Mama’s Family Never Did a Gay Episode
Added 2022-09-28 04:07:36 +0000 UTC“There Is Nothing Like the Dames” (February 17, 1990)
Believe it or not, Mama’s Family has a deeply queer history. While the final result of it — the syndicated revival that returned to TV after NBC canceled the it — bears little of that, this episode goes over all the ways a recurring sketch on The Carol Burnett Show originally told the story of a queer-coded artist who can’t relate to his family back home. It’s all the stranger to consider that Mama’s Family never did an explicitly queer episode, even with all those Bob Mackie costumes.
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Buy the new issue of Beyond Sunset here.
Listen to Drew and Glen talk Teen Angel on Talking Simpsons.
Read the article in which Bubba actor Allan Kayser talks about his famously tight jeans.
Vicki Lawrence sings the original, non-instrumental version of the Mama’s Family theme song. But also listen to her disco banger “Don’t Stop the Music” and the no. 1 murder mystery pop hit “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia.”
Watch the brilliant 1982 TV movie adaptation of the Harper family saga, Eunice. Also watch The Carol Burnett Show’s famous “Went With the Wind” sketch. But most importantly watch the original sketch version that led to Mama’s Family, when it was just called “The Family.” It made Drew way more sad than sketch comedy usually does.
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Comments
The introduction to this episode makes me miss the original Logo. The Carol Burnett Show came into my life from MeTV rerus, though maybe a little from CBS Specials/videotape paid program sales. Mama's Family was "Superstation" TBS then later reruns on Pax then reruns on MeTV... "The Family" youtube clips can feel pretty dark for those of us that come from less than happy homes with alcoholic parents. "Mama's Family" didn't carry the same feel to me in either the network (NBC) or syndicated version.
Benjamin Rippel
2022-09-28 20:03:59 +0000 UTCA bug? Hopefully that gets worked out.
Benjamin Rippel
2022-09-28 19:06:39 +0000 UTCReally hope I didn't oversell you on that Major Dad ep, which is halfway between a "gay episode" and a "______ never did a gay episode."
Zach Wilson
2022-09-28 18:14:06 +0000 UTCI went deep! I hope to educate the world about this show and why it actually *is* important!
Drew Mackie
2022-09-28 04:20:28 +0000 UTC!!!! I can't wait to listen to this. I am supportive of all the Mama's Family content you want to give.
Beth Ellis
2022-09-28 04:12:20 +0000 UTC
