Avsnitt
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Meet Leo Bloom, The Waco Kid, Willy Wonka, Dr. "Fronk-un-steen" and so many more when you meet this week's Legend -- actor, writer, and director Gene Wilder. From a serendipitous meeting with Mel Brooks, Gene would build an astounding career with characters that always balanced the comedy with some human heart. Gene made just 37 movies over the course of his career, but for people born in the 1950s he was seemingly ubiquitous. Gene ended his most active years with a series of films with fellow Legend Richard Pryor, and he went into semi-retirement after the tragic death of his wife Gilda Radner. But occasionally, Gene would pop up on television in small but juicy role such as his guest spot on Will and Grace which earned him an Emmy for best guest actor in a comedy series. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Gene was essential to Mel Brooks' raunchiest and most provocative movie -- Blazing Saddles. Here's the full clip of Gene's Waco Kid explaining the facts to Cleavon Little's Sheriff Bart. https://youtu.be/hYTQ7__NNDI?si=qlE_g3kh6KHxZJoM
Gene's breakout film role was as nervous accountant Leo Bloom in The Producers. Paired with Zero Mostel, the duo made a irresistible comedy movie team. https://youtu.be/QgJBvEMOpWQ?si=zccr3lJNF65XnTXW
Young Frankenstein is the pinnacle of Gene's work with Mel Brooks -- it's elegant, even touching in places -- yet filled with the clever and often naughty comedy expected from the duo. https://youtu.be/2p5AG0Tqh3A?si=nSahuc1C_0Po-U6G
Gene made a series of highly successful films with Richard Pryor including Stir Crazy in which their wildly different personalities come in handy when they are sent up the river for a robbery they didn't commit!https://youtu.be/oyU6En9HN8E?si=1M4iLuToIAhjsxmr
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Come on brothers and sisters, let it all hang out. So sayeth Brother Dave Gardner who built a huge following in the 1950s and early 60s by telling long and sly stories, often in the mode of a Southern preacher -- but a hip one. Originally a musician, Dave brought a jazz cadence to his work. He also was a devotee of the demon weed, and a 1960s marijuana bust sharply curtailed his career. He remained a favorite on campuses and in clubs before a sharp turn into conspiracy theories, coupled with a Lenny Bruce-like shift into dispensing such theories from the stage sent him to the sidelines. But look at any used record store and you'll still find Brother Dave albums from his glory years, a pretty good indicator of how many he sold back in the day. Find extra cuts below and, as always, thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Brother Dave? Dave's signature bit was called The Motorcycle Story. He reworked it and retold it for his entire career, but here's the original incarnation. https://youtu.be/f-PtWvQuIdk?si=LWvajJG9Y9LlGoIt Dave's stories were a wild mix of beatnik slang, southern asides, and flights of imagination. Here's one of his best and most popular, his reworking of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. https://youtu.be/QpZPqAwXWZ4?si=tKd8zOHfWlYhuEX9 Brother Dave was mostly known as a storyteller, but he could deliver a punchline as well, especially when it came to contrasting southern and northern folks. https://youtu.be/hAGgupJv0Wk?si=r2_xPQ98q0pWFACV Here's a little something extra. Dave was fond of telling his audience to just "let it all hang out". Around the same time The Hombres took that phrase and a great beat to the top of the Billboard charts, reputedly inspired by Dave's bit. Here it is in all it's one hit wonder glory!https://youtu.be/kRIr1PPz2uM?si=LSiEwuBgeWh6_zL_
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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"How are ya?" To fans of SCTV that can mean only one thing -- Bobby Bittman is in the house. The creation of Eugene Levy, Bobby is the epitome of a certain era of comic -- very loud, very full of himself, and very Vegas. Whether as a guest on the Sammy Maudlin show, his own special, or on other shows within the SCTV universe, a Bittman appearance would guarantee lame jokes, false sincerity, and a lot of shtick. Levy played the character throughout SCTV's six seasons and a few years after that show wrapped created a faux-documentary for Cinemax called The Enigma of Bobby Bittman. So take yourself back to the era when Johnny still ruled late night tv and the Vegas shtick masters still roamed the strip and prepare yourself for the comedy magic of Bobby Bittman. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Bobby always greeted fans with his catch phrase -- well, it was really just "How are ya?" but delivered in a way you could feel the bombast on it's way. This time out Bobby cuts a library PSA though he appears to have little familiarity with the services they provide. https://youtu.be/PDHiHIKIOFs?si=GLlLaE96kbfDYnaJ
Bobby's main hang on SCTV was on the Sammy Maudlin show, a parody of celebrity "love fest" talk shows. This is worth every minute of its run time -- it's the Sammy Maudlin 23rd anniversary special. You're welcome!https://youtu.be/eqsGIMHNNcI?si=UzDwgd9S-gv_ZKy3
Bobby (as played by Eugene Levy) had an ego that knew no bounds. The same could be said for John Candy's Orson Welles. Put them together in a show called The Mirthmakers and allow them to over-intellectualize about comedy and the result is SCTV magic. https://youtu.be/xA_xROmH-oc?si=d4ObQEELAhQKx3C4
Unlike SNL, SCTV often built entire shows around extended movie parodies and one of the best was Maudlin's Eleven, a razor sharp parody of the Rat Pack movie Ocean's Eleven. Painfully on point, and Bobby Bittman is right in the middle of it all. https://youtu.be/qbd25kYIiuQ?si=I5Ga1PRROENolfbt
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How sweet it is! While we hope you say that after every episode, this week it's mandatory as we feature Jackie Gleason who ruled over variety television in the 1950s and 60s, as well as inventing iconic characters and sketches that influence pop culture to this day. Originally an MC and nightclub comic, Gleason caught the eyes of network execs who tapped him to host a variety show called The Cavalcade of Stars. The show was later moved from New York to Miami Beach and renamed the Jackie Gleason show, recognizing the star power of the host. It was on that show that Jackie invented his most enduring character, loudmouth bus driver Ralph Kramden who anchored the "Honeymooners" sketches. Not just a comedian, Gleason was a master actor, able to play both comedy and dramatic roles and he earned an Oscar nomination for his role as pool legend Minnesota Fats in The Hustler. He also could