I think I've found the Beach Boys most cringeworthy TV appearance.

[Bean Bag]

Most Beach Boy TV appearances are a little cringe-worthy.  They always seem awkward on camera.  The only one that has ever looked comfortable and natural was Carl.

Whenever the camera or interviewer went to Carl, I always feel a sigh of relief.  But as it pans back to Mike and Brian, I feel cringe coming  on.  Even Denny -- he could go on some tangent about how incredible the love is in the room or something.   

[mikeddonn]

I thought Brian was fine during the Letterman interview.  Quite relaxed, naturally funny.  In the Dick Clark interview he was pretty similar to how he is now, a bit distant as if he's thinking of a million other things.

[Jim V.]

Pardon if this isredundant to what ha been posted, but the BW and Frankie Vallie Dick Clark special while not cringe worthy was much like watching a well trained, but terrified animal do tricks on stage .   We'll, I guess I did cringe.  like watching a middle aged, burnt out but rehabilitated Judi garland perform on a tv variety show in the 60 's.       Was landya curse or a blessing?

What is this? I've never heard of it. On YouTube?

[RangeRoverA1]

Okay, since no one else has, I'll be the one to state the obvious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZSAQX2uuUY

Like The Real BB, Erik H & Co., I think it was cool! Dig Mike's forthright attitude (though it'd be better if he said anything to Dylan as well).

[Lonely Summer]

I thought the Letterman appearance was good - Brian didn't have to dance on that one, just sat down at the piano and banged out "Nighttime".

[Autotune]

I enjoyed Brian on Letterman.

The BBs most cringeworthy TV-related appearance = "Happy Endings" video clip.

[Pretty Funky]

Quite a few but off the top of my head. The 'Beach Boys Huddle' on Full House. Interview early 90s I guess when Brian waffles then asks for Landy to be brought out. Solid Gold from the early 80s with Dennis out of it and drumming so far back on stage he looked like a left over from the previous weeks show.

[petsite]

I am sorry. The most cringe worthy TV appearances? Good Morning America December 1980 and live at the Queen Mary, July 5, 1981. Hands down.

[southbay]

I am sorry. The most cringe worthy TV appearances? Good Morning America December 1980 and live at the Queen Mary, July 5, 1981. Hands down.

Yeah, these two get my votes as well. Their appearance on Merv Griffin in 1981 would take the third spot on my list

[Cabinessenceking]

I never understood why they covered Little Old Lady From Pasadena, and I never understood why that attrocious song became a hit in the first place. People really were square in the 60's, and Jan and Dean are probably the perpetrators of some of the biggest embarrasements to surf rock I have ever heard.

[Tony S]

Performance wise, Queen Mary, hands down. They were flat out awful w/o Carl Wilson,.

[Cabinessenceking]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNtGEKNhlC4

From the Live 50th DVD (so not TV appearance) but check out Bruce at 7.00

[Dudd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNtGEKNhlC4

From the Live 50th DVD (so not TV appearance) but check out Bruce at 7.00

That's anything but cringworthy - Bruce has the best moves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P2rNmox86Q#t=43

[Ron]

This sh*t's pretty horrible, but as a child of the 80's there's absolutely nothing about this any worse than every single thing that was on t.v. at the time.  All of entertainment was like this. 

The top t.v. shows of 1987 were:

1. The Bill Cosby Show - Great show, I won't pretend like it wasn't great.  Above ridicule in my opinion.

2. Family Ties - Horrible

3. Cheers - Pretty good but corny acting worse than Carl's in the video

4. Murder, She Wrote

5. Night Court - John Laraquette & Harry Anderson.  Funny but pretty bad

6. Golden Girls - pretty horrible but I love it

7. 60 minutes

8. Growing Pains - horrible

9. Moonlighting - horrible

10. Who's the Boss? - possibly the worst thing ever on t.v.


------------------------------------------

Top selling music that year was:

1. Faith - George Michael - Horrible

2. Alone - Heart - Awesome

3. I wanna Dance With Somebody - Whitney - Dated, cheesy... I love it though, gotta love her

4. Cest La Vie - Robbie Nevil

5. Shake You Down - Gregory Abott

6. La Bamba - los lobos

7. Livin on a Prayer - Bon Jovi

8. Here I Go Again - Whitesnake

9. Heaven is a place on earth - Belinda Carlisle

10. I've had the time of my life - Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes







So, yeah, the Beach Boys were pretty bad in that t.v. show but sh*t look at what else was going on that year.  Was it really any worse than Growing Pains?

