getTV HONORS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. ON MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY WITH A RARELY SEEN EPISODE OF THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, FEATURING A POWERFUL INTERVIEW WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS ICON, ON JAN. 18 AT 10 P.M. ET
The Episode is Part of getTV’s Monday Day Night Variety Block, Which Includes Count Basie on THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW and Lena Horne on THE PERRY COMO SHOW
CULVER CITY, CA – Monday, January 11, 2016 – getTV celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with one of THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW’s most legendary episodes on Monday, January 18, at 10 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT, as Civil Rights pioneer Martin Luther King Jr. joins the talk show icon for a powerful discussion that still rings true today, addressing the victories of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as his views on riots, race relations, and the Vietnam War. The rarely seen extended sit-down, which originally aired June 6, 1967, was one of Dr. King’s first appearances on an entertainment-based talk show. He was initially there to promote the release of his fifth book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?, appearing alongside close friend and fellow Civil Rights activist Harry Belafonte, who reveals early in the episode that Dr. King—while a fan of the show—had some concerns about appearing on this type of program.
However, once the interview starts, Dr. King puts any trepidation aside in a particularly memorable introduction that gives a charming glimpse at the man behind the hero. Smiling and laughing, Dr. King puts his charismatic personality on full display as he jokes about the limitations that being a clergyman has placed on his ability to experience the “fun” side of New York, before talking about his move to Atlanta, his young family, and his job as co-pastor at his father’s church. From here, he moves on to tackle the blame he has incurred for inciting violent riots, despite his fervent emphasis on peaceful demonstrations.
For more of this insightful interview, tune into THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, airing as part of getTV’s Monday Night Variety Block, on January 18, at 10 p.m. ET. In addition to honoring the Civil Rights leader, the special block celebrates a pair of African-American icons, starting with influential bandleader, composer, and musician Count Basie on THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW at 8 p.m. ET, as he conducts Garland and his orchestra in a rousing medley that includes “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm,” “April In Paris,” and many more. Then, Jazz legend Lena Horne brilliantly performs at Boston’s War Memorial Auditorium in the 1965 Kraft Music Hall edition of THE PERRY COMO SHOW, pairing up with Como for a New England-themed medley featuring “Moonlight in Vermont” and “Old Cape Cod,” that hasn’t been seen for decades.
