May the Farce Be With You...

This is a short one. I already did a rather extensive piece on the 1980s game show Sale of the Century (1983-1989) - and if you are fans of tan, blonde (or even dark, pale) hunks in Speedos, I suggest you check out that post! I continue to watch the show in reruns, marveling at its intense tackiness, but one recent Instant Bargain vignette was too amusing to let go without highlighting.

The game skidded to a halt for one of the bargains, allowing the player in the lead to spend some of his or her earnings on a highly discounted prize. As music from the film Star Wars (1977) blared away, one of the models was done up in a makeshift Princess Leia costume while a male model donned a gold jumpsuit (with what looks like gold, bedazzled oven mitts!) and a C-3PO mask. The prize was a small white and blue remote controlled robot, obviously modeled on R2-D2, though smaller and less ingratiating.

As the music played and "Leia" was striking all sorts of dramatic, chiffon-laden poses and "C-3PO" was "doing the robot," the little blue & white ripoff proceeded to drive right off the steps of the tiny set! The gal portraying Leia couldn't stifle her laughter at the sight of this little guy toppling over onto the ground of the sound stage and had to turn away.

"C-3PO" awkwardly bent over and picked up "R2-D2," cradling him, caressing him and wiping him off as host Jim Perry chided the little guy for messing up! The contestant did NOT buy this item, by the way... You cannot fabricate hysterically lunatic moments like this (though the segment had built-in camp appeal from the start...) I just had to share this while I'm toiling away on the next installment here in The Underworld. May the Farce Be With You!