Billy Eichner IS Paul Lynde!

Interesting sidenote - they both went to Northwestern

Good read. I'm sure he'll do well in this role

GURL!

MARY!

Is there a wide market for this or will it be a niche audience? I would say most people under 50 don’t know who Paul Lynwas. .

Is there a wide market for this or will it be a niche audience? I would say most people under 50 don’t know who Paul Lynde was. .

Is there a wide market for this or will it be a niche audience? I would say most people under 50 don’t know who Paul Lynde was. .

Does anyone think this will only appeal to a niche audience?

So what if it does

A very thoughtful, interesting interview.

This screams out (pardon my pun) as a Netflix film.

I hope Meryl Streep makes a cameo as Agnes Moorehead.

Are they going to do the “I’ll fuck your baby if it doesn’t stop crying” moment?

Who's playing Charlie Weaver, Wally Cox and Rose Marie?

A little bit of Paul Lynde goes a long way. He couldn't carry a 30 minute sitcom, why would anyone want a whole movie on him? He was perfect on Hollywood Squares, one minute snippets was all you needed

I was going to same basically the same of BIlly Eichner, r14 -- it's perfect casting in that sense

I met an older gay guy out in PS who had been Paul's "handler" for a very quick minute. The main job of the handler was to keep Paul away from the booze and the boys. Of course, that wasn't going to ever happen. The guy had only horror stories to tell about how belligerent and nasty Paul was before "firing" him. (The guy never got paid for his handler services, but had tons of stories to tell about his couple of weeks trying to mind Paul.

Casted.

Who the fuck will give a shit about this project?

I'm old and I don't think I'd even watch it. More "diversity" isn't always a good thing if this is what "Queer voices!" are going to look like!

Was expecting that to say “dead to me.”

[bold]EICHNER: There’s some overlap, between Paul and I...[/bold]

Oh, dear!

[bold]Oh, that’s a lovely show, for gay people. Isn’t that nice? Isn’t it great that Pose exists? But you have to beg straight people to watch it.[/bold]

Uhm, you have to beg even gay people, er I mean QUEER people to watch it...because it's phony and it sucks.

I like it

Talk about miscasting

I would think Chris Colfer would have been a better casting choice.

Paul was non-binary. He was a bastard and a cunt.

[quote]I would say most people under 50 don’t know who Paul Lynde was. .

Most people under 50 don't know who Perry Mason was but that didn't stop HBO from having a hit with a prequel.

BONNIE FRANKLIN FOR MARION LORNE!

I am over fifty and I will definitely watch this.

I don't understand Billy Eichner's humor; he seems to be screaming and expecting laughs for volume.

But I do think he can pull this off.

They need a good screenplay that will show Paul Lynde for the difficult person that he was, reportedly mean-spirited, anti-Semitic, racist, and often drunk. That's a hard sell in 2020, but it's also what might make for a stunning film.

Also, perhaps most importantly, they need a top-rate Agnes Moorehead.

Billy is so sexy. Until he opens his mouth.

Eric McCormack or Sean Hayes would have been perfect for this.

Billy is a DLer.

Congrats Billy!

Too Jewey.

I think it'll be hard for him to get the voice down without becoming a caricature.

R32 Because he's too butch for the roll.

Sean Hayes would have been a much better fit. Neil Patrick Harris as well. Which, BTW, what happened to him? He was a huge star and then it just seemed like he hasn't much of anything the last few years.

[quote][R32] Because he's too butch for the roll.

Oh, DEAR!

It's a great interview and he makes several excellent points about gay representation.

How does he keep getting work? He can't act and is god ugly.

Seth MacFarlane does the best Paul Lynde.

Did DL determine that Paul Lynde was a mean and nasty person, normal, or a really nice guy.

I know we've discussed him, but don't remember the consensus.

Paul Lynde never wrote any of his own jokes, everyone hated him because he was a nasty drunk, and he was responsible for a YOUNG guy's death - a guy he was probably fucking.

[quote]Did DL determine that Paul Lynde was a mean and nasty person, normal, or a really nice guy.

