An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

I love this book. Funny well written insightful and loaded with show biz stuff. Ive seen at one time or another all the shows/movies that Vilanch claims are bad and they are but that’s what makes them so much fun. This book is fun to read and if you have any interest in a funny look at bad show biz stuff written by someone who knows-get this book. And its a quick read to boot!

There's no denying that two-time Emmy Award-winner Bruce Vilanch is a funny man. Known to many for his four-year stint on Hollywood Squares and to others for the documentary "Get Bruce!" that chronicled his unique life, Vilanch is a go-to writer who has written material for the Emmy Awards, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Academy Awards in addition to songs for the likes of the Village People and Eartha Kitt among others.

And there's a whole lot more.

"It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time" isn't really about any of that.

Instead, this is a book about the other writing he's done. We're talking about icons of awfulness like "The Star Wars Holiday Special," The Paul Lynde Halloween Special," The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, and a certain infamous Academy Awards ceremony that found Rob Lowe dancing with Snow White not long before a certain sex tape came out.

A memoir of sorts, "It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time" is Vilanch's journey through his decades of working in show business and those well-publicized, impossible to forget mistakes he's made along the way.

Each chapter here serves up cringe-worthy memories from shows that have made us all ask "How did this get made?" Vilanch tells us how.

The now 77-year-old Vilanch is occasionally funny, occasionally insightful, occasionally a little poignant, and pretty much always self-deprecating here. I will admit I didn't laugh nearly as much as I'd hoped for here - an experience not far removed from that Brady Bunch Variety Hour that was goofy, silly, quirky, and not particularly entertaining.

However, for those who appreciate inside views of the inner workings of Hollywood, "It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time" may very well be worth checking out with one of the industry's most beloved comedy writers laying it all out and choosing to laugh about it.

IPG/Chicago Review Press provided an early galley for review.

As a child of the 70's, I grew up in the twilight of the variety show era. Back when we only had three networks, if something special was airing I would know about it (and not just because I had a subscription to TV Guide). So, I remember watching so many of these productions on which Vilanch worked as they aired for the very first time. Were they cheesy? Sure. But then again, I have always been a a fan of cheesy goodness and fun in my entertainment.

Vilanch is great at his comedy craft with a very comfortable, conversational approach to telling the reader about the making of these "masterpieces" (I found them all enjoyable). I found myself laughing out loud so many times as I read this book. His turn-of-the-phrase and colorful analogies are so good. I also too like the footnotes about famous people and shows that will be very useful for younger fans who discovered his productions online and very entertaining for those of us old enough to know exactly who or what he is referring to. There is something for everyone here.