Star Wars Holiday Special === ​[00:00:00] Katie Marinello: . Hello. Welcome to Carried Far, Far Away, a podcast where we are watching and reading everything Carrie Fisher did during her short life and storied career. I'm Katie Marinello, Claire Fisher: And I'm Claire Fisher. Katie Marinello: and today we are watching Claire's favorite movie in the entire world. Claire Fisher: The Star Wars Holiday Special. Katie Marinello: So it's been of a fortuitous week, obviously. Are going to be releasing this probably in February, but as we speak, it's the day before the night before new year's um Claire Fisher: 30th, in other words. Katie Marinello: and it is just two days after the anniversary of Carrie Fisher's passing. So if you go on our Instagram, you'll see a lot of throwbacks to how I was posting about it at the time, at least Claire Fisher: And more germane to this conversation, it means that you and I were in the same state, and in the same house, and we got to watch one of these movies actually together. Katie Marinello: in complete silence so that we didn't ruin our [00:01:00] commentary. Claire Fisher: With husband in between us, who did say some things, but I regret. Katie Marinello: we had some commentary from your husband. Claire Fisher: I didn't write down anything he said, so if you Katie Marinello: We didn't write down anything at all. So Claire Fisher: He said that you can quote him if you could remember what he said, but he won't repeat any of it. Katie Marinello: yeah. All right. Sounds good. Katie Marinello: When do you remember hearing about the holiday special? Claire Fisher: I remember reading about it in Uncle John's Bathroom Reader, maybe? Katie Marinello: Okay. Yeah. Me too. Claire Fisher: in the mid aughts, like the prequels were already out. Katie Marinello: Yeah. Cause we, I only saw these movies like a year before the prequels came out. Or two years. Yeah. Claire Fisher: If it was during the re release in 97, then it was Katie Marinello: So the prequels came out. Yeah. Claire Fisher: don't think I knew about the Holiday Special until, like ten years later. Katie Marinello: I heard about it and it's Oh cool. There's more Star Wars stuff out there. But then the article obviously it was about all the controversy around it. Claire Fisher: Yeah do you want me to tell you a little about the times [00:02:00] in Katie Marinello: Yes. Tell me about the times. Claire Fisher: To set the scene, Star Wars was first released in the United States May of 77. This special aired November 17, 1978, so it was a full 18 months later. But, Star Wars had been re released over the summer of 78, so it was fresh in everybody's minds and people were hotly anticipating the next piece of media to come out, Katie Marinello: Did that happen a lot? That they would re release a movie like that? Claire Fisher: Keep in mind there were no home video systems. Claire Fisher: , re Release was the only way to get people to watch your movie more than once. Katie Marinello: I know Disney did that a lot, but not within a year. Claire Fisher: well, its re release was actually popular enough that it was the number one movie in America at one point in August of 78. Katie Marinello: It's not surprising, because I think in that year they'd managed to build up enough of a fan base that people were probably seeing it more than once. Claire Fisher: So there was hype around the Star Wars brand at Katie Marinello: Yes, and they wanted to keep the hype [00:03:00] going. Claire Fisher: And, as I said, it aired on CBS, November 17th, one week before Thanksgiving. It pre empted new episodes of Wonder Woman and the Incredible Hulk, which were delayed by a week as a result. Katie Marinello: enough. 1978 is also the day Rachel McAdams was born. Katie Marinello: Okay. Claire Fisher: It's the day Denmark granted self government to Greenland. Katie Marinello: Wow. Claire Fisher: And the next day, 900 people killed themselves at Jonestown. Katie Marinello: Wow. Okay. Claire Fisher: But I'm certain that's unrelated. Katie Marinello: Oh my God. Katie Marinello: All right. So you're putting me firmly in 1978. Claire Fisher: It was November 1978, so this was actually, they called it the holiday special, it was a Thanksgiving special. Katie Marinello: That is a holiday. Claire Fisher: Yes. Katie Marinello: So you can't get mad that it's not the Christmas special. First of all, there, a long time ago in a galaxy far away. And also because. It was a Thanksgiving special. Claire Fisher: Are you ready for a [00:04:00] 54 second plot summary? Katie Marinello: Dear Lord. Yes. Let's do it. Katie Marinello: Wait, sorry. Are we going on the assumption that there's a plot to this movie? Claire Fisher: Ha. Let me summarize. Katie Marinello: Yes, please do. Claire Fisher: While Chewbacca's wife Mala, his son Lumpy, and his father Itchy prepare for Life Day on Kashyyyk, Han Solo attempts to evade Imperial authorities to get Chewie home for the holiday. Meanwhile, there are variety show acts including songs and comedy routines by Jefferson Starship, Diahann Carroll, Art Carney, Harvey Korman, and Bea Arthur, and a cartoon