Rona Barrett and Sir Clement Freud go at it on Jack Paar Tonite - 8/24/1973

[slowdream101]

RB was much better than the idiots at Tmz and other such broadcasts that pollute the networks today

[createdbythefather]

Clement Freud on form!

[NFitalianGuy]

Rona Barrett back then inherited the Gossip columnist throne of Louella Parson and Hedda Hopper.. Havent seen her on tv in a long time.. But back in the day columnists like her were feared... I am surprised they had that much power of the studios and stars..

[cremeofthereich]

This remains priceless entertainment every time I stop by. Thanks for posting it. Just shows how rancid Barrett was and it was good to see her get wiped across the floor by Sir Clement.

[Onlymusical]

This is the first clip I've seen recently from "Jack Paar Tonite," a show that alternated week to week with the other greatest talk show host, Dick Cavett, and something else, I forget what (a sports show or something?). The alternating didn't work for viewer habits and the inferior Carson wound up doing better in ratings, plus the set (invented by Paar when he preceded Carson as Tonight Show host) being reversed and being so plain and far from the wall behind it somehow hurt the ambiance.

[delamesa]

Its very sad, but one of the facts of life about direct to tape shows from this era is that not many of them survive. Several years of Carson shows were erased for the same reason. One of Paar's great talents was knowing who to put together in order to create an explosive outcome. His expressions show that he's enjoying every minute of the fireworks.

[yggdrasil89]

Wow one thing I've found with interview shows in the 70's - there are nearly always awkward moments or silences...

[NFitalianGuy]

@yggdrasil89 This British Boor is very condescending because his Grandfather was freud and Freud blamed everything on every thing and everyone other than the Patients he treated.

[hughwilson86]

this is such a good clip. it is fascinating to watch an intelligent, articulate man express such a valid argument. clement freud is a complete legend, everyone should read his autobiography 'Freud Ego'.

p.s. great upload.

[hughwilson86]

this is such a good clip. it is fascinating to watch an intelligent, articulate man express such a valid argument. clement freud is a complete legend, everyone should read his autobiography 'Freud Ego'.

p.s. great upload.

[rufusred44]

This is great, when talk shows were unbridled, unpredictable and more entertaining then they are now.

[tcbluecollarguy1]

Rona was such a bitch! She even ruined The Tomorrow Show w/ Tom Snyder when the idiot execs at NBC thought it would be a brilliant idea to pair her with Tom back in the early 1980's. Tom loathed Rona!

[torgman]

Rona, your Brooklyn ass was pwned by one of Britain's greatest pwners!

[aggravatedandy]

That was brilliant. Someone's proberbly said this already but that is as relevant now as it was then. Thanks for the post

[NFitalianGuy]

Did Rona Barrett take over from Louella and Hedda? I read so many years ago that she took over from the two Gossip Columnists.

[spagandtuna]

By the way, thanks for the post!!

[spagandtuna]

OMG Barrett is pathetic and defenseless--no way a match for Sir Clement, but not a person who should be pitied. Not that there shouldn't be a market for her stuff--I would have advised her to accept the initial criticism, validate it, and then brush it off, with a pretend sense of humor. Love Paar, but he was worthless here.

[DougJokester]

wow. Was there anything Clement couldn't do? RIP

[JAldridge86]

"What the hell were you thinking" lol

[pnull]

I actually attended a taping of one of Parr's shows. It was a short lived experiment by ABC. Parr was on 2 (or 3) nights a week (with Peggy Cass as co-host/announcer) and Dick Cavett was on 3 (or 2) nights a week. In the end, it did not last.

[happylilsunbeam]

Yes but you must admit it was TV at it's best.

[defundthewar]

Nope... Both Cavett and Paar were on 5 nights a week, one week a month. The other weeks were filled with ABC pilot shows, mysteries, sports, rock concerts. It was experimental in that prior to that, there was no rotation of shows. In the end, everyone realized that people want to see the same show every week. Toward the end, Paar said he was quitting, but actually ABC dropped him when he couldn't make a dent in Carson.

[bertiejr]

I too remember her being the object of ridicule though i don't remember why. but i don't think anyone thinks much of gossip columnists,,,even today. they really do create news. anyway, awesome clip. the intimacy of paar is more like daytime talks than late night, imo.

[defundthewar]

For one thing, Rona's daily clip, which I remember as about 3 minutes give or take, was widely syndicated and inserted into local news shows. The on air newsfolks thought this insulting, that Rona's clip was needed to boost ratings, and for that matter, wasn't real news.

Then there was her white-frosted hair, Queens diction, and in her clips she only showed her left side. The local anchors could say, Here's that moron Rona or worse (I've heard it) but she wasn't there to defend herself.