There's no need for consensus. He was beyond nasty. It's been documented a million time from people who worked with him and/or knew him. No one has a single positive word to say about him.

What is the point of making a project that will just reveal a beloved camp icon as a nasty old bitch?

Sounds super annoying.

Sean Hayes for Charles Nelson Reilly. He was a sweetheart!

With the right wig, contacts and prosthetic nose Billy could actually pass for Paul.

R36 his voiceover work for Lion King was universally praised.

I actually think this is great casting. And I like that the movie will acknowledge Paul Lynde's darker side.

I do hope it's not made cheaply as a Netflix production, like that Octavia Spencer movie about the black haircare entrepreneur.

Already smells like Oscarbait.

Actually, the live action Lion King was universally HATED.

R29: No. Fucking. Way.

There was a drag queen on a drag queen show that did Paul very effectively and may have been a good choice.

So are they going to digitally de-age Dick Van Dyke and Ann-Margret by 50 years?

Paul Lynde, Charles Nelson Reilly, Alan Seus and Rip Taylor were very popular celebrities who didn't necessarily hide their sexual orientation. It was clear in the shows they appeared in. Yet, homophobia was rampant at the time. I would be fascinated to know how they managed this balancing act. Maybe this show goes into that.

Will that cunt Julie Klausner be guest starring as Phyllis Diller?

Anyone who knows Roger the Alien will be on board with this.

Billy Eichner is all wrong for this. He doesn't have the nasal fagginess (it's true) that Paul had. Besides which, what gays (the target audience of this production) even want to see Billy as Paul? I like Billy alright, but seeing him as Paul Lynde is like watching a half-assed Ryan Murphy production. Oh wait, is that what this is?

Billy Eichner can't fucking act. Period.

Nathan Lane, the original voice of Pumbaa, would actually be more appropriate.

I mean TImon, sorry.

Billy Eichner IS a party bottom. Next...

It'll give him something to do. Besides run up to random people I quickly asked them if they will sleep with Paul Rudd.

[quote]They need a good screenplay that will show Paul Lynde for the difficult person that he was, reportedly mean-spirited, anti-Semitic, racist, and often drunk.

You’ve come to the right place.

Moreover, why is the audience going to care about a mean drunk? Just because the system is homophobic and he can't live openly in the public eye?

I'd rather see Billy in a romantic comedy that has nothing to do with anyone coming out or a drag queen dance number, just a regular story about a 40yo man dating and looking for love. An Uncle Arthur biopic feels very unnecessary.

Who today can play Alice Ghostley?

And who shall play Charlotte Rae (Mindy, Where Are You?)?

And are they going to slather dear Cloris Leachman with anti-aging jams and jellies so she can cameo as one of Paul's class of '44 classmates?

Paul didn't improvise his jokes on Hollywood Squares (or write them), but only he could have delivered them. I think he was a comic genius.

Everyone associates Paul with Bewitched but he only appeared in the series 11 times. He had that sort of an impact.

Q: Paul, in what famous book will you read about a talking ass who wonders why it’s being beaten?

A: I read it, The Joy of Sex.

Q: The Great White is one of the most feared animals. What is the Great White?

A: A sheriff in Alabama.

Q: Paul, can anything bring tears to a chimp’s eyes?

A: Finding out that Tarzan swings both ways!

Q It is the most abused and neglected part of your body — what is it?

A: Mine may be abused but it certainly isn’t neglected!

Q: According to the old song, what’s breaking up that old gang of mine?

A: Anita Byant!

Q: Now listen carefully, Paul…during the time of the hula hoop, the yo-yo, and Davy Crockett hats, who was in the White House?

A: I’ll say the yo-yo!

Q: The Atlantic Ocean is the major body of water on Africa’s west coast. What major body lies off Africa’s east coast?

A: Ex-president Mobutu.

People are still surprised that Hollywood Squares was scripted, as are other games shows, reality T.V. as well as the “candid” banter on talk/news/variety shows, etc. They’d be SHOCKED at the A-list stand-ups who have ghost writers.