featuring the debut of Boba Fett. Although Imperial troops invade the family home, Chewie's son Lumpy lures most of them away with faked recall orders. Han and Chewie arrive just in time to murder the rearguard. Art Carney covers up for the killing. The Wookiees don red robes and walk in circles holding candles. Inexplicably, characters who were previously nowhere near Kashyyyk also arrive, including 3PO, R2 D2, Luke, and Leia, who sings a song in honor of Life Day, The End. Katie Marinello: Very good. Claire Fisher: [00:05:00] And that's 47 seconds, but in my defense, there's actually no Katie Marinello: There's not anything else to say really. There's more fun. Claire Fisher: summarizes the plot. Katie Marinello: So thank you for listening to Carrie'd Far Far Away Katie Marinello: okay. Let's talk about the cast a little bit, because obviously this was. These were big names, right? And when you do a holiday special, you tend to bring on guest stars who are big names. But I imagine that these people all thought, Oh, cool. I'm going to be part of Star Wars. Not knowing that Claire Fisher: they would get a paycheck for doing one more holiday special. None of these Claire Fisher: people were strangers to what was then actually a fairly popular genre of Katie Marinello: that's true. That's true. And Claire Fisher: show. Katie Marinello: as we discussed, Sabrina Carpenter did a holiday special this year. Like they're still happening. Okay. So we're not going to talk about the cast members who were in star wars, cause we've already done that to death. Katie Marinello: But Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han [00:06:00] Solo, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Anthony Daniels as C 3PO, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. Katie Marinello: They also had archive footage of Darth Vader Alec Guinness and some of the Imperial officers. Kenny Baker was not in it. The R2 D2 scenes were entirely done by robot, control robot, which was controlled by George Lucas's receptionist, Mick Garris. So a little trivia there for you Claire Fisher: So that explains why the credits said R2 D2 as R2 D2 Katie Marinello: that does. Yeah, it was in fact, just a droid. Claire Fisher: curious about that. Alright, so who else is in this? Katie Marinello: So let's talk about Bea Arthur. I think she's probably to modern audiences. The 1 that's still like most top of mind because Golden Girls has never fallen out of popularity. So obviously she was Dorothy on Golden Girls. She was also Maude, which was a character that started in All in the Family and then had its own spinoff known for having [00:07:00] one of the first abortion episodes on TV, if I recall correctly. Katie Marinello: Art Carney we talked about last time he was also in Ringo's special, Katie Marinello: Go Figure. And he's known for everything. Claire Fisher: Yeah. Katie Marinello: Oddly enough, the Star Wars Holiday Special does make it into the first, or the second paragraph of his bio. But it's last. And He's most known for The Honeymooners. . Diahann Carroll. Katie Marinello: Was in some of the earliest major studio films to feature black casts, including Carmen Jones, Porgy and Bess She received an Academy Award for Best Actress in the film Claudine and then she was in the title role of Julia from 1960 to 1971. And she got a Golden Globe for that for Best TV Star. Katie Marinello: So she was well known at the time. I must admit, this is the first thing I've seen her in, as far as I [00:08:00] know. Claire Fisher: Julia isn't really still in syndication the way Katie Marinello: Unfortunately, not. Claire Fisher: is, but Katie Marinello: Yeah. Katie Marinello: Okay. So Harvey Korman Claire Fisher: He plays three roles, right? Katie Marinello: yeah, plays 3 roles. . So Harvey Korman best known as a main cast member for the Carol Burnett Show for which he won 4 primetime Emmys. And a Golden Globe Award. He did have his own sitcom briefly. He's also known for voice work, including The Great Gazoo in The Flintstones. Which has a very specific place in cultural history, I feel like. Claire Fisher: So I was thinking about it The Carol Burnett Show and Maude were both still on the air, and I believe both on CBS, when this Katie Marinello: makes sense. Claire Fisher: this holiday special has the energy of, let's just call around and see who wants to be in Star Wars. Katie Marinello: very similar to Ringo, right? Let's just call in some of our old friends. Thanks. Claire Fisher: okay, so if we're ready to move into a bit of commentary here.