‘The Carol Burnett Show,’ ‘The Jeffersons,’ more TV shows with Bicentennial references
Suzanne Pleshette and Bob Newhart in "The Bob Newhart Show." Credit: CBS
July Fourth will mark the 40th anniversary of the Bicentennial, a grand (and occasionally tacky) celebration of the USA’s 200th birthday. Here are five top TV shows that managed to work the Bicentennial into their episodes:
The Carol Burnett Show (Oct. 4, 1975) — Harvey Korman and Tim Conway teamed for a sketch called “200 Years Ago Today,” a spoof of the “Bicentennial Minutes,” which were airing frequently during commercial breaks on CBS.
Barney Miller (Nov. 27, 1975) — The squad must put up with Jackie Ace (Sidney Miller), a nightclub comic specializing in telling bad Bicentennial jokes (“Paul Revere tells Benjamin Franklin, “There’s a crack in the Liberty Bell . . . I toldya we shoulda got a horn.”)
Maude (Feb. 9, 1976) — Turns out that 1976 was also the 200th birthday of Tuckahoe, the home of bigmouth Maude Findlay (Beatrice Arthur), who decides to mark the occasion by staging a tribute to women.
The Jeffersons (Sept. 25, 1976) — In order to get more business during the Bicentennial, George (Sherman Hemsley) claims to be a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings.
The Bob Newhart Show (Oct. 2, 1976) — Emily (Suzanne Pleshette) accidentally gets herself and Bob (Bob Newhart) trapped in the basement storage locker while they’re preparing for their Bicentennial party.
Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."
