Freddie Starr's Variety Madhouse

Russ Abbot: You're a complete idiot!Freddie Starr; No, I'm not. I've got a tooth missing!The above was one of the many witty ( note the sarcasm ) gags which graced 'Freddie Starr's Variety Madhouse', shown on Saturday nights on I.T.V. back in 1979. Starr was known as the 'wild man of comedy'. He shot to stardom in the '70's after appearing on 'Opportunity Knocks', went on to headline L.W.T.'s 'Who Do You Do?', had a chart hit ( the soppy 'Its You' ) and starred ( pardon the pun ) in several one-off specials. By far and away the worst thing he ever did, however, was this dreadful series, which looked as though it were televised live from a seedy Northern workingmen's club. Surprisingly, it was made by London Weekend Television.The endless stream of tenth-rate gags was poorly delivered, though it didn't stop the studio audience from sounding as though they were on laughing gas. When Freddie, in the first episode, shrieked: "Ow! My Nipple!", a woman could be heard expiring from the sheer hilarity of it all. The show's poor quality was all the more surprising because of the talent involved; as well as Freddie, there was Russ Abbot, Bella Emberg, Toni Palmer, Norman Collier and Mike Newman. After one series, Freddie wisely quit, and the show was relaunched as the much funnier 'Russ Abbot's Saturday Madhouse'.