Decades of Christmas specials have established a set of standards to live up to, or down to, as in the case of “Larry the Cable Guy’s Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau” (9 p.m., CMT). The first principle of the inappropriately early Christmas special is to recognize the fact that the audience has no illusions that it has not been taped months earlier on a stage in Hollywood or Nashville, far away in time and space from the holiday mood. This explains Larry’s decision to place the special on the fictional island of Hula-Poola, the setting for comedy sketches and musical performances by Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band.
The second holiday tradition observed here is the casting of celebrities from decades past, folks lodged in the “where are they now?” filing cabinet of the average viewer’s brain. It’s even better when those vintage performers are well known for their own Christmas and holiday specials, like crooner, comedian and Jerry Lewis telethon regular Tony Orlando. He’s joined by George Lindsey, an actor best known for his role as Gomer Pyle’s slower-witted cousin, Goober, on “The Andy Griffith Show,” a role he reprised on “Mayberry R.F.D.” and on the syndicated country music and comedy showcase “Hee Haw.”
Other guests include Caroline Rhea, a veteran of both “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” and “The Biggest Loser.” According to the unwritten rules of holiday specials, I predict we’ll be seeing Rhea for many Christmases to come.
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