Today’s Moment Of Vintage Gayness: Charles Nelson Reilly In A Banana Costume
The next time a TV show includes a gay character and you yawn a disinterested “whatever” at the screen, remember the late, extremely cool Charles Nelson Reilly. Along with fellow comedic actor Paul Lynde, Reilly helped pave that road with a bold and identifiable—yet determinedly unique—gay manner. They milked more gay humor from inside the closet than most performers have from outside it.
When Reilly wasn’t busy turning the ’70s game show Match Game into an innuendo-laced afternoon shockwave with BFF Brett Somers, the Tony winner queered up late-night chatfests like The Tonight Show, as well as kids’ programs including Lidsville, Uncle Croc’s Block, Goof Troop and, in his later years, SpongeBob SquarePants. (Sci-fi fans may remember him as eccentric writer Jose Chung on The X-Files and Millennium.)
For a truly definitive Reilly experience, watch this commercial for Bic Banana Ink Crayons on repeat until you memorize the lyrics about markers whose “colors are so bright and gay” and can successfully draw a hat on a banana.
Joy can come from the most unexpected places.
They show Match Game on Game Show Network. Charles Nelson Reilly is really a hoot. When he and Brett Somers start riffing off each other, it was comic joy.
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Peter Marshall: “It’s the most abused and neglected part of your body. What is it?”
Paul Lynde: “Mine may be abused, but it certainly isn’t neglected.”
Peter Marshall: “What is a good reason for pounding meat?”
Paul Lynde: “Loneliness!”
Peter Marshall: “Why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?”
Paul Lynde: “Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.”
Peter Marshall: “It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?”
Paul Lynde: “Tape measures.”
Peter Marshall: “According to Ann Landers, what are two things you should never do in bed?”
Paul Lynde: “Point and laugh.”
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please be aware that on the Wonder Woman forum on the Comic Book Resources site, its main moderator AEGISBEARER has been arrested on two counts of sexually assaulting two pupils he was teaching.
This foul creature has been disciplined in the past for spreading homophobic rantings on the WW forum. Six forum members have been forced off the forum for complaining about his behaviour; he has openly stated he does not want homosexuals, black people or women to participate in the forum, yet CBR have still not suspended or fired him at this point. This is unnacceptable. Please boycott this forum until he is gone.
Thank you for your time.
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@dvlaries: Paul Lynde was a riot BEFORE lunch. After lunch, when he had a few drinks in him, he transformed into a vicious anti-Semite. The booze brought out his inner Hitler.
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This is how Gay History should be taught folks!
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@christopher di spirito:
I’ve read that too. Funny yes, but not a nice guy. Rock Hudson’s biography, the one by Sara Davidson, that Rock himself authorized shortly before his death, doesn’t paint a picture of a guy whose decency and kindness you’d want to rely on either.
Private faces in public places
Are wiser and nicer
Than public faces in private places.
H. Auden
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First, “Match Game” was pure comic GOLD of the Seventies! Brett & Charles easily made the show, but you also saw great bits from other notables of the day like Fannie Flagg, Richard Dawson, among many others. Game Show Network runs repeats now and then. Watch for the panelists’ shenanigans, rather than the game itself.
Second, with apologies for the thread drift–the poster calling himself “Tangentman” ripped off my nickname from CBR. He was banned from that site for inappropriate behavior. He’s gone all over the Internet to various & sundry fan sites impersonating several CBR members to libel the mod who banned him.
This person is a sick and malicious internet sociopath pursuing a vendetta against a mod whose only REAL crime was upholding the site’s standards! The moderator in question is actually gay, a minority himself, and a feminist. He certainly isn’t guilty of any sexual impropriety with minors! Please delete “Tangentman’s” hateful, fallacious comments.
To “Tangentman”–stop using my nickname. Stop impersonating me and other people in this childish grudge. We at CBR know your real name. We’ve tried to avoid calling you out publicly to avoid stooping to your level. However, if you don’t stop this nonsense IMMEDIATELY…if you use mine or another’s name, if you tell another hateful lie about Aegis here or anywhere else…we will start posting your real name for the world to see. We’ll do this EVERYWHERE that you post one of your awful lies.
Consider yourself warned.
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Classic….