Have you heard the joke Steve Martin didn’t tell when he hosted the Oscars? Veteran TV writer Bruce Vilanch wrote it, and he told it to me at KCRW recently. 

“Ok, so I have some bad news and some good news,” Martin was supposed to say. “The bad news is that I left my fly open when I came up on stage earlier.” Pause. “But the good news,” the joke continues, “is that the camera adds 10 pounds.” 

It’s a bad joke written by a man not afraid to write bad TV, and talk about it. Vilanch, master of the awkward 1970s variety special, tells all in his new book, It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time: The Worst TV Shows in History and Other Things I Wrote. In it, Vilanch gives behind the scene play-by-plays for television disasters like the Star Wars Holiday Special, which featured a special duet between Chewbaca and Bea Arthur. Yes. Bea Arthur. 

What makes Bruce and his book — and our conversation this week — so special is how quickly he admits that some of the things he’s made are bad. Like writing a variety special for The Brady Bunch at the height of their fame. A special that was supposed to have them singing like The Partridge Family, except in reality, most of the Brady Bunch had no singing talent. Or the Paul Lynde Halloween special, which, if you know Paul Lynde, you know had no real reason to exist. 

A writer critiquing himself in a cultural moment when artists increasingly feel empowered to bash critics over bad reviews feels quite refreshing. Vilanch’s candor almost seems out of place in today’s industry, in which it often feels like the success of “content” is more important than whether it’s good or bad. 

I should be fair though — not everything I want to tell you about Bruce Vilanch centers on bad television. In fact, Vilanch has made his fair share of TV magic as well. From 2000 to 2014, he was the head writer of the Oscars, and actually wrote many jokes you probably loved. Vilanch was also a TV star in his own right, as one of the most iconic returning contestants on the classic game show Hollywood Squares. 

Taken in full, Vilanch’s career feels like something that’s becoming increasingly rare: Long term gigs, with chances to fail, and recurring opportunities. The average TV writer in 2025 would beg for those kinds of employment arrangements. A constant refrain in the wake of the pandemic and the Hollywood strikes, even The New York Times called TV writing a dead end job” in 2023. And there’s no shortage of writers sharing just how tough their plight has become in any variety of industry trade publications. Shorter seasons, smaller writers rooms, and smaller residual checks are just a few reasons behind the decline of TV writing. 

In such a climate, I expected Vilanch to sour when I asked him about the future of TV writing, and particularly comedy writing, a field he flourished in for decades. Vilanch surprised me. He thinks good writing and funny, creative artists can still find success, and he even thinks they can (and should) begin to find it in new media. He’s a fan of TikTok, and tells up-and-coming talent to start there. This warmed my heart. There may no longer be a market for crappy variety specials on broadcast TV, but the jokes continue and can still be found. The icon Bruce Vilanch says so. And I believe him. 

Check out our interview for more of Bruce’s insights, and if you’re feeling extra frisky, go watch the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special on YouTube. It’s deliciously awful and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Enjoy!

— Sam 

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