When Variety Was King

May 1, 2013

The first Canadian of his generation to succeed in American television, Peppiatt (Hee Haw) relates the rise and fall of variety shows in this posthumously published memoir. Starting in Canadian radio, Peppiatt broke into Canadian television with a weekly comedy show rehearsed in his parents' basement. Success in Canada attracted attention from Manhattan, and Peppiatt and lifelong writing partner John Aylesworth were soon working with Steve and Eydie, Perry Como, and a dizzying array of celebrities on numerous shows. Professionally successful, Peppiatt struggled as a long-distance husband and father, and his efforts culminated in the purchase of a money pit of a house that his wife secretly sold when she took the kids and left him. His career peaked with Hee Haw, a replacement for the controversial The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Peppiatt reveals the behind-the-scenes scramble for top billing, his discovery of Junior Samples in rural Georgia, and a dire warning from Senator Albert Gore Sr. about using the show to mock Tennessee. VERDICT Peppiatt's detailed recollection will appeal to readers who remember this era and is an essential read for television history buffs. While this is not a tell-all, Peppiatt is honest about the personal costs of fame and--to comic effect--about how meetings with Jackie Gleason really worked.--Terry Bosky, Madison, WI

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.