The Cher Show

Cher opens the show with a high-energy performance of “When Will I Be Loved,” jumping and clapping in a black and gold laced pantsuit while the audience sounds unusually thin. In her monologue, she sarcastically attempts to be more “refined” to satisfy critics, but ends up taking a pie to the face in protest, walking off the stage unimpressed. Tony Randall joins her for a playful duet of vaudeville-style songs before starring in a sketch where Cher plays a housewife obsessed with TV commercials, much to the frustration of her bewildered husband. David Bowie makes his U.S. prime-time debut, delivering a sleek, stylized performance of “Fame” in a segment filled with flashing lights and mirrors. Cher, meanwhile, struggles in the kitchen for this week’s “Saturday Night” sketch, burning dinner for her date and ultimately sharing soup with her dog, Tiger, after the far-out hunkster cancels on her. She follows with a stunning solo of “A Song for You,” standing amidst candlelit ambiance in a gold and orange sari. Steve Martin provides comedic interludes, showcasing his signature absurdist humor in bits featuring his banjo and the classic arrow-through-the-head gag. In a hilarious bank loan skit, Cher plays a hippie chick trying to confuse Randall’s straight-laced loan officer with endless 1970s slang, only to leave empty-handed. The highlight of the evening is Cher’s two collaborations with Bowie. First, they deliver a beautifully intimate duet of “Can You Hear Me,” walking toward each other through hazy pink and blue lighting. Then, in one of the most infamous finales of the show, they launch into a bizarre yet fascinating rapid-fire medley of classics, jumping between songs like “Young Americans,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” and “Day Tripper.” The result is either chaotic brilliance or delightfully unhinged karaoke, depending on the viewer’s perspective. Laughing at the end, Bowie kisses Cher’s hand, closing out a truly unforgettable hour of television.