Michael Airington
| 10/27/2006 - here's a montage of the Count Kickula spots with Michael Airington portraying a Paul Lynde styled vampire. (Listen for the Paul Lynde-esque laughs!). Click here for photos! |
10/1/2006 - Don't forget to check out Michael's portrayal of the Paul Lynde styled "Count Kickula" on ToonDisney/Jetrix this month!
9/15/2006 - Disney Channel's Month of Monsters will feature a pack of monsters led by a Paul Lynde styled "Count Kickula", played by Michael Airington! Click here for photos!
1/9/2006 - The tv special, "Off Center: An Evening With Paul Lynde" HOPEFULLY will be airing in May or June. It will also be released on DVD around that same time!!!! (Check out the trailer below, if you haven't already!)
1/6/2006 - Watch the trailer for the Paul Lynde TV Special!!!!! (Click on the PLAY button on the screen below! You can click on the "stop" button on the progress bar at the bottom of the screen - but WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO!?!?!?!? (You can then click on the PLAY button to resume.)) I will post the air date/time & network as soon as I know it - so check back often (or sign up to receive email notifications of site updates here.)
Interesting trivia note: This was taped at the Madrid Theater at 21622 Sherman Way in Canoga Park - interestingly enough, the clip from the "Bewitched" movie where Uncle Arthur is driving Jack to catch Isabel (check out chapter 27 "Chasing Isabel" on the DVD) "...wait, wait, you can't drive...remember that episode where you pulled out of the driveway & almost crashed???" (That would be the "Super Arthur" episode.)) was shot on the 21000 block of Sherman Way in Canoga Park! Thanks to this site & a poster (Wizzy, I believe) at www.HarpiesBizarre.com message board who pointed this out.
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9/18/2005 - The Paul Lynde Special (for tv) was taped on August 31 at The Madrid Theater in Canoga Park!!!!!! I was fortunate enough to be able to attend & REALLY enjoyed it!!! (Air time/station to be announced later.) Click here for exclusive photos! Click here if you're interested in BOOKING "The Paul Lynde Show Starring Michael Airington" |
6/25/2005 - photos from "The Paul Lynde Show Starring Michael Airington"
6/8/2005 - Lots of news...
If you didn't make it to see "Paul Lynde in Heaven" at the Palm Springs engagement over Memorial Day weekend (which received a great reception, I'm told!), DO NOT DESPAIR!!!! Michael is currently in rehearsal and reworking the show in preparation for a NATIONAL tour!!! (And the name has been changed to "The Paul Lynde Show Starring Michael Airington".) The show will be taped at a later date to be shown as a TV special (by here! network), so hopefully everyone will get a chance to see it in one form or another! (Or BOTH!)
The filming of the feature film about Paul's life story, "Off Center", is currently in preproduction.
Here is the latest interview with "Paul"! (This article discusses all the exciting upcoming Airington "Lynde projects"! (You'll need Acrobat Reader (it's free!)) And I must say (as a rabid Paul Lynde fan of over 36 years) that it's exciting!!!!
Click here to download a clip of Michael's performance (7 MB). Here's another clip from Michael's performance where he's doing a routine from Paul's album, "Recently Released". (11 MB)
3/21/2005 - I attended Michael's show in Palm Springs this past weekend. IT WAS GREAT!!!! I don't want to spoil it for any of you who will attend in the future (or watch the TV version) by describing too much about the show. But let me say that Michael does a great Paul impersonation! He's definitely got the cackle and the laugh (especially the one Paul would flash after delivering a Zinger!) The show is presented as though Paul is telling us his life story, including a rendition of "Kids", a clever & on-going version of "I Feel Pretty" (NOTE: this has been changed to "Que Sera, Sera"), what Paul's screen tests for serious roles (such as "Taxi Driver" and "Love Story") may have looked like and even some magic by Uncle Arthur! I encourage anyone who's able, to see this show!
Another interesting aspect is that Michael performs the role as if Paul had returned to current times, noting how things are so much different. IE, he starts to light up & then stops, commenting that you can't DO that in any public venues in California now or on airplanes.
It was great fun seeing "Paul" again.
If you need further prodding, check out this review (Channeling Paul Lynde).
If you want to know more about Michael Airington, check this out.
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Michael Airington (also known as Ester Goldberg) has revived Paul Lynde's 1976 one man nightclub act, "The Paul Lynde Show". (Not to be cOnFuSeD with the television series of the same name.) This was due to a lucky twist of fate and eBay (Ya gotta love eBay!) where he won an auction (for $112!!!!) for a box that had "The Paul Lynde Show" painted on the side. The box was found in an abandoned building in Hollywood and contained the charts, music and comedy for the show. (Including NOTES MADE IN PAUL'S OWN HANDWRITING!!!!) The newly restaged show, entitled "An Evening With Paul Lynde" has played in West Hollywood (2004), Palm Springs (2005) and is currently (as of 6/8/2005) being reworked & is in rehearsal for a national tour! I'm told many of Paul's friends have seen the show & are involved in the project including Peter Marshall (who has recorded voice-overs which are integral to the show), Kaye Ballard and Cloris Leachman, so it should be a wonderful show. (Note: I have spoken with Michael on the phone & he sounds SO MUCH like Paul, it's uncanny!!!!) Click here to download a clip of Michael's performance (7 MB). Here's another clip from Michael's performance where he's doing a routine from Paul's album, "Recently Released". (11 MB)
Michael now owns the rights to Paul's life story and currently has several other Paul Lynde projects in the works including a television special and a feature film on Paul's life.
Paul was quoted in TV Guide (July 19-25, 1969) as saying "It's my fondest hope that someday somebody will blow off the dust and get it on the air...I like to think Sedgwick is not dead." (Referring to the 1966 ABC pilot he did called "Sedgwick Hawk-Styles, Prince of Danger.") Here's a clip from that pilot.
It appears Paul's fondest hope may finally be realized as well, thanks to Michael!
I will post updates as I hear of them.
Sources: In Magazine LA, BayWindows.com, Michael AiringtonPhotos courtesy of Michael Airington
The Master of The Hollywood Squares Peter Marshall, the Legendary Rose Marie...and Michael Airington as Paul Lynde after the show on June 17, 2004 |
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Here's Michael with one of Paul's best friends, Jan Forbes. She's seen in the A & E Biography of Paul. (Click here to hear Jan reading one of her favorite poems Paul wrote.) Michael is holding one of Paul's Emmys!!!! |
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