When Paul Simon met Lorne Michaels during the mid '70s, they became good friends pretty fast. In fact, Lorne-who had just created a show called "Saturday Night Live" though it was originally called "NBC's Saturday Night" (because of ABC's "Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell" being on the air at the time)-had Paul on as host/musical guest on the second show with that ep mostly being a music show. So a couple of years later, Lorne then produced this, Simon's own network special for prime time. This one satirizes the backstage goings-on between the star and the producer who is named Chuck here and is played by Charles Grodin. Chuck does things like having footage of an audience of elderly people at possibly a political rally (they wave at inappropriate moments) applauding Paul (since the actual audience he performed in front of weren't numerically large enough), making Simon and Art Garfunkel do a corny banter before their number "Old Friends", and suggesting naming the show "The Paul "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Simon Special" because of possibilities of the other Paul Simons (a painter and a politician) also having a show! There's also a funny sketch with former "SNL"er Chevy Chase (I can't help thinking audio of his "dolphins" doing a Bee Gees song is actually him!), some good advice from Lily Tomlin, and plenty of great Paul Simon performances like "Loves Me Like a Rock" with the Jessy Dixon singers, "Still Crazy After All These Years", the aforementioned "Old Friends", and "The Boxer" among other songs. I wish the YouTube version I saw had the ending credits but otherwise, I highly enjoyed The Paul Simon Special.
2 Reviews
All the Godwinks make this very personal to me!
MyMovieTVRomance23 July 2023
So many signs with this!
I started watching it because I love Shelly Duvall, and she plays Joan of Arc in this for a minute. It's yet another reason why she's in club Joan now. But, it gets even more interesting!
Right after the Joan of Arc scene Lucille Ball is mentioned. Lucille Ball was my first ever favorite star - and she has so much in common with Joan Jett - who also has so many connections with Shelley Duvall, it would take me a whole other review to list them all! And I don't mean random, silly connections either. I mean profound, big connections! The fact that these two women were listed together in that scene, it just reconfirms that Joan Jett is a big part of me, somehow. But beyond that, it gets even wilder!
After the scene with Joan of Arc, Connie Francis is mentioned - the woman who had a number one single on the UK charts the day Joan Jett was born. And then after Connie Francis was mentioned, Paul Simon walks over to some other singers, and they start singing Amazing Grace - the song Joan Jett specifically said she wants played at her funeral! So, from the song that was on the chart the day she was born, to the song she wants played after she dies, everything came full circle within those couple of minutes of this special.
Somehow, watching this for Shelley Duvall became all about Joan Jett for me. But, that's one of the reasons I love Shelley Duvall - because I believe that she is a part of Joan Jett. I believe souls can split like candle flames - a whole candelabra being lit from One flame to me is how people split from each other, from one soul. This makes up a soul group - a soul family. While we are all one on the highest level, as we get more individualized, we all become part of smaller soul families. And it's becoming clear to me that Lucille Ball, Joan Jett, Joan of Arc, and Shelley Duvall are all part of MY soul family. I love them all! And I'm so grateful for this special, for reaffirming our connection even more. Amazing!
I started watching it because I love Shelly Duvall, and she plays Joan of Arc in this for a minute. It's yet another reason why she's in club Joan now. But, it gets even more interesting!
Right after the Joan of Arc scene Lucille Ball is mentioned. Lucille Ball was my first ever favorite star - and she has so much in common with Joan Jett - who also has so many connections with Shelley Duvall, it would take me a whole other review to list them all! And I don't mean random, silly connections either. I mean profound, big connections! The fact that these two women were listed together in that scene, it just reconfirms that Joan Jett is a big part of me, somehow. But beyond that, it gets even wilder!
After the scene with Joan of Arc, Connie Francis is mentioned - the woman who had a number one single on the UK charts the day Joan Jett was born. And then after Connie Francis was mentioned, Paul Simon walks over to some other singers, and they start singing Amazing Grace - the song Joan Jett specifically said she wants played at her funeral! So, from the song that was on the chart the day she was born, to the song she wants played after she dies, everything came full circle within those couple of minutes of this special.
Somehow, watching this for Shelley Duvall became all about Joan Jett for me. But, that's one of the reasons I love Shelley Duvall - because I believe that she is a part of Joan Jett. I believe souls can split like candle flames - a whole candelabra being lit from One flame to me is how people split from each other, from one soul. This makes up a soul group - a soul family. While we are all one on the highest level, as we get more individualized, we all become part of smaller soul families. And it's becoming clear to me that Lucille Ball, Joan Jett, Joan of Arc, and Shelley Duvall are all part of MY soul family. I love them all! And I'm so grateful for this special, for reaffirming our connection even more. Amazing!
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