The quarantine remotes were a revelation for the brief time that the hosts were disconnected from their writing staffs.

Will they recreate Paul Lynde's Halloween Special from 1976? Who will play Margaret Hamilton and Bruce Vilanch?

Bruce Villanch can play himself. He hasn't changed his look in 60 years.

True that, R66.

But then KISS would also have to appear. And Shelley Long can easily stand in for Florence Henderson again.

Q. Paul, what is the national currency of Puerto Rico?

A. Food stamps.

This actually aired and got huge laughs.

I don't see Billy as a nasty, prissy queen....plus, facially, he's all wrong.

I'm sounding like I care more than I do.

R61, I thought about who would play a young Cloris Leachman. Who? Who!

Hopefully, the story is told in a flashback from his time in Plaza Suite on the Kenley circuit. Thee acts in which he plays three heterosexual males, each balanced with some moment from his past! This could be rich!

How are they going to disguise Billy's lazy eye?

They might get away with putting Cloris (or some de-aged reasonable facsimile thereof) in the movie, but his other Class of '44 pal Charlotte Rae will be a stretch.

Lens Dunham IS a young Charlotte Rae!

The writers who wrote Paul Lynde's jokes on Hollywood Squares were brilliant, R63. I was laughing as I read your post. I can see Paul Lynde delivering them.

Almost all of these are hysterical.

Peter Marshall: At the end of the movie The Planet of the Apes, what does Charlton Heston see that makes him realize that he is actually in New York City?

Paul Lynde: A Puerto Rican.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. I think Eichner is both handsome, as well as erudite. (he's very fit as well, if anyone hasn't seen him shirtless, or near naked. Very nice feet as well)

I fully appreciate his humour and style isn't for everyone, yet I don't get all the hate for him from gay men.

Get with the programme R31, "Jewey" is derogatory, whilst the accepted term, (even amongst us Jews) is "WTJ", or way too Jewish. Please make a note of it.

I hope there's a scene with Paul as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched.

r77: he has a very strange body - he is good and hairy (a plus for me) but he has very unattractive cross-eyed small pink nipples.

Are they cross-eyed or does he have a lazy nipple?

R79 I dig very hairy as well, and as a matter of fact his nips were obscured by his hair, so I hadn't noticed anything off or "cross-eyed" as you describe. If you could elaborate, that would be great.

He has a rather long torso which I find attractive. His legs are fine as well.

Is this a Ryan Murphy production?

I think it would be easy to imitate Lynde because in real life he was a bit of a caricature.

Maybe if this goes well for Billy, he can just keep imitating Lynde for the rest of his life. As abrasive as Lynde was he’s ten times more palatable than Billy.

The Paul Lynde Show (1972-1973) is on ME TV on weekends. Yes, I watched the entire series. It has its moments and is not truly terrible, but it's mostly just boring.

How wonderful, a cliche playing a groundbreaker.

[quote] Yet, homophobia was rampant at the time. I would be fascinated to know how they managed this balancing act. Maybe this show goes into that.

It's like with Andy Cohen. The audience loves their campy gays with their double entendres about sex. Like, modern day court jesters.

I'd love to see Amy Adams play Elizabeth Montgomery, but she's too high-class for this.

Peter Marshall: Paul, should you freeze your persimmons?

Paul Lynde: No, you should always dress warmly for the weather!

***

Peter Marshall: Paul, Alexander Pope once wrote, "A little [blank] is a dangerous thing." A little what?

Paul Lynde: A little pervert!

***

Peter Marshall: Paul, why do motorcyclists wear leather?

Paul Lynde: Because taffeta wrinkles!

***

Peter Marshall: What is a "dual purpose" cow, Paul?

Paul Lynde: They produce both milk and cookies -- but I don't recommend the cookies!

Not sure about this casting . He's not funny or interesting outside of Billy on the Street.

WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?

[quote] I think Eichner is both handsome, as well as erudite.

I don’t think that word means what you think it means.

R73 I see the resemblance but I hope they cast Beanie Feldman

This joke: Peter Marshall: Paul, why do motorcyclists wear leather?

