SubscribeWelcome back, Kotter.. and BOTNS
Gabe Kaplan and I and not mishpacha, so I’m not plugging the guy, but I came across this article from ESPN The Magazine’s website.
It must have been a dull day for Bill Simmons, who contributes to the amusing zeitgeist “Page 2″ column. He must have spent hours trolling the Internet to come up with the clip from the premiere episode of the ABC program, Battle of the Network Stars.
BOTNS was your daddy’s version of reality TV. Actors from the top shows — back in the stone age before cable TV — competed in the Olympic-style competition for (then) sizable cash prizes. And these guys (and gals) were serious about their sports, as the clip demonstrates.
A very quick recap: CBS captain’ Telly “Kojak” Savalas lodged a protest because NBC’s Ben “Gemini Man” Murphy came out to receive the baton too soon in a relay race. The ABC squad, led by Kaplan (Welcome Back, Kotter) had won the event, so the argument was over second place.
What a to-do! NBC captain Robert “Baa-Baa Black Sheep” Conrad somehow got into it with Kaplan and the the two had a won off, which Kaplan won. The whole thing was moderated by Howard Cosell, so you know he was going to keep things at a boil.
Anyway, read Simmons’ running commentary and watch the clip; listen for Conrad’s comments about Kaplan’s religion. Any questions, ask your parents.
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