[00:09:00] Claire Fisher: I'm going to say, the first time I ever watched this was Christmas of 2008, at your insistence. Specifically because, I had, two weeks earlier, while recovering from sinus surgery, watched Star Wars A New Hope, a little stoned on Vicodin, and come away saying, man, Obi Wan is a jerk! Katie Marinello: Such a jerk. Claire Fisher: And you had said if we're going to go through a whole Star Wars rewatch, let's watch the ones we haven't seen. Katie Marinello: The one at that time, right? You had, Claire Fisher: had just come out Katie Marinello: Oh, Clone Wars had just come out. Okay. Claire Fisher: year. Now I've watched the Star Wars Holiday Special again at Christmas 2024, also with you. And in the intervening 16 years, I just want to note for our audience, I have had three concussions. There was a swing dancing accident, a cart handle fell on my head, there was a roughhousing incident on your birthday one year. I've had three head injuries. And I remembered, still, after 16 years and 3 head injuries, [00:10:00] the scene in which Itchy watches VR porn of Diane Carroll. Katie Marinello: Yeah, Claire Fisher: No amount of brain trauma can block that out. Katie Marinello: no. Claire Fisher: I also remembered Mala trying to cook dinner with the help of a cooking show, and Lumpy trying to assemble his voice imitator with a video guide. I don't think I ever knew that the cooking show hostess and the video guide were both the same guy, and that it Harvey Korman Harvey Corman is therefore in drag with four arms in this special, and then also two separate aliens in this special. Claire Fisher: I don't think I knew that. Katie Marinello: Interesting fact, Harvey Corman's other two arms have a credit on IMDb. Claire Fisher: Who played them? Katie Marinello: Mickey Morton, who played Mala, Is also according to Wikipedia Torque and Chef Go's second pair of arms uncredited Claire Fisher: I don't know how you would credit that, but okay. Katie Marinello: well as chef go. [00:11:00] chef Go's second pair of arms. Claire Fisher: I will say, I did not have the cultural awareness in 2008 to recognize that they were making fun of Julia Child in that sequence. I get it now, I didn't then, right? Katie Marinello: I, yeah, getting, it is an interesting term. Claire Fisher: And then the third part that stood out in my mind, after 16 years, was just how awful Mark Hamill looked. Katie Marinello: I know you said that when we were watching it, but I didn't really get it. Claire Fisher: He was in pancake makeup and being filmed from like the next county over. Katie Marinello: That's true. They did have wide shot on him and. Claire Fisher: they did not show him off. And I was looking into the timeline on this. And he was in a car accident in January of 1977. So after he had filmed A New Hope, but before it was released, in which he broke his nose and his cheekbone. Claire Fisher: So when they were making the holiday special, he was recovering from corrective surgery In the holiday special, I guess they didn't want to bother [00:12:00] with Oh, Luke's been in an accident, as one more plot point, though. It would have made as much sense as anything else in this special. Then, of course, in The Empire Strikes Back, they explain it as, he got hit in the face by a wampa. This special, they just were hoping you wouldn't notice he didn't look like how he'd looked a year before. Claire Fisher: It shows. Katie Marinello: And to be fair, I didn't notice. On a 1978 screen, you definitely wouldn't notice. Katie Marinello: We'll talk about this when we get to Empire Strikes Back but I don't even know that it was that necessary to explain it because to me, it doesn't look that, that different. Katie Marinello: And it's certainly no different than a first season housewife to a third season housewife Claire Fisher: I'll say that according to the timelines presented, they had already intended for Empire Strikes Back to start with a monster attack. Katie Marinello: because they all have one. Claire Fisher: they all have some kind of fight with a monster as part of the plot. And then, when Mark Hamill required plastic surgery, they just were like, alright, so then we won't have to [00:13:00] explain it, we'll just show him get attacked by a monster and any difference in how his nose looks is that. So anyway, back to the holiday special. Now that I've told you what I had remembered after 16 years and three concussions, what did you remember going into watching it this time? Katie Marinello: I remembered Bea Arthur and I remember the complaint in that article that we read in Uncle John's Bathroom Reader, which by the way, not an ad should be an ad love them. I remember that they complained about like long portions of unsubtitled Wookiee, Wookiee Claire Fisher: There are long portions. Katie Marinello: There are, but I also feel like you do understand what they're doing. Katie Marinello: Cause we've all been with family on holidays. And the kid's being annoying and the grandpa's being grumpy and the mom's just waiting for her husband to come home. Katie Marinello: But yeah, it's definitely. It goes on a little long. A little long. But yeah, I remember Bea Arthur. I didn't remember [00:14:00] how she got into the special. Katie Marinello: So this house that Chewbacca's never to be seen again family live in has so much to tech in it, like every cabinet seems to open up a different screen and then that's so it's never the same screen, but that screen then pulls in a different character Katie Marinello: and the Bea Arthur musical number is presented as a propaganda film for the Imperial forces, right? Katie Marinello: So it's Claire