[rachelazw]

Wow!

[baresolid]

How could nobody tell how drunk everyone was in these days?

[defundthewar]

Rona really was right about Burton. When his alcoholism fully kicked in- cirrhosis of the liver and brain hemhorrage- he was a mere 58. Rona actually might have won the audience over until she cussed. She was very successful in print & on TV then, but was often an object of ridicule, as she was here. She could well have told Freud that he also was not helping lower the cost of living, but was no match for him. The closest thing to Paar now is Letterman's show, occasionally spontaneous.

[kolst8406]

This clip was 3 months after Riggs had beaten Margaret Court; hence, the "woman-beater" comment by Barrett. A month after this, Riggs would lose to Billie Jean King.

[defundthewar]

There was actually more to this; it has been edited. I recall that Clement asked Rona for "a snippet"-- a little gossip. But the way he said it was snarling. Also they tussled over the topic of W.R. Hearst and Marion Davies. Barrett was much younger and inexperienced compared to the others and even Peggy seemed to needle her. Paar "quit" regular TV forever a few months after this, but ABC really canceled him after he failed to compete with Johnny Carson, an impossible task in 1973.

[JTPolo101]

I had never really heard of this gentleman . I do remember reading about his passing recently. After this clip, i would love to know more about him. he sounds like a great fella. I could never stand that those gossip columnists like Rona and her ilk. good for him to tell her off.

[TheRealKappaX2]

Wow. Great clip. She was pretty arrogant. Go Clement!!

[99cameronA]

What a great clip. Rona looks so beautiful. Please, someone post the really great music segments with singer Dana Valery. She was a guest of Jack Paar's several times on this show.

Thanks for posting this, ohbutyes!

[janb6969]

was rona hot looking, yes or no?

i say yes.

[defundthewar]

Jack must have said something to the effect of since Bobby RIggs won this "battle of the sexes" then he'd need to replace Peggy with the usual male sidekick, and Rona just picked up on that.

Notice that Jack says, after the Riggs prostitute remark, "What do you think of that, Clement?" Clement had had his time segment already, and Rona was just beginning hers. Why say this, unless Jack and Clem had something cooked up? Paar once said, of his show, "I like it when it gets hectic."

[OldMotownFan]

Does anyone know what incident Rona and Jack refer to?

[defundthewar]

It's a long story... google "Bobby Riggs Billie Jean King match" and it will give you the background on what was going on at the time. Paar made an earlier reference to Riggs in the show (not shown) and, thinking it was apropos, Rona told how Riggs picked up a hooker.

[OldMotownFan]

Thanks. I was a kid, but I remember the tennis event. There was build-up forever. Rona says something here about "you were talking about being replaced by Bobby Riggs" and I wasn't sure if she was talking to Freud or Peggy Cass.

[lelvish1]

lmao!!! Clement really shows his genius here.

[janb6969]

i thought he was weak and had a personal ax to grind.

[iwasknownasthewild1]

A fantastically funny and mischevious bloke was our Clem - the world has just become a MUCH more boring place to be without him.

[seabisquick]

Peggy!!!!

[lelvish1]

I keep watching the bit about "drinking", when Peggy steps in, it cracks me up every time!

[defundthewar]

Where is this from- who is selling this- and why is it in black & white? I used to watch this show, it was 1973, and it was in color.

This type of thing could never have happened on Johnny Carson's show, which was more glitzy, but more predictable. Paar was more homespun, but he- and the show- could be volatile, as it was here. Question is whether Paar and Freud, who had known each other for years, planned this attack on Barrett. Of the 4 in this clip, only Barrett is still alive.

[ohbutyes]

The show did air in color - this is a kinescope of the program - the original tape was probably used over again. They usually gave you a kinescope of the show if you requested a copy - most people didn't have a U-Matic tape machine.

[ohbutyes]

To answer your other question - I don't think it was set up - she clearly was trying to go after him - what did she expect when you try to match wits with somebody named Freud!

[defundthewar]

But where did you get it? I would really like to have a set of Paar's 1973 shows.

Rona didn't go after Clement, she innocently (and foolishly) tried to tie her cheesy book to "Mister Freud" and

asked Clement what his grandfather would think of it... as if either Freud would read such things! I think it's possible that Paar, who was catty and liked public feuds, may have told his old friend Clement to tangle with her, but it's just a theory. In an event, it's very entertaining!

[ohbutyes]

I got it from a film collector many years ago - I have no idea of its origin - it's the only one I've ever seen.

[corporalclegg07]

i think Clement wins this one.

[ohbutyes]

when she cops out and says "we were only kidding" the look on his face is priceless... you could tell he was having none of it...

[newargot]

Brilliant.