The 5 best moments from 'Live in Front of a Studio Audience' (original) (raw)
Snoop Dogg! F-bomb! A heart-to-Hart! The 5 best moments from Live in Front of a Studio Audience
We're taking the good, taking the bad, taking them both, and here we have the facts of live TV.
Published on December 7, 2021 11:35PM EST
For the third time around, Live in Front of a Studio Audience successfully combined the heart and laughter of Norman Lear's classic sitcoms with great casting and performances for a true gift to television lovers this holiday season. Check out five of the best moments from the Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes episodes recreated by the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Hart, Kathryn Hahn, and Damon Wayans, to name a few.
Norman Lear's F-bomb
Norman Lear. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock
The legendary TV producer was offering some life lessons when he got a little too feisty for the censors. After Lear was bleeped, co-host Jimmy Kimmel quipped that it was the first time a 99-year-old had dropped the f-bomb on television.
The guest stars!
Will Arnett, Snoop Dogg, and Jon Stewart. Christopher Willard/abc (3)
The Facts of Life episode was stacked with special guests, including Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Jon Stewart as would-be love interests for the girls. Meanwhile, Diff'rent Strokes had Snoop Dogg as Willis' (Damon Wayans) friend Vernon, leading to one of the funniest jokes of the night. Arnold (Kevin Hart): "Hey Willis, why does Vernon always smell like weed?"
Aniston's Friends nod
Jennifer Aniston. Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Aniston was pitch perfect as Blair, but she gave a little wink to that other sitcom she was on when she helped out an orally-impaired Jon Stewart. Feeding him a chunk of croissant, Aniston remarks, "I'll be there for you."
Kevin Hart on John Lithgow's lap
John Lithgow and Kevin Hart. Christopher Willard/instagram
Hart did Gary Coleman proud with his adorable take on Arnold, and scored big laughs when Mr. Drummond (Lithgow) not only picked him up and carried him to the door, but put the diminutive comic on his lap for some fatherly advice.
The retro commercials
The real star of the night was Alfonso Ribeiro, who graced a series of increasingly weird and wonderful retro ads, produced by Jimmy Kimmel and Ryan Reynolds. From recreating Brooke Shields' iconic Calvin Klein ad for Oscar Mayer weiners, to a very special commercial with the Kool-Aid man, Ribeiro was a breath of fresh (prince) air.
Video courtesy Maximum Effort/Kimmelot
Ann Dowd as 'Mrs. Garrett'. Christopher Willard/abc (2)
Honorable mention: The MVP of the evening was Ann Dowd, who pulled double duty as the late Charlotte Rae's Mrs. Garrett, vocal quiver and all. Rae originated Mrs. Garrett on Diff'rent Strokes in 1978 before migrating to Facts of Life the following year. As Facts OG Mindy Cohn put it, "Charlotte is toasting Ann Dowd right now."
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