The Sonny & Cher Nitty Gritty Hour

Salvatore Bono and Cherilyn LaPiere, better known as Sonny & Cher, are the hosts of this TV variety hour that offers a couple of good tunes and a fair amount of dated TV schlock. The highlights are performances of "I've Got You Babe" and "The Beat Goes On," and Cher's solo performance of "Danny Boy." The lowlights (of which there are, unfortunately more) include a vocal/dance medley of "Alfie," "All You Need Is Love," and "Funky Broadway," during which Cher and other dancers appear to be competing for the skimpiest costume award; it's an embarrassingly tacky segment. In addition to Sonny and Cher's battle of the sexes repartee (which is dated and boring), the couple play a game of charades with featured guests. I've never understood the logic that says that bad TV will somehow make good video; it doesn't. Having to sit through 70s variety TV to hear a few reasonably good songs is really cruel and unusual punishment. Not a necessary purchase. (Available from: V.I.E.W. Video, 34 East 23 St., New York, NY 10010; 1-800-843-9843.)