# Vaudeville to begin again. Who would star? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462 "2008-12-03T04:52:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/1 "2008-12-03T04:52:35Z")
[The Entertainer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei-jV5RmHiM) plays in the background. (The link is the Muppet and Milton Berle version of _The Entertainer_, if you can, play it while you read this.) Suppose the Evil Overlords banned motion pictures, took out television and radio, hell, they even, _GASP_, destroyed the internet and pornography. It is up to you to revive the entertainment industry. [Vaudville (Wiki article)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaudville) is what you decide is the way to go. Uncle Miltie is unable to preform live, as is George Burns. So you will have to pick an MC. You will also need entertainers, singers, orators, and just odd acts. Who will fill your bill? In mine, I have [Jeff Dunham](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Dunam) to replace Edgar Bergan. I want [Beyonce Knowles](http://www.hiphoprx.com/content/uploads/2008/04/beyonce-knowles-topshot.jpg) as the dancing girl. I would think [Jesse Ventura](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Ventura) would be my orator. I still need an MC, and whatever entertainers would fill the bill. Can you help? The Evil Overlords may strike at anytime. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/2 "2008-12-03T05:04:07Z")
Ryan Seacrest for MC! Kidding! Kidding! ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/3 "2008-12-03T06:11:44Z")
I’m seeing William Shatner as the Master of Ceremonies. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/4 "2008-12-03T14:20:48Z")
Hugh Laurie, baby. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/5 "2008-12-03T14:37:26Z")
Anybody like the TV show _Mad Men_? Vaudeville was gone by the early 60’s–but many of the music & TV stars active back then had gotten their start traveling from town to town. [This charity event](http://www.playbill.com/news/article/123639.html) carried on the tradition of Real Live People performing on stage: > [@](#): > > Billed as A Night on the Town With ‘Mad Men’, the show was hosted by Joel Murray and featured “Mad Men” stars Bryan Batt and Tony Award winner Robert Morse — who are both Broadway veterans — plus Colin Hanks, Patrick Fischler and Maggie Siff singing songs that would have been heard by the characters in the Kennedy-era series about advertising men (and women) on Madison Avenue… > > **Variety** reported that a commercial future for the revue is still in the formative stages. Jon Hamm could probably do a comedy bit; he handled himself pretty well on _Saturday Night Live_. For the gentlemen, I’m sure they could find an excuse to get Christine Hendricks on the stage… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/6 "2008-12-03T15:18:10Z")
Well, I don’t believe traditional vaudeville used an MC – just cards announcing each act. The SNL crew could do a skit, though. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vaudeville-to-begin-again-who-would-star/475462/7 "2008-12-03T15:45:56Z")
You’re kidding. All you guys missed [Ellen’s Even Bigger Really Big Show](http://www.tvguide.com/News/Ellens-Bigger-Really-1000242.aspx)? Vaudeville is alive and well, baby.