every week. It was The Brady Bunch, after all.
This might even be the show that convinced my parents to buy a second-hand black-and-white TV so they didn’t have to endure an hour of singing Bradys.
This wasn’t the last we’d hear of the Bradys. Not by a long shot.
The Captain and Tennille Show
The Captain (Daryl Dragon) wore a nautical hat and played keyboards. As far as I know, he wasn’t a captain of anything other than a piano. His wife, Toni Tennille, sang. They had several hits—including “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Shop Around,” and the mind-boggling “Muskrat Love.” But despite a few chart-toppers, their chemistry didn’t exactly scream “variety show gold.”
And yet, someone gave them a show.
The Captain barely spoke. Tennille did most of the talking, singing, skit-acting, and smiling. Shields and Yarnell probably made an appearance. This was peak awkwardness—bright sets, canned laughter, and songs you’d pretend not to like, even though you knew every word.
Donny & Marie
Confession time: Donny Osmond was my childhood crush. The Donny and Marie Show was my must-see TV. My dad hated it—he groaned from the recliner every time it came on. Rude.
I mean, singing and ice skating? That’s talent, yo. What’s not to love?
Donny was “a little bit rock and roll,” Marie was “a little bit country,” and their duets were adorably corny. Occasionally, their siblings would show up for full-family sing-alongs, and every episode opened with an Ice Capades-worthy number. I rewatched a few recently, and let’s just say it doesn’t hold up like I thought it would. But in the ’70s? We thought it was the height of entertainment.
Oh, and here’s something both fun and confusing: While researching the awkward variety shows of my youth, I came across a clip of older brother Merrill singing “Me and Bobby McGee” with Kris Kristofferson and his then-wife Rita Coolidge. I later learned that the Osmond Brothers, not to be outdone by Donny and Marie, had a few one-off variety shows of their own.
Wait—is it “one-off” if there’s more than one? It doesn’t matter. The one I watched on YouTube was also bad.
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Another confession: As a kid, I thought Tony Orlando and Dawn were three people—Tony, Orlando, and Dawn. Turns out “Dawn” was the name for the two backup singers (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson), and Tony Orlando was just one very enthusiastic man with a mustache.
Their show had charm but also a lot of awkward energy. It leaned heavily on musical numbers and Tony’s over-the-top hosting style. It wasn’t the worst of the bunch, but it was definitely on-brand for the era: glitter, goofy choreography, and painfully polite punchlines.
Shields and Yarnell
Yes. The mimes got their own show.
No, I don’t know why.
I remember this show. I don’t remember loving it. Mimes were always creepy to me, and I wasn’t going to watch them voluntarily. If I did watch, it was because my siblings had it on. My parents wouldn’t subject themselves to a variety show—awkward or otherwise. Especially if something educational was on PBS.
All I remember about this show is that it should never have been a show. No one should ever encourage mimes.
Honorable Mention Awkward Variety Shows: Blink and You Missed Them
Let’s pour one out for the forgotten, the short-lived, and the downright baffling. Some of these aired for just a few episodes—but left a cringe-shaped scar on our collective memory:
- The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show – A fever dream with matching jumpsuits.
- Starland Vocal Band Show – Yes, the “Afternoon Delight” people. That’s about all you need to know.
- The Keane Brothers – Teenage crooners with bowl cuts and some very earnest songs.
- Pink Lady & Jeff – A Japanese pop duo paired with American comic Jeff Altman. They barely spoke English. He barely told jokes. It was chaos.
- Ken Berry “Wow” Show – More like the “Why?” Show.
- The Don Knotts Show – We love Don Knotts, but he was a sidekick, not a host.
- Bay City Rollers Show – Scottish teen heartthrobs with thick accents and tighter pants. Bonus points for the tartan.
Awkward ’70s Variety Shows Are Nostalgia Gold
The variety shows of the ’70s were a weird, glitter-soaked mix of comedy, music, and pure awkwardness. Some were genuinely entertaining. Others were… well, unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.
These shows tried. They put mimes on TV. They made Mike Brady sing. They put Donny and Marie on ice skates. And somehow, they became part of our collective pop culture memory—awkward or not.
So if you’re feeling nostalgic (or brave), head over to YouTube, find one of these old gems, and cringe-watch to your heart’s content.
Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Which variety shows did you love? Hate? Tell us all about it in the comments.
