Cher's one-woman "West Side Story": You'll feel pretty, witty, and gay.

Gay icon Cher has made some rather dubious career decisions in the past, and I'm sure that if she could turn back time, she might skip a few choices, i.e. shilling detangler on QVC. But one thing you cannot say about the Oscar winner is that she hasn't taken chances, and never was that more apparent than on her 1978 primetime spectacle, "Cher...Special".

The special aired on April 3, 1978 on ABC and was a huge ratings hit. From the website Just Plain Cher comes this synopsis:

Segments of "Cher...special" include guests Dolly Parton and Rod Stewart performing their hit songs "Two Doors Down" and "Hot Legs"; Cher and Dolly having a conversation by reciting lyrics from pop songs; and Cher working by day in a boring secretarial job but getting funky on the dance floor at night in the discos. Even Laverne, Cher's most famous character from the early days of "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour," stops by for a quick chat to give Cher some words of wisdom that only Laverne could deliver. The final segment was a big production number with a medley of songs performed by Cher, Dolly Parton, and The Tubes that has to be seen to be believed. Described as a "musical war to save Cher's soul," The Tubes try to lead her astray to the dark world of evil and sin while Dolly and several gospel singers try to save her and show her the light.

Most memorable of all, however, was the opening number, which featured Cher's mother Georgia, a "schoolgirl" Cher, and her tearful decision to star in her own version of West Side Story. In which role? All of them!

Even ignoring the obvious trans element (she plays both male and female parts) and striking visual effects for the time (multiple Chers at once!), the collision of one of the most beloved gay icons and one of the greatest songbooks of all time (from gay lyricist Stephen Sondheim) is true TV magic.

You can watch the entire, 12-minute, one-woman feverdream after the break!