Maya Rudolph steps back onto the small screen Monday night with the premiere of “The Maya Rudolph Show” (10 p.m. on NBC).
Everyone remembers the 1970s as the golden era of the variety show, but a string of celebs have tried to revive the singing-dancing-comedy act since then — mostly unsuccessfully.
Here are the stars you forgot tried their hand at variety shows:
Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey
Remember when Jessica and Nick were the hottest couple on TV? In 2004, after their smash MTV reality series, the singers gave sketch comedy a shot.
The special fared pretty well — according to Nielsen, it was the 17th-highest-rated-show of the week.
But no other specials followed and, less than a year later, the couple split.
Rosie O’Donnell
After a dramatic turn on ABC’s “The View,” comedian Rosie O’Donnell signed on for a variety special, “Rosie Live,” with hopes that it would turn into a series.
The show aired November 26, 2008, live from New York’s Little Shubert Theatre on NBC to poor ratings and terrible critical reviews.
Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady was offered more than just a variety special — ABC gave him a series in 2001, fresh on the heels of his gig as a panelist on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”
“The Wayne Brady Show” didn’t catch on with viewers and was canceled after just one season. But Brady was given a second chance when the network brought back the show as a syndicated daytime series.
Viewers slipped away as that iteration entered its second season, and it was canned for good in 2004.
The Osbournes
The Osbournes were another reality-TV family that hoped to make the transition into variety. “Osbournes Reloaded” premiered in 2009 on Fox.
Ozzy, Sharon, Jack and Kelly joined in comedy sketches, parody skits and stunts.
The show was panned by critics, with one calling it the “worst variety show ever,” and it was canceled after five episodes.
Carrie Underwood
Call it a rehearsal for her live “Sound of Music” performance. Country singer Carrie Underwood hosted “Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special” on Fox in 2009.
The two-hour event, which featured acts by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton, scored a solid 8.5 million viewers.
Diana Ross
In the 1960s and 1970s, the hot stars of the moment were often given one-time variety specials. A gold sequin-clad Diana Ross and the Supremes hosted a show called “Hollywood Palace” in 1970 a little less than a year before the group split up.
Frank Sinatra
Before Sonny and Cher, there was Ol’ Blue Eyes. “The Frank Sinatra Show” aired on CBS from 1950 to 1952, and featured guests like Liberace, Bing Crosby and the Three Stooges. Unlike his singing and movie career, Sinatra never found big success on TV.
Dolly Parton
The 1980s best attempt at the variety show was Dolly Parton’s “Dolly,” which ran on ABC from 1987 to 1988.
It was reported at the time the network paid the country star $44 million for a two-year contract to host.
The show premiered to big numbers, and the first season featured stars like Oprah Winfrey and Tom Petty. But it slipped during its second season and was canceled in May 1988.