{{Short description|Canadian radio show}} {{About|the radio show|REO Speedwagon song|Variety Tonight (song)}} {{italic title}} '''''Variety Tonight''''' was a CBC Radio show which aired from 1980 until 1985 in the 8–10 p.m. timeslot.<ref>M. T. Kelly, "CBC gives its mandate 40 whacks". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 1, 1980.</ref> It was a nightly series featuring jazz and pop music as well as trivia games, book and movie reviews, comedy segments and interviews.<ref name=finkleman>"CBC Radio's Danny Finkleman defends his grab bag show; Putting the spice back into Variety". ''The Globe and Mail'', April 5, 1980.</ref>
The program was created by producer Danny Finkleman,<ref name=finkleman/> but he was let go from the program in December 1980.<ref>"Variety Tonight fires Finkleman". ''The Globe and Mail'', December 2, 1980.</ref> It was hosted by David Cole in its first season,<ref>Bill Musselwhite, "This is the big one, Variety Tonight, and he's David Cole...". ''Calgary Herald'', September 27, 1980.</ref> followed by Vicki Gabereau for the remainder of its run.<ref>"Gabareau new host for Variety Tonight". ''The Globe and Mail'', September 4, 1981.</ref> Cole continued to contribute to the program in 1982 and 1983 as producer of ''Here Come the Seventies'', a sketch comedy series that aired as a weekly half-hour segment of ''Variety Tonight''.<ref>"Comedy writer turns interviews into fun", Bruce Blackader, ''Toronto Star'', 28 Feb 1982: C6.</ref> ''Variety Tonight'' also aired the initial series of the sketch comedy show ''Frantic Times'' in 1981, which went on to become a standalone CBC Radio series.<ref>"A Frantics approach to comedy": [Final Edition] Clay, Chris. ''Mississauga News''; Mississauga, Ont.. 26 Feb 2008: 1. </ref><ref>"Cadet Air Farce gets wings: Loaded down with gags, The Frantics taxi for takeoff", by Rob Salem, ''Toronto Star'', 08 Oct 1981: B1</ref>
In the show's first season, it hired Don Novello, in character as Father Guido Sarducci, to serve as a correspondent covering the 1980 United States presidential election.<ref>"CBC Radio hires Guido Sarducci". ''The Globe and Mail'', August 26, 1980.</ref>
Gabereau won an ACTRA Award for Best Radio Host or Interviewer at the 13th ACTRA Awards in 1984.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105743995/ "Three ACTRA winners have local connections"]. ''Kingston Whig-Standard'', April 4, 1984.</ref> She was also nominated, but did not win, at the 12th ACTRA Awards in 1983,<ref>"Awards show will be telecast on April 16 on CBC Finalists for ACTRA awards announced". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 31, 1983.</ref> and at the 14th ACTRA Awards in 1985.<ref>Charles Hanley, "Chautauqua Girl has three chances for a Nellie: ACTRA names award nominees". ''The Globe and Mail'', March 19, 1985.</ref>
After the program's cancellation, Gabereau continued in the same time slot as host of the new interview series ''Gabereau'' in the 1985-86 season.<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, "CBC executives defend new radio schedule". ''Toronto Star'', August 21, 1985.</ref> In January 1986 she announced that she would be leaving the show at the end of the season to pursue other interests;<ref>"Vicki Gabereau quitting CBC radio 'to take risks'". ''Montreal Gazette'', January 15, 1986.</ref> she was ultimately convinced to change her mind and remain with the network, although her show moved to a weekly airing on Saturdays and its nightly time slot was taken over by Stan Carew's new ''Prime Time''.<ref>Henry Mietkiewicz, "CBC brings arts back in Prime Time". ''Toronto Star'', August 3, 1986.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/networks/CBC_Radio_Program_Details/VARIETY_TONIGHT.html ''Variety Tonight''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311030120/http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/networks/CBC_Radio_Program_Details/VARIETY_TONIGHT.html |date=2007-03-11 }}
Category:CBC Radio One programs Category:1980 radio programme debuts Category:1985 radio programme endings Category:1980s Canadian radio programs