'Murphy Brown' Zings Quayle in Premiere

In its season premiere last night, the television program "Murphy Brown" skewered Vice President Dan Quayle for remarks he made last May, even as Quayle tried to show he supported single mothers.

Last night's "Murphy Brown" storyline centered on Quayle's controversial May speech, in which the vice president criticized Hollywood for glorifying single parenthood, citing fictional Murphy Brown's bearing of a child out of wedlock as an example.

Quayle and wife Marilyn watched the program last night from a Washington apartment with a group of Black professionals, including several single parents.

At a campaign stop in a Kentucky supermarket yesterday, Quayle had sought to clarify his position.

"I have the greatest respect for single mothers," Quayle said. "They're working hard, often against great odds."

Quayle tried to make light of the controversy over the program by sending a gift to Murphy Brown's baby last weekend--a stuffed elephant.

The Murphy Brown character, played by CandaceBergen, drubbed Quayle throughout last night'sshow, asking "What planet is he on?" after seeingan actual clip of Quayle's speech.

Other characters also berated the vicepresident, while making tongue-in-cheek referencesto the blizzard of controversy the incidentignited last spring.

"Tomorrow he's probably gonna get his headstuck in his gold cart and everyone will forgetabout it," said Frank, one of Murphy's fictionalcolleagues on her network news show.

Producers had a field day with the real-lifecontroversy over the make-believe Brown, usingreal front pages from New York newspapers andshowing clips of reports from network newsbroadcasts.

The program ended with Murphy Brown's newscastreporting on the controversy over Quayle's speech.

"Perhaps it's time for the vice president toexpand his definition and recognize that whetherby choice or circumstance, families come in allshapes and sizes," the fictional anchor said.

The camera then followed Bergen across the set,where a dozen single-parent families stood andintroduced themselves as the screen faded toblack.

Emil Michael '94, president of the HarvardRepublican Club called the program "absolutelypathetic."

Michael said he objected to the vaguegeneralizations the program made to Republicans ingeneral.

He also objected to its characterization ofQuayle as being against single mothers. Michaelsaid Quayle had simply encouraged two-parentfamilies as an ideal to work toward, offering itas the "most effective" way to raise children.

For its part, the show devoted some levity tothe single-parent issue, with fictional anchor Jimoffering the new mother support.

"Let's look at the bright side," Jim said. "Inthe olden days, a woman bearing a child out ofwedlock would've been stoned to death."

The program did not reserve its attacks forQuayle. Two less successful candidates for federaloffice also drew barbs from the cynical MurphyBrown.

When Brown's baby woke crying in the middle ofthe night, Bergen asked soothingly, "Did you dreamPat Buchanan was hiding under your bed?"

Trying to put the baby to sleep, Brown offereda verbal list of tranquilizers.

"Warm milk, long car rides, Paul Tsongas," sheintoned.

This article was written using wire servicereports

The Murphy Brown character, played by CandaceBergen, drubbed Quayle throughout last night'sshow, asking "What planet is he on?" after seeingan actual clip of Quayle's speech.

Other characters also berated the vicepresident, while making tongue-in-cheek referencesto the blizzard of controversy the incidentignited last spring.

"Tomorrow he's probably gonna get his headstuck in his gold cart and everyone will forgetabout it," said Frank, one of Murphy's fictionalcolleagues on her network news show.

Producers had a field day with the real-lifecontroversy over the make-believe Brown, usingreal front pages from New York newspapers andshowing clips of reports from network newsbroadcasts.

The program ended with Murphy Brown's newscastreporting on the controversy over Quayle's speech.

"Perhaps it's time for the vice president toexpand his definition and recognize that whetherby choice or circumstance, families come in allshapes and sizes," the fictional anchor said.

The camera then followed Bergen across the set,where a dozen single-parent families stood andintroduced themselves as the screen faded toblack.

Emil Michael '94, president of the HarvardRepublican Club called the program "absolutelypathetic."

Michael said he objected to the vaguegeneralizations the program made to Republicans ingeneral.

He also objected to its characterization ofQuayle as being against single mothers. Michaelsaid Quayle had simply encouraged two-parentfamilies as an ideal to work toward, offering itas the "most effective" way to raise children.

For its part, the show devoted some levity tothe single-parent issue, with fictional anchor Jimoffering the new mother support.

"Let's look at the bright side," Jim said. "Inthe olden days, a woman bearing a child out ofwedlock would've been stoned to death."

The program did not reserve its attacks forQuayle. Two less successful candidates for federaloffice also drew barbs from the cynical MurphyBrown.

When Brown's baby woke crying in the middle ofthe night, Bergen asked soothingly, "Did you dreamPat Buchanan was hiding under your bed?"

Trying to put the baby to sleep, Brown offereda verbal list of tranquilizers.

"Warm milk, long car rides, Paul Tsongas," sheintoned.

This article was written using wire servicereports