You see, whenever my friends get together, if certain folks are around--myself included--a conversation about Night Court will inevitably ensue (especially during any kind of playoff games, for some odd reason). Whether you grew up with it or not, I stick up for its comedic greatness. Like most shows, it has high highs, and low lows, and there was one episode in particular that proved quite a cosmic coincidence for me and my friends. I fear this story will not be as good in the retelling. If it's not, um, sorry.
To explain:
I was out with my friends Dave & Colin at a downtown brew pub. We'd just finished watching the first two chapters of a most excellent serial--The Adventures of Captain Marvel, which deserves an entry all its own--and we were just hanging out, doing two things that we do often: talking about movies, and drinking.
Involved in our conversation, ignoring the music blasting from the speakers, we were then interrupted by the burly gent in the booth next to us, who yelled, "Hey! I got a trivia question for you! Can you tell me what movie this song is from?"
Taken aback and trying to figure out a) what the song was (besides disco), and b) why the hell this guy was so excited to ask us, we sat silent, and we listened. Breaking the silence, he yelled again. "I'll give you a hint, it's got Jeff Goldblum in it."
It was all I could do not to bust up laughing at this point. Really? Jeff Goldblum is our hint? Thanks, total stranger! I mean, in exactly what world is Jeff Goldblum the go-to hint for damn near anything?
Colin and I stalled, pretending like we were on the cusp of the answer, as though if we put our hands to our chins and squinted just enough, oh we'd have it. I was about to signal Dave to get out his iPhone to look it up, but he was already on it. Within a few seconds, he quickly found the answer.
The song was "Last Dance," by Donna Summer, from the 1978 movie Thank God It's Friday. "That's right!" he exclaimed. He then proceeded to talk about how much he loved the song and the movie. It was, apparently, a childhood favorite. Dave brought up a jpeg of the poster (check it out, NOW) for the guy, and he went ape-shit, screaming at his buddies to come over and take a look. The guy thanked Dave profusely for showing him the poster, and the three of us returned to our conversation, thoroughly bemused. Something like 20 minutes later, the guy comes back to our table and thanks us for talking with him about the movie, and Dave in particular for bringing up the poster. He rambled on, but the comment that stuck with me was, "Man, when I saw that movie, I didn't think I was ever gonna get any pussy!"
And out of a combination of discomfort, humor, and genuine absurdity, the three of us just lost it. He left shortly thereafter, and we decided we must see this movie.
Almost three months later, several of my friends and I get together, and we watch this Oscar winning masterpiece (for the song) by a first-time filmmaker (who would go on to direct his second, Weekend at Bernie's II; we're waiting with bated breath for his third).
There's no plot summary I can give better than the poster. If you didn't look at it, scroll back up now and do so. When we started the movie, this is what greeted us.
And what followed was a captivatingly inept network narrative about people...ehhhh...without much in the way of actual story. It hinges on a dance contest...that only lasts 8 minutes! Jeff Goldblum tries desperately to break up a marriage...for a night of sleazy, meaningless sex! Donna Summer knows she can make it...if she can just break into the DJ booth! Debra Winger...realized she should never do slapstick comedy again! Oh, and the Commodores eventually show up...and then half an hour later, they actually play!
And then, there's the mystery that is...Chick Vennera, here bringing Marv Gomez, aka Leather Man, to life.
As I'm sure you get from these two clips, TGIF was a hilariously awkward, almost inexplicable movie, and one best experienced with a group of great friends, with a great deal of scotch, bourbon, and beer at the ready.
So, after the movie, in the midst of our befuddlement at what we'd just beheld, we debated what to watch next. And, for those of you who don't know me, there's quite the selection in my collection. (What the hell is it with me and unfortunate rhymes today?)
And of all the discs that we could have chosen, we chose Episode 17 of Season 3 of Night Court, entitled "The Mugger." It's the one where Dan's on the trail of a hot stock tip, and, more importantly, a guy who mugged Christine ends up taking hostages. Much to the chagrin of a tubby, half-naked, gunbelt-strapped, M16-wielding army surplus store owner, Christine eventually negotiates with the mugger, promising him a fair trial and defusing the situation.
'member it?
Well, we get ten minutes into the episode. We see the mugger for the first time (he was masked at the beginning). I hear somebody say, "Isn't that Leather Man?"
And sure enough, it was; I double checked afterward. Chick Vennera, who we'd just seen as the guy for whom, "dancing is everything, and everything else is BULLSHIT," played the mugger on Night Court. And by night's end, thanks to a wonderful cosmic coincidence, we'd had what I'm sure was the only Chick Vennera double feature ever.
Oh, Chick Vennera...we hardly knew ye...and that's probably for the best.
Like I said, folks, it always comes back to Night Court.
And for those of you for whom I was right--if the story wasn't as funny in the retelling--well, hell, if nothing else, you should count your lucky stars that you too have now seen the Columbia lady shake her groove thing.
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