Paul Lynde: Because taffeta wrinkles!

...reminds me of Dorothy's "ask a stupid question" answers to Rose.

We've argued over whether people even know who Paul Lynde is nowadays or not, and I think many would. Tell people "He's the guy that Roger the alien's voice is based on" or "He was the gay guy on 1970s Hollywood Squares" and you'd have a LOT of recognition. Plus GenX and older remember him from when he was alive.

R50, I remember watching Match Game reruns and seeing Dickie Dawson make a nasty comment to Charles about his being gay, which the show sloppily edited but enough was left in that you could tell what was said. No one laughed and at least Bret gave Dawson a dirty look. It kind of felt like people weren't nearly as homophobic for a time in the 1970s as we assume nowadays.

Then again, I know Elton John came out as bi in 1976 and his career tanked almost immediately afterwards. He didn't have a comeback until 1984 and by then he was pretending to be straight again.

Billy Eichner needs to die in a grease fire.

Or, at a minimum, leave the industry and the public eye forever.

Was he into orgies, he looks like the type to be into them? If so I hope they’re in the show too.

I think it's funny when people say that he didn't write his own jokes. That's just standard. Most of Bette Midler, Dolly Parton and others' classic quotes were scripted ahead of time by joke writers.

Many of the banter moments on talk shows are purposeful setups for the guests jokes as well.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's show biz. I believe Paul was also very funny in real life and did have a great comedic ability.

Lastly, for everyone saying he was nasty, so are a lot of comedians. The comedy comes from a dark place usually. They're often very depressed and dark people off stage.

I'm optimistic - it really is a topic not talked about: there were several openly flamboyant queens on TV in the 60s and 70s that got a pass. The funny fairy has a long history. But no one seemed to acknowledge openly that they were gay - it just was not talked about.

[quote]Peter Marshall: Paul, why do motorcyclists wear leather? Paul Lynde: Because taffeta wrinkles!

[quote]...reminds me of Dorothy's "ask a stupid question" answers to Rose.

Really? THAT’S what it reminds you of?

Who’ll play Peter Marshall??

[quote]Or, at a minimum, leave the industry and the public eye forever.

He’s too lazy for that.

Actually Andy Cohen would make a great Paul Lynde.

I’m guessing there will be liberal use of “for your consideration - best makeup” prosthetics at work here. The only person Eichner could probably play with his own face would be John Larroquette.

This could be an interesting film with the right approach, but sounds like a blatant award-bait project. Almost all “new star plays old star” vehicles are.

Billy is setting himself up for failure.

[quote] Aldo Ehrenreich

Oh, Dear!

It's Alden Ehrenreich, of course.

11:00pm

The Carol Burnett Show

GUESTS PAUL LYNDE AND PEGGY LEE

"Guests Paul Lynde and Peggy Lee. Originally aired on 01/05/72."

R107 reminded me...who will play Donny and Marie in this ill-fated biopic? Paul Lynde was a regular guest star on their show from 1975-79.

They should just digitally de-age them.

Will they show him MURDERING his twink?

r77: his teeny nips are placed strangely on his chest - they are closer together than normal nips which is why I refer to them as 'cross-eyed'.

Scroll down, the link, you'll see.

R108 Maybe the two who played the incest twins on the last season of Glee.

It looks like he ate Paul Lynde.

Billy Eichner says gay actors still face limited opportunities in Hollywood:

“There is no gay Tom Hanks in this country. There’s no gay Will Smith."

R114 Ugh, I’m sure he has a point, but he is not the right messenger for this question. Perhaps a Zachary Quitos or a younger generation actor like Brandon Flynn, but with him trying to promote this they will just kill the message because it doesn’t come off as serious. Despite what he hopes he is never going to pull a Cher and win an Oscar.

Great interview and good for him. Eichner is hot-on-top-of-hot AND passionate about his work, so FUCK OFF haters.

Lol!

R117 Well you really need to work for that one.