[Jay]

This 1978 news clip is a pretty cringeworthy TV appearance. Carl isn't really in any better shape than Brian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSLclEJ0IAQ

[Lonely Summer]

This sh*t's pretty horrible, but as a child of the 80's there's absolutely nothing about this any worse than every single thing that was on t.v. at the time.  All of entertainment was like this. 

The top t.v. shows of 1987 were:

1. The Bill Cosby Show - Great show, I won't pretend like it wasn't great.  Above ridicule in my opinion.

2. Family Ties - Horrible

3. Cheers - Pretty good but corny acting worse than Carl's in the video

4. Murder, She Wrote

5. Night Court - John Laraquette & Harry Anderson.  Funny but pretty bad

6. Golden Girls - pretty horrible but I love it

7. 60 minutes

8. Growing Pains - horrible

9. Moonlighting - horrible

10. Who's the Boss? - possibly the worst thing ever on t.v.

You mean you didn't love Alyssa Milano as Tony Danza's daughter?

[Rocky Raccoon]

I hate to get off-topic but I disagree with you about Cheers.  I'm 21 and I've watched the first few seasons on Netflix, it still holds up incredibly well, especially because and not in spite of the great cast.

[guitarfool2002]

Don't lump this guy into the worst-of 1987 list:



And don't forget there was a time in 1987 when you could watch the Monkees 5 nights a week in reruns on cable, and for a month or two "Daydream Believer" was actually the most-requested video on MTV's countdown show. Imagine that, pop music on MTV that not only had a heart and soul and sounded damn good, but was 20 years old at the time us kids were digging it. Then contrived nonsense and pure sh*t like NKOTB took over and any number of insipid, truly interchangeable hair-metal bands playing pointy guitars became "rock".


It actually all changed in 1986, for music at least. Television with very few exceptions in 86-87 was pretty bad, but mainstream music and especially top-40 radio mostly went to sh*t after 1985. Not that it was all good before that, far from it, but there was some kind of energy in top-40 radio that died out (for good) in 1986...at least in Philly.

When one of the most played top-40 records we'd hear was Bon Jovi, I think I trace that to when I switched to other radio formats and went searching. Fortunately there was also "Appetite For Destruction" soon after, too, but even that terrific band imploded too soon.

Ahh, the 80's. No, actually most anything after 1986 doesn't count as 80's nostalgia for those who enjoy such a thing.

So this "special" is a victim of its era. Maybe.

[Sheriff John Stone]

This 1978 news clip is a pretty cringeworthy TV appearance. Carl isn't really in any better shape than Brian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSLclEJ0IAQ

Yes, some of that is cringeworthy, no doubt. But, that's also one of the most fascinating few minutes of Brian on film. Something was bothering him; for a second he actually looks pissed off which he usually didn't show, but he hangs in there and continues along. That 1976-1981 period of Brian is so fascinating with so many unanswered questions as to what happened to him. At times he appeared so lucid and....interesting.

[Robbie Mac]

I hate to get off-topic but I disagree with you about Cheers.  I'm 21 and I've watched the first few seasons on Netflix, it still holds up incredibly well, especially because and not in spite of the great cast.

Cheers is one of the few things from the 80's that STILL holds up. And a large part of that was because of the cast.

[Ron]

I hate to get off-topic but I disagree with you about Cheers.  I'm 21 and I've watched the first few seasons on Netflix, it still holds up incredibly well, especially because and not in spite of the great cast.

I like Cheers, i'll take that one back. 

[Shady]

I've been avoiding this thread for a while because I hate seeing embarrassing beach boys tv appearances, I've seen far too many.

Since I've been cognisant of this video, my life has been seriously worse off.

[GoodVibrations33]

Sorry to revive such an old thread, but does anyone have a copy of The Boys' appearance.  It was on Patricia's Ultimate Beach Boys Video Collection YouTube channel that was taken down years ago.  If anyone has a copy, it would be awesome.  Thanks!