"Star Peepers"

"Star Peepers"
February 2, 1982
B-

In contrast to the episodes where the girls fall down at the feet of celebrities (sometimes literally), here they are disillusioned when crooner Johnny Velvet (Harry Dean Stanton) turns out to be a jerk.  They swear revenge, so they go to the publishing office of Rhonda's favorite tabloid, The Peeper, conveniently located in Los Angeles and open 24/7.  The publisher, Tidmore (Harry Shearer, making his last appearance on the show, and doing a British accent, because, hey, why not?), encourages them to gather more evidence, which they do, but he wants to sensationalize the story beyond what they imagine.  The girls refuse to take his money, and they threaten a little blackmail of their own against Tidmore.  This is better than much of Season Seven, because I like the sight gag of "the Hanger sisters," as well as the different view of celebrity offered here.  As in the "furrier" episode, the girls are dealing with moral dilemmas that they haven't in the past, or at least not in this way.  (Larry Levinson and Barry O'Brien wouldn't write any more for L & S, so perhaps that explains it.)

Annoyed Customer Leoda Richards had two earlier roles on the show.