Neosho Daily News Cher is back on CBS special tonight
By JAY Skarbutt
February 12, 1975
Ah, well. Tonight’s special – Cher’s first since she and Sonny Bono split and lost their hit CBS series last spring – is a fairly good solo start for the lady, particularly in musical parts of the show.
And unlike ex-husband Sonny, who started his flop ABCvariety series last September with a few gags about the bachelor life.
Cher makes no opening remarks alluding to her new single status.
“For those of you who haven’t noticed, I’ve been gone,” she simply says. “For those of you who have, I’m back.”
Cher’s return to music matters is superb, whether she’s working alone, with Miss Midler or Elton John or the two ladies with John, whose flashy stage threads would make a peacock moult with envy.
In comic matters, she’s quite nifty in a wild skit about a TV pitchwoman for “Brick-0-Matic,” a device used to smash oranges, “foreign ‘and domestic watches” and even an autographed photo of Vic Damone.
On the debit side, she and Wilson (yes, he plays Geraldine again) flop in a high school reunion sketch. There’s another thud as Cher & Co. gag it up as aged stars in a performers’ retirement home.
And a tasteless bawdy-house setting bloody near ruins an otherwise sprightly segment featuring Cher and Miss Midler in a knockout medley of duets and a sly bit of scat-singing.
Now, if her coming series continues the musical excellence of tonight’s show and if the comedy writing greatly improves, Cher will have the same kind of hit series she had when she and Sonny were together.
