
It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time
The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote
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Narrated by:
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Bruce Vilanch
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By:
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Bruce Vilanch
About this listen
Bruce Vilanch is known as a go-to comedy writer for award shows, sitcoms, and top-heavy variety specials, but he has also been responsible for quite a few of the worst shows ever put on television—legendarily bad productions.
Some of his work lives in infamy—The Star Wars Holiday Special, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, Rob Lowe dancing with Snow White at the Oscars, and The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. How did these ever seem like a good idea?
Well, everyone has screwed up a few times, or had their work screwed up by others. It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time is a lifetime reflection of what Vilanch has experienced, learned, forgotten, dismissed, and embraced in decades of working in show business, specifically the south forty acres known as comedy. It involves very famous people and people who were not very famous but should have been.
And it explains to the person in the audience who says to himself, once he has gotten his jaw off the floor, “’How did this ever get made?”
Don’t we all want to know?
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In the small town of Beilford, Sue, the Baker's daughter, makes an uncharacteristically impulsive decision to accept a post as housekeeper to Mr and Mrs Darnay, dashing her family's hopes of her marrying a local suitor. And when Mrs Darnay suddenly departs, Sue's position in the house is left open to idle gossip - Mr Darnay is after all an artist, and everybody knows what that means. But it is not until Sue is summoned home that she finally realises the strength of her feelings towards her charming employer. . .
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chapters?
- By cheryl naujock on 03-25-25
By: D.E. Stevenson
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Something Wonderful
- Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway Revolution
- By: Todd S. Purdum
- Narrated by: Todd S. Purdum
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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They stand at the apex of the great age of songwriting, the creators of the classic Broadway musicals Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, whose songs have never lost their popularity or emotional power. Even before they joined forces, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II had written dozens of Broadway shows, but together they pioneered a new art form: the serious musical play.
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Fabulous book about Rodgers & Hammerstein!!!
- By BigWally on 06-27-18
By: Todd S. Purdum
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Mel & Sue: Should Know By Now
- By: Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins
- Narrated by: Mel Giedroyc, Sue Perkins
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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We all have things in our life that we should know by now, but don’t. Absences in our knowledge and skillset that are frankly shameful in an adult. Things that would be too embarrassing to ask anyone to explain – except our very best friend. Listen in as Mel and Sue tackle their ignorance head on, asking each other to explain something that they still don’t know - but absolutely, as adults, should - from how to parallel park to fully understanding bread (why has it got all those holes in it? What, honestly, is yeast?).
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Please make more I love it!!
- By Kay on 05-03-25
By: Mel Giedroyc, and others
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Notorious
- Portraits of Stars from Hollywood, Culture, Fashion, and Tech
- By: Maureen Dowd
- Narrated by: Maureen Dowd
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Shining a white-hot spotlight on America’s famous, from Hollywood legends to Broadway stars to media moguls, Notorious is a captivating assortment of columnist Maureen Dowd’s most compelling style features and profiles. Using her signature wit and incisive commentary as a scalpel, Dowd dissects influential cultural elite.
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The honesty of the subjects
- By rumdok on 03-22-25
By: Maureen Dowd
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When the Going Was Good
- An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines
- By: Graydon Carter, James Fox - contributor
- Narrated by: Graydon Carter
- Length: 12 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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When Graydon Carter was offered the editorship of Vanity Fair in 1992, he knew he faced an uphill battle—how to make the esteemed and long-established magazine his own. Not only was he confronted with a staff that he perceived to be loyal to the previous regime, but he arrived only a few years after launching Spy magazine, which gloried in skewering the celebrated and powerful—the very people Vanity Fair venerated.
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A lucky man
- By Dassha1 on 03-30-25
By: Graydon Carter, and others
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Across a Continent; Across a Life
- Cycling Across America and Into Non-retirement
- By: Kevin Ryan
- Narrated by: Kevin J. Ryan
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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After leaving behind the routines of work life, Kevin Ryan sets out on a 4,000-mile journey by bicycle across America to discover who he is after a fulfilling and busy career. From the charming small towns of New England to the vast, rugged landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, this inspiring memoir captures not only the physical adventure but also the deeper, more personal quest for a renewed sense of purpose.
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Great Listen!
- By Lgb on 03-20-25
By: Kevin Ryan
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Dark City Dames
- The Women Who Defined Film Noir
- By: Eddie Muller
- Narrated by: Natalie Naudus, Eddie Muller
- Length: 13 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Film noir was the dark side of the movies’ happily-ever-after mythology. Sinister and sexy, it forged a new icon: the tough, independent dame. Determined, desirable, dangerous when cornered, she could handle trouble—or deal out some of her own. If you thought these women were something special onscreen, wait until you meet the genuine articles. In Dark City Dames, acclaimed film historian Eddie Muller takes listeners into the world of six women who made a lasting impression in this cinematic terrain.