Fisher: as live propaganda. Katie Marinello: live propaganda that is mandatory watching. So they have to watch it and it's supposed to show how immoral people in Mos Eisley are. Claire Fisher: And so Bea Arthur's character in universe just does a spontaneous musical number Katie Marinello: after, so first of all, they do there's numerous camera shots in this propaganda film, live propaganda film, and there's this guy who comes in who's convinced himself that she's in love [00:15:00] with him because she said, Come back soon, I'll be waiting, which is what she says to everybody. And so I was like, Oh, great. Katie Marinello: It doesn't matter how long ago or how far away you are. You're always going to end up with some creepy customer when you work in service. And then it randomly goes to the, if you were live streaming, a propaganda film, would you then put everybody on lockdown live on television? Katie Marinello: That doesn't seem to put you in a good light. And then it just has all these people refusing to lock down, which We have some context to that, that we didn't have in 2008 as well. Claire Fisher: Yeah, but if I was in charge of Imperial propaganda, I would cut the broadcast there so that I could send in the Stormtroopers. I Claire Fisher: wouldn't keep the camera on for Bea Arthur to sing a song. Katie Marinello: right. Isn't there an Imperial cameraman. Claire Fisher: Yeah, Katie Marinello: And then what stood out to me from 2008 that I remembered was her begging everybody to leave because they're all going to get in trouble [00:16:00] and them refusing and then she sings them a song about how wonderful they are as friends and then they all leave. Katie Marinello: And Claire Fisher: they were holding out for an encore. Katie Marinello: Yes. Okay. One more drink. She says one more drink. She says that like a couple times. Claire Fisher: And then the song that she sings has an entire verse that's just Da da da, Katie Marinello: Oh, yes. Claire Fisher: too, Katie Marinello: Like they ran out of words. Claire Fisher: In universe, if it's supposed to be like an improvised song she's singing sure, that makes sense, but somebody got paid to write it for the Star Wars Holiday Special. So like, What the hell is going on in this special? Claire Fisher: The Wikipedia page for this special does summarize some of the types of screens involved Katie Marinello: Oh, please. Yeah. Claire Fisher: kind of Obscure and for many decades was hard to see, so we may have some listeners who, even if they've seen Star Wars, never watched the holiday special. But, okay Mala uses one screen to call Luke Skywalker. Video call. Ooh, in the [00:17:00] 70s that seemed cool. Same one she uses to call Saun Dan, which is apparently the name of Art Carney's character. I didn't catch it. Then she watches a cooking show, on a separate screen. Then Saun comes in with Life Day gifts for everyone, one of which is the virtual reality fantasy program, featuring Diahann Carroll for Itchy. Claire Fisher: Then the Imperial officers show up to search Chewbacca's house, and while they're searching San and the others try to distract them with a music video box, which plays a 3D music video by Jefferson Starship. Lumpy goes up to his room and watches on a separate view screen a cartoon about his father's adventures. Claire Fisher: Which, by the way, if you know your father's a fugitive and the Imperial forces are searching the house, don't sit down and watch a rebel propaganda film about your father, right? But, okay. Then, on a separate screen, he watches the manual for a new translation device that he can use to fake the command, the orders to [00:18:00] retreat. Then the living room view screen comes back on to play Tatooine. Which is when they, we have the whole Mos Eisley Cantina problem. Same screen plays the faked call to return to base. Katie Marinello: Where does Leah come Claire Fisher: Somewhere in? Claire Fisher: there, Lumpy also plays with a holographic circus. Yeah, so where does Leia come in? Claire Fisher: Leia just shows up at the end. Katie Marinello: No, but they do call her. Claire Fisher: Okay, yeah they must call her at the same device that they used to call Luke. Katie Marinello: Yeah. Okay. So yeah. So should we get into Carrie Fisher or should we talk more about the porn? Cause I feel like we, we skimmed right on over that. Claire Fisher: Do you want me to cut in the audio of Claire Fisher: Diane Carol, what Diane Claire Fisher: Carol's, okay, [00:19:00] Katie Marinello: What do you think Diane thought when she got that script? Claire Fisher: I don't think she thought she was talking to a Wookiee. Katie Marinello: Yeah. I wonder at what point [00:20:00] she knew that. Yeah. And like the hand motions that he makes the face, like it's just of all the things now I remember when we were watching this originally, we thought it came out right after the movie came out, right? Like it came out six months later and we were like, okay, fine. Katie Marinello: But it was a full 18 months later. Claire Fisher: Yeah. Katie Marinello: And. Of all the things that they could think to do in this