I mostly want to know about his years picking up young hustlers in Hollywood and drugging and fucking with them. I read a book about Darby Crash of The Germs and a hustler that hung out with that crowd said Paul Lynde was one of his regular tricks.

R119 If they were hustlers, why did he have to drug them? Was he a cheap bastard and that’s how he got out of paying?

Paul Lynde and Darby Crash! Haha! What book, R119?

Is Billy a bung eye as well?

What about the upcoming Charles Nelson Reilly biopic?

"There’s no gay Will Smith."

Umm...ya sure about this, Billy...???

This will happen like the Monty Clift biopic happened.

R125, where *is* that Monty biopic? I thought it has been filmed, waiting for release.

[quote]Who’ll play Peter Marshall?? —Peter Marshall

Whoever they got to play Bert Healy in the Annie remake can play him.

Billy is just mad that he wasn't included in the Boys in the Band revival so he's going to do a one-man show about some historical homo. Just be grateful that he didn't pick Warhol or Oscar Wilde!

He’s ugly as hell and has no talent. Who’s his uncle in the business? That’s the only thing that can explain how he gets any work. No one would dare fuck him so he can’t be fucking for parts. This must be some nepotism shit.

He looks like Karl Malden.

I like Billy and Karl.

As a couple?

Dating Eichner sounds like it would be a lot of work. I can see him being alternatively needy, whiny then mean-spirited and abusive.

[quote]There’s no gay Will Smith.

Sez you.

He used to be pretty funny.

I love Billy (and Karl too). May he go on to play Phillip Seymour Hoffman (I just have a hunch he'd be great).

Tilda Swinton as Agnes Moorehead.

Nick Offerman as Dr. Bombay.

Ugh, Nick Offerman is the fucking worst. The Ron Swanson whiskey and woodworking schtick needs to end. I think less of Megan Mullally because of him.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Jack McBrayer as a better fit. He certainly looks more like Paul Lynde than Eichner.

Or who played that goofy weird nurse on the Mindy Kaling Show?

R140, McBrayer isn't openly gay. Twitter would bully him into leaving the role had it been offered to him. I agree, I think he would have been great; Jack is campy, and can deliver the witty one-liners. He's always funny when he's on Match Game.

Though Lynde technically wasn't openly gay, so I guess there may have been some wiggle room with the casting.

Richard Madden isn't openly gay or bi. Was he bullied out of "Rocketman"?

McBrayer is basically Lynde minus a few pounds.

Eichner is so shrill and off-putting, I can't stand him.

And he bitches about not being cast as much as he'd like. Well, maybe if he didn't play himself in everything and he had a little range he'd be cast more.

[quote]I think it's funny when people say that he didn't write his own jokes. That's just standard. Most of Bette Midler, Dolly Parton and others' classic quotes were scripted ahead of time by joke writers.

Bruce Vilanch has written most of Bette Midler's material since the 70s.

[quote]Billy is just mad that he wasn't included in the Boys in the Band revival so he's going to do a one-man show about some historical homo.

You KNOW he's pissed as hell he wasn't cast in that!

[quote]He’s ugly as hell and has no talent. Who’s his uncle in the business? That’s the only thing that can explain how he gets any work. No one would dare fuck him so he can’t be fucking for parts. This must be some nepotism shit.

He's J----h. There's your reason.

He's a Jew AND puts out in Hollywood for those that will have him.

I imagine those who want him is a smaller number than those who do.

*who don't.

R149, only the blind would have him.

[quote]There’s no gay Will Smith.

Yes, there is.

Is there an echo in here?

-Jada at r134

I think Jim Broadbent would be great as Dr. Bombay.

When I was volunteering in Rwanda a few years ago there was a young man inexplicably named Paul Lynde who had grown up in an orphanage. It was run by Salesian’s Brothers so I have no idea where that name came from for this child and never got the chance to ask him. But it was very incongruous hearing that name in that place repeatedly.

[Quote] there was a young man inexplicably named Paul Lynde

[Quote] it was very incongruous hearing that name in that place repeatedly.

Maybe it was a just a homely girl named Pauline.