Trick or Treat ... or Both?

My pal Robrt Pela (Monica Breedlove’s second cousin) sent me the link to this news with the subject line "Mother of GOD!", and boy, was he right.

TVShowsOnDVD reports that S'more Entertainment is releasing The Paul Lynde Halloween Special on DVD October 2nd. The 1976 television special has not been seen since it originally aired, yet it has attained over the years a sort-of cult-like status for those who remember it.

This venture, which makes you wonder what TV execs were smokin' back then, not only stars everyone's favorite gay warlock uncle (pictured), but also features a plethora of gay faves such as Betty White, Florence Henderson, Roz "Pinkie Tuscadero" Kelly and both Margaret Hamilton as "the Wicked Witch of the West" from The Wizard of Oz and Billie Hayes as "Witchiepoo" from H.R. Pufnstuf.

Wait, there's more: the special not only had wholesome Donny and Marie as well, but it also marked the "primetime television debut" of rock band KISS, a full two years before their equally craptastic KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park.

Yeah, I know, my head just exploded too from the thought of all this queer pop culture colliding at once in one space and time. It is amazing that the medium of television didn't just stop existing at that point, for this ... this was surely nirvana.

Now, there are a lot of scary things about this show, not the least of which is that it is all set in a circus, but the scariest is this: I think actually I saw it.

I would have been eight-years-old at the time, and my two older brothers (who couldn't have been more different from me) were very into KISS (see, I told you), so I'm sure we watched it. I have a vague memory of Lynde doing some sort of interview with the rockers and, when asking them how they came up with the name of the band, he said something along the lines of "What, did your mothers tell you to kiss and make up?" (Yep, that was the level of the humor in it.) Again, I'm not entirely sure if it was Lynde who asked that question, but really; who else could it have been?

Any one out there who can confirm this exchange from the show in the comments section below will be greatly exalted. If not, I guess I'll just have to wait until October 2nd to see for myself. As I'm sure you will too.

Come on, how can you resist it?

UPDATE: Turns out, my memories were correct, and here's the proof.

Click here to pre-order The Paul Lynde Halloween Specialon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via PhoenixNewTimes.com, TVShowsOnDVD.com and Imdb.com.