huge universe that they've just created out of whole cloth, which is basically a blank canvas, right? They can establish lore in any way, shape, or form. Katie Marinello: And they come up with a sexually harassing bar attendant and virtual porn. Claire Fisher: And Luke telling Chewie's wife to smile more. Katie Marinello: That's true. He does do that. Yeah. Claire Fisher: she calls him, she was worried 'cause Chewy should have been home by now, and she thinks they probably got in trouble. And Luke is completely dismissive of her concerns and then tells her to smile more. [00:21:00] And alArt our Carney's character also demands a Christmas kiss from her. Claire Fisher: He, he doesn't say that when they walk in, she gives him a hug and he says, oh, what's an old friend get? And makes her kiss him on the cheek. Which is, ugh. Yeah your husband's away fighting a war, and people are just dropping by the house to demand kisses. Katie Marinello: Yes. They call Luke and then they also call Leia. Both of them have basically identical conversations with that, Katie Marinello: Which is Oh, they are, they left, they should be there by now. Oh, they're not there. Oh I'm sure they'll make it. They always make it. Claire Fisher: Which they do! Katie Marinello: Yes. Claire Fisher: And Han straight up murders someone. We see the Imperial Guards retreat with, because of the faked orders, but they order one guy to stay behind and wait to see if Chewie comes home. And then when Han gets there, he kicks that guy off the side of the mountain that Chewie's house is built into. And then hugs Lumpy, hands Lumpy over to Chewy, and says, Alright, I'm gonna go back and guard the Falcon. [00:22:00] Happy Life Day, everybody. And it's you have a dead body at the bottom of a cliff underneath the home of a rebel he was ordered to guard. There is absolutely no way this doesn't end with everyone in the house getting arrested for conspiracy to commit murder. Katie Marinello: Is there a reason that Katie Marinello: that. Particular murders stands out to you because obviously they're wasting stormtroopers on a regular basis. Claire Fisher: it Katie Marinello: In these movies, Claire Fisher: to me because of how blatant and obvious it is. Katie Marinello: right. Claire Fisher: Chewie's family's gonna end up in a re education camp tomorrow morning. Katie Marinello: Watching really bad propaganda films Claire Fisher: doubt. Katie Marinello: former stars of the Golden Girls. I understand the golden girls wasn't on yet, but Claire Fisher: the only nod to the fact that Han just killed somebody in an incredibly obvious way is that Art Carney's character then calls headquarters and says, Oh, that guy you left to guard us just left. Katie Marinello: yeah he abandoned. Claire Fisher: he left right over the cliff is how he left. You're gonna find his corpse there in the morning. Like the Katie Marinello: That is both the [00:23:00] most plot that this movie has and the most that they've ever explained the death or disappearance of a stormtrooper in the movie. Now, hours and decades of this franchise. Claire Fisher: You know how people sometimes at the end of Return of the Jedi say wouldn't exploding something that close to the atmosphere cause there to be like some massive ecological problems the next morning or like nuclear fallout? I'm doing the Endor Holocaust of the holiday special. By the end of this week, everyone in Chewbacca's neighborhood has had their house burned down and been taken to a re education camp because they straight up murdered a storm trooper and covered up the crime. Katie Marinello: that's dark, Claire. I think just in this last 35 seconds, you've given more thought to this than anyone involved in making it did. Katie Marinello: Who did Claire Fisher: Who didn't figure out, until she was an adult, that the Ewoks eat the Stormtroopers. Claire Fisher: Okay. Katie Marinello: I think I'm not the only one who doesn't realize [00:24:00] that. Claire Fisher: are using their helmets for drums at the celebration! Katie Marinello: I know. Claire Fisher: that Ewoks eat humanoids! What the Katie Marinello: And apparently robots too. So Claire Fisher: Okay, you were gonna ask me who made this, so let's Katie Marinello: yeah, who did make this? Yeah. Let's get into some trivia here. Claire Fisher: death rates. Okay. You know the saying, victory has a thousand fathers, defeat is an orphan? Katie Marinello: Yes. Claire Fisher: Okay, no one can agree on why this holiday special was as bad as it was. Absolutely no one. Apparently George Lucas said something like he would like to explore Wookie culture more. Katie Marinello: Fair. Claire Fisher: But Lucasfilm was actually in the middle of moving its production studios and getting pre production on Empire Strikes Back rolling. So this is not a Lucasfilm production. Claire Fisher: Okay, CBS licensed the characters and did the holiday special, Katie Marinello: okay. Claire Fisher: They then hired a whole bunch of people who had experience writing for variety shows and for specials, but [00:25:00] nobody who had experience with Star Wars. Katie Marinello: Which, to be fair, at that point was like five people. Claire Fisher: They did go through two directors. The first director, David Acamba, made just the Jefferson Starship 3D video and the Cantina sequence, and then quit because he was in over his head. He didn't understand multi camera setups. Katie Marinello: Oh. Claire Fisher: Which is Katie Marinello: How do you become a director? Claire Fisher: minimum for working in TV, right? Claire Fisher: He had been a classmate of George Lucas's at film school, so there's some Katie Marinello: Oh, Claire Fisher: was hired, thinking like, oh, we'll just get someone else who went to the same program, but it turned out it didn't work. Claire Fisher: So he quit, and then they hired Steve Binder, who's mostly famous for doing live broadcast concerts Diana Ross in Central Park, apparently, Claire Fisher: is something that he directed. And he says his only contact with Lucasfilm was them giving him like, Bible that explained what Wookiees [00:26:00] are. Katie Marinello: Okay. Have we ever seen that Bible? Claire Fisher: It's the holiday special. That's what it turned into. He took that Bible and he made this. Katie Marinello: Okay. I'm just surprised with all the things that have been published about the making of every all the other movies that there's not been Katie Marinello: That Bible released as a special edition or whatever. Claire Fisher: We should talk about the canonicity of this special a little bit, in the context of some of this trivia, Katie Marinello: Can you say that again? Canonicity? Is that a word? Claire Fisher: The question of whether it's part of the Star Wars canon or not. Katie Marinello: So given that George Lucas, apparently, according to legend. Wanted all copies destroyed. And it was never allowed to re air again. Now, I know that's not like Bible truth, but it was never allowed to air again. And at the time there wasn't, like you said, a lot of home video opportunities. It was almost impossible to see from the time it aired [00:27:00] until YouTube, right. Claire Fisher: In 1978, a few fans, diehards, had taped it onto VHS tapes, or Betamax. And so copies of those tapes are how this special survives. Katie Marinello: Yeah. Claire Fisher: many decades that meant that if you watched it, you were literally watching it with whichever commercials the local CBS affiliate had shoved in there, right? I remember the first time we saw it, we were watching one that had commercials for the Star Wars holiday toy lines in it, right? Katie Marinello: Which is always fun. It's fun to see those like time capsule commercials. Claire Fisher: Okay, so George Lucas Despite hating it said as late as 1987, I don't think it will air on TV again, but it may be released on home video. Claire Fisher: That never happened, in Claire Fisher: an official capacity. With the exception of, the cartoon sequence has been released as a bonus for the 2011 Blu ray box set and on Disney Plus. It's called The Story of the Faithful Wookie, [00:28:00] which is why it appears on Carrie Fisher's credits. Katie Marinello: Oh, Claire Fisher: Because her voice is in that. That appears on her credits alongside the Star Wars Holiday Special as two things she did, but it was really one thing she did. Katie Marinello: wow. Okay. Yeah. Cause I saw that and I saw it's on Disney plus, but I didn't realize it was the same story. Claire Fisher: In 2005, Lucas said that quote, I can't even remember who the group was, but they were variety TV guys. We let them use the characters and stuff. And that probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. But you learn from those experiences. Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford both say they have never watched it. In 2010, Carrie Fisher told a New York Times columnist that she had made Lucas give her a copy of this special in exchange for recording commentary for the Star Wars DVDs Katie Marinello: Yes, I did hear that. Yeah. Claire Fisher: she wanted it so that she would, quote, have something for parties when I want everyone to leave. Katie Marinello: And I remember that she made in [00:29:00] her Wishful Drinking stage show, there were like, she would change this line, but it would be like it can't be worse than, Sorority Row. Or the Holiday Special, like she would always make it a butt of the joke. Katie Marinello: But I wonder if she ever actually watched it. I did, I saw that same anecdote in my research about. Her receiving a copy. Claire Fisher: The only thing she really does in it is sing a song about Life Day to the tune of the Star Wars theme music. [00:30:00] Claire Fisher: Inexplicably, because her character's not supposed to be on [00:31:00] the planet, and nobody has told us what Life Day is. Or why Princess Leia would know a Life Day carol. Katie Marinello: It is interesting that in a two hour, give or take, right? Special they don't ever explain what the holiday is. So they managed to squeeze in Boba Fett, who obviously has this cult following that's persisted to this day. They managed to squeeze in porn and a music video. And some sort of 3D Claire Fisher: Circus. Katie Marinello: thingy, circus game thingy, and then they don't manage to squeeze in what Life Day is. Katie Marinello: Is it something that's only celebrated on the Wookiee planet? Is it something that's celebrated throughout the galaxy? Are Leia and Luke also going to visit? Oh wait, they don't have any family. Claire Fisher: They show up with Chewbacca's family at the end without any explanation Katie Marinello: They've spent all this time avoiding the Imperial Starships to get there, and then [00:32:00] the other ones just, I don't know, beam in? Apparently we're beaming now in this universe. Claire Fisher: exactly. Katie Marinello: Also, one more thing, they have all this technology to call Luke and Leia, but there's no cell phone on the Millennium Falcon. Claire Fisher: No, there are no cell phones. Claire Fisher: I'll Katie Marinello: is being traced, but so would be wherever Luke and Leia is be, right? Claire Fisher: Also, it's established that the Imperial officers are watching Chewie's house because they know he's going to come home for Life Day. And they know he's a rebel. So again, the whole neighborhood gets burned down and everybody goes to re education camps is the only logical coda here. Katie Marinello: Re education camps were the first to watch, again. Just if that's the propaganda that they have to watch, I'm not sure what they're gonna get out of it, but sure. Claire Fisher: Okay, so this brings us to what Lucasfilm did with the elements introduced in this story. special, right? Katie Marinello: Okay, so the things that did become Claire Fisher: The things [00:33:00] that did become Katie Marinello: Quote unquote canon, yeah. Claire Fisher: right? Okay, so we already mentioned Boba Fett. His first encounter with our heroes is portrayed in the cartoon that Lumpy watches in universe, but Boba Fett's a real person in universe, so the implication is that the rebellion is releasing cartoons that illustrate recent events to warn us that Boba Fett is untrustworthy. Claire Fisher: And then, of course, Boba Fett plays actually a significant role in The Empire Strikes Back as the bounty hunter who gets Han frozen in carbonite. Before Lucasfilm was sold to Disney, in the 2010s, they had an in house database for things that were considered top level canon, which was things that appear in the movies, Claire Fisher: things that appeared as second tier canon, which is things that Lucas came up with, things that were, like, in deleted scenes or, officially sanctioned novelizations but never had appeared on screen, and then third tier canon was, like the extended universe of, The [00:34:00] comic books, the cartoons, the tie in novels, the picture books that you and I had, the radio adaptations that we played on cassette, right? Claire Fisher: All that. And apparently this special was second tier. Claire Fisher: Which meant that when third tier things like tie in novels wanted to feature Chewie or his family, they used the names from this. Chewie is canonically married to Mala. They have a son named Lumpy. His father is itchy and watches Diahann Carroll porn. The planet Kashyyyk, which is where they live, would appear on screen in Revenge of the Sith, after having been considered canonically the home of the Wookiees in the extended universe up until then. So that was like 27 years later, right? Now when Disney took over Lucasfilm, they scrapped the whole extended universe, and along with it they scrapped the idea of multiple tiers of canon. But, Life Day is mentioned in the [00:35:00] Mandalorian. Katie Marinello: really? Claire Fisher: there, the holiday is canon. In universe. And on Star Wars Skeleton Crew, which just came out, I believe, last month someone plays with a holographic circus that looks like Lumpy's holographic circus. Obviously some of this is just in jokes because the kinds of people who are being hired to work on modern Star Wars media Katie Marinello: grew up with this stuff. Claire Fisher: Some of this is just in jokes, but It hasn't been disowned, Katie Marinello: Okay. Claire Fisher: despite being infamously terrible, and being exactly as terrible as its reputation Katie Marinello: Yeah. It's not like , Oh, it's so bad. It's good. Or Oh, it's so, Oh yeah, I can see why they didn't like it back then, but it has interesting, no, there's nothing interesting about this Claire Fisher: just really boring. There's one sequence that made me laugh, and it's the sequence with Korman playing Julia Child with four arms, and saying things like, Cut it into bite sized pieces. Of course, only you know how big bites are in your house. And then, Whisk, whip, beat. Whisk, whip, [00:36:00] beat. Claire Fisher: Cooking can be fun. That's the only sequence that makes me laugh in a two hour special. Katie Marinello: And for the record, Claire used that all week long as we were making cookies. Claire Fisher: We made a lot of cookies at Christmas. If you don't have something to laugh about, you'll keel over and die. Katie Marinello: Yeah. No. We have gone a little off the rails here because we're supposed to be talking about Carrie Fisher. But like you