What to watch: Making the Yuletide Gay
A very special Paul Lynde Christmas.
If you're ready to get into the spirit of the festive season, then you'll probably want to add to your watch-list Making the Yuletide Gay: A Very Special Paul Lynde Christmas.
Paul Lynde was an actor, comedian, and television personality who was everywhere in the 70s. Best-known as a long-running panellist on the game-show Hollywood Squares, Lynde also starred as Uncle Arthur on the series Bewitched.
Lynde perfected a camp and snarky persona that poked fun at his overt queerness, which was never directly acknowledged or discussed publicly.
This Christmas special features Michael Airington as Paul Lynde, hosting an affectionate parody of the genre. The cast also includes Spencer Day as Tab Hunter, David Hernandez as Sal Mineo, David Maiocco as Liberace, Jack Plotnick as Evie Harris, and Seth Rudetsky, as well as Jackie Beat and Lady Bunny as themselves.
The show is written by Bruce Vilanch. If you're familiar with Vilanch's extensive portfolio of work, you'll recognise his voice and humour in this material.
While this could easily be a high-end cabaret show that does a sell-out season in Palm Springs, as a television special it's entertaining. It's camp and stupid and funny.
It's the kind of humour that you'll find particularly appealing if you're well-versed in your cultural history and American television, but even if you just love the camp hijinks of a drag brunch you'll find plenty here to chuckle at.
Making the Yuletide Gay: A Very Special Paul Lynde Christmas is distributed by Cinephobia
The After Dark edition
If sexed-up Santas are the kind of thing that fuels your fap fantasies, check out the After Dark edition for some extra motivation.