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A feast for Noir fans
- By MikeEC on 04-10-25
By: Eddie Muller
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The Street Agent
- He Took on the Mob, the Klan and the Terrorists—the True Story
- By: Wayne Manis
- Narrated by: Chase Anderson
- Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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The Street Agent chronicles cases in which Manis served as the case agent, immersing listeners in the high-stakes chases, shootouts, and undercover operations he led. Events are recounted through his eyes as they unfolded with terrorists, Klansmen, mobsters, and murderers. Now free to tell his story, Manis offers an unfiltered view of an FBI that demands absolute courage and unyielding dedication at street level.
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Beyond a badge : A personal look into The Street Agent
- By Anonymous User on 03-06-25
By: Wayne Manis
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So Many Steves
- Afternoons with Steve Martin
- By: Steve Martin, Adam Gopnik
- Narrated by: Steve Martin, Adam Gopnik
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Original Recording
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Steve Martin met his good friend Adam Gopnik three decades ago, and in that time, Gopnik has always marveled at Martin’s ability to flourish in a wide variety of artforms: magic, comedy, art collecting, writing, and music. In So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin, New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik creates a new type of profile: a year’s worth of conversations with Martin where Gopnik pulls back the curtain on his friend’s illustrious career.
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Perfection
- By M on 05-05-23
By: Steve Martin, and others
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Your Mom's Gonna Love Me
- By: Matt Rife
- Narrated by: Matt Rife
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Matt Rife is well aware that he’s both the most loved and the most controversial comic in America today. And honestly, he thinks that’s your problem. Matt reveals (without apology, of course) what led him to becoming comedy’s biggest lightning rod before he reached thirty, in a story full of bold and hysterical takes on everything from Justin Bieber tramp stamps and rap battles with ex-cons to Matt’s struggles with depression and his many brushes with failure before finally hitting it big.
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Your Mom’s Gonna Love Me
- By Janice Kell on 12-04-24
By: Matt Rife
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Self-Sabotage
- And Other Ways I’ve Spent My Time
- By: Jeffery Self
- Narrated by: Jeffery Self
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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In in his debut book for adults, Jeffery Self invites listeners into his world, taking them through the usual foibles of gay adolescence, amplified in the vast wasteland of the American South and the odd characters who peopled it, from shoddy community theater productions to underage drinking with Broadway stars, from downtown comedy rooms to adventure-filled bedrooms.
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Smart, funny, heartbreaking
- By Thomas R. Ogletree on 03-14-25
By: Jeffery Self
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Harpo Speaks
- By: Harpo Marx
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 14 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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First published in 1961, this is the autobiography of Harpo Marx, the silent comedian of The Marx Brothers fame. Always silent on the stage and screen, Harpo speaks for the first time and shares the story of his remarkable life with humor, intelligence, and love. A truly gifted musician, brilliant comic, and wonderful person, Harpo comes alive in Harpo Speaks.
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What a life.
- By whyNOTme on 01-18-25
By: Harpo Marx
What listeners say about It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Chris Lane
- 03-11-25
universally Funny
Everyone, including people who freak out about transgenic mice will love this. Hell as a unclosested man, Bruce may hate wokeness as much as you.
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- Richard Lopez
- 04-24-25
Pure Bruce...Pure Camp!
If you have ever wondered..."who thought of such a thing?"...this book is for you. Bruce takes us through the craziest things on television and film. The Brady Bunch Comedy Hour...classic camp. The Star Wars Holiday Special...so out there it's hard to forget. I enjoyed this listen as Bruce describes inspiration, key players and good, old-fashioned gossip.
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- Carl Monroe
- 03-05-25
voice a little gravelly
enjoy his work especially Paul Lynde special. Got note from late Florence Henderson. I also enjoyed his backstory on CSTM, Ice Pirates and all those other comic tragedies. Allan Carr was a mess, remember being cruised by he and then Bruce Jenner. Those were the days.
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- AMuses
- 03-07-25
Fun
Short but fun. Five stars based on my pure enjoyment of this listen. It probably helps that I actually watched and enjoyed the Star Wars Holiday Special when it was first released.
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- T. Martin
- 05-01-25
“The Guiness World Record for longest Flatulence “
Now that I got your attention: the title is pure clickbait. It isn’t a real quote nor a description of the book. Bruce narrates a book I’ve gleefully enjoyed mostly while high on pot gummies. He’s unashamedly gay and the parts where he talks about crushing on certain guys was pure delight. I feel if I were to write an unfiltered memoir, the tone wouldn’t veer much from his. A must read -especially if you love good camp.
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- Sarasota
- 03-07-25
For show biz lovers
Bruce is an old friend when we were both Chicago newspaper people. He certainly found something more fun to do, and how wonderfully
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1 person found this helpful
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- RohmerOzuFan
- 03-04-25
A great story well told
Like having a smart, funny friend tell you all sorts of cool stories about working in Hollywood.
Only complaint: too short!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Armando
- 03-05-25
Juicy Juicy
How can you go wrong with a book written by Bruce Vilanch telling Hollywood juicy back stories.
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- Joseph E. Baird
- 03-20-25
the zanny stories
Bruce is hilarious and his stories are too! This behind-the-curtain peek at Hollywood was fascinating.
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- melissa mayfield
- 03-26-25
AMAZING
No one could have read this but the man himself. Absolute perfection. Buy it now!
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