said, she appears in approximately 27 seconds of this entire two hour special. Claire Fisher: yeah. Katie Marinello: She's in the phone call and then she is magically there at the end and she does sing. Katie Marinello: And even the song she's I don't know. I know this is like a thing on TV. Like she just doesn't sound like she's actually singing and she had a really good voice we know in real life. So it's it's weird. The sound like changes there at the end. Claire Fisher: Yeah, apparently it's called A Day to Celebrate. I looked up if there's a title for this song. There is. Katie Marinello: okay. A Day to Celebrate. [00:37:00] And yeah, Claire Fisher: The lyrics are terrible. Katie Marinello: so given that she is in fact a Hutt Slayer, this could not be less Hutt Slay y. Claire Fisher: Zero Hutslayers. Zero Hutslayers. She does nothing in this whole special. Katie Marinello: It's true. They were all in it. So why didn't they use them more? Claire Fisher: I got the distinct sense they couldn't get them all on the set at the same time. Notice Katie Marinello: It was a very busy year. This is what the third movie that we're discussing that came out in 1978. Claire Fisher: Yeah. She never interacts with Han. Han's never in the same scene with Luke. It's Claire Fisher: obvious. Yes. Katie Marinello: even 18 months after Star Wars came out, it was clear Harrison Ford was going to be the standout star, because he's to the extent that any of the original characters are in it, it's him and Chewie, Claire Fisher: Yeah. Katie Marinello: who are in the vast majority of the scenes that include anyone from the first movie. Claire Fisher: Which, again, I cannot stress this enough, is not most of the special. Most of the special, Claire Fisher: we are hanging out with [00:38:00] Chewie's father, wife, and son, who are just killing time waiting for him to come home. Katie Marinello: it's the far, far away equivalent of scrolling on your phone while watching TV with your family, waiting for some waiting for Christmas dinner. It's so many screens. Claire Fisher: That's absolutely what this is, which I guess is authentic to a certain holiday experience. Not the one we have, because when we're waiting for Christmas Eve dinner, we're frying like five different types of fish Katie Marinello: Yes Claire Fisher: hundreds of cookies, but Katie Marinello: Yes, but Katie Marinello: yeah, Claire Fisher: this the holiday special, it's the holiday special for people who aren't helping in the kitchen. Katie Marinello: and that's a mouthful, isn't it? Claire Fisher: Yep. Katie Marinello: Okay, so we're going, I'm going to give her one Hutslayer just because she is the Hutslayer. Claire Fisher: zero Hutslayers. She is the equivalent of the carol singer who rings the doorbell in a Christmas special. Claire Fisher: And just gives you half a verse of Away in a Manger, and then Fs off. Katie Marinello: She's like the the [00:39:00] boombox that the guy at the end of Love Actually puts down. Claire Fisher: Yes, she's that, in terms of significance to this plot. She doesn't even stay for dinner, okay? When they go back inside to sit down and eat dinner. Chewbacca's family, Luke, 3PO, R2, and Leia all disappear again. Either they beamed out again or like they're walking to where Han hid the falcon or we don't know. Katie Marinello: Or that was all a fantasy sequence and none of that actually Claire Fisher: Was that also Claire Fisher: virtual porn? Was it a dream? And it is not explained. Will this neighborhood be burned down in the next 25 minutes? Tune Katie Marinello: hate, okay, all right, I hate to bring in Star Trek again, but it's very hollow. Deck isn't it? Claire Fisher: Yeah it's a holodeck. Claire Fisher: Yeah. Katie Marinello: All right. If the story of the loyal wookiee or whatever is Claire Fisher: It's just the cartoon from Claire Fisher: this one. Yeah. So that means that actually Katie Marinello: oh my god Claire Fisher: up [00:40:00] next. Katie Marinello: Empire Strikes Back, baby. All right, so we promised to come back with a movie that is good Katie Marinello: because we've had a couple of not great ones in between Claire Fisher: Until the Empire comes and strikes our backs, just remember the immortal words of Carrie Fisher, If my life Claire Fisher: wasn't Katie Marinello: isn't even funny. Claire Fisher: it would just Katie Marinello: would just be true. And that's unacceptable. Thanks for listening to another episode of Carried Far, Far Away. This podcast is hosted, produced, edited, and re-edited obsessed over and loved by Katie Marinello and Claire Fisher. You can follow the show on Facebook and Instagram at carriedawaypod. You can email us awaycarriedpod@gmail.com. You can follow Claire @deadfictionalgirlfriends and Katie @katiedaway. All clips used in this podcast are done so under the protection of fair use. Have a wonderful week and may the force be with you. Katie Marinello: And now our space, grandma wisdom of the week. Carrie Fisher: ​ And in conclusion your honor Carrie Fisher: Hope I slept with you to get the job, because if not, who [00:41:00] the hell was that guy?