In the 1950s, a group of television performers attempt to put together a live variety program and often find disastrous results.
On the Air
The year is 1957. The cast and crew of the Lester Guy Show are extremely apprehensive about their upcoming live television broadcast on the Zoblotnick Broadcasting Co. network. Lester Guy despises fellow cast member Betty Hudson for unknowingly becoming more popular than him and schemes to destroy her career. Only two of the seven episodes were written by David Lynch.
Episodes
It's 1957 and a new TV show is about to premiere. It's "The Lester Guy Show" staring Lester Guy, a washed up film star who couldn't get a job anywhere until he's hired by the president of the Zoblotnick Broadcasting Network (ZBC) to star in his own show. Unfortunately, the show is hindered by Lester's ego; an incompetent director who got the job only because his uncle owns the network even though no one can understand him; a producer who's constantly nervous; the spacy blond costar named Betty Hudson who has no experience in TV; and an equally dysfunctional crew. Things seem to go well on the rehearsal, but of course the actual show is a disaster. Props break, sound effects get mixed up, and cues are missed. Betty ends up saving the show by singing a song her mother taught her, stealing the show. The phones light up, and of course, the show ends up being a hit.
Because of Betty's incredible popularity from the debut show, Lester convinces Professor Answer to compete against Betty and her seventh grade teacher in a rigged quiz show.
During rehearsals McConigle's allergies act up. Lester has a plan to ruin Betty: a quiz show where she competes against Professor Answer, the man with the highest I.Q. ever measured, for $64,000. This will show the world how stupid Betty really is, or so the theory goes. Of course, the game is rigged. Meanwhile, Dr. Winky pays a visit and gives McConigle a potion that causes his allergies to go away. The quiz show takes place. Betty's partner is Mrs. Thissle, her grade school teacher, who proves to be a match for Professor Answer. Unfortunately, Mrs. Thissle thinks this is a rehearsal. When she realizes it's going out live, she panics. Lester thinks Professor Answer can't loose now, but the sound effect for a wrong answer drives the Professor crazy. McConigle, who's gotten high on his allergy medicine, stumbles on the stage and he and Betty end up winning the quiz show by a chance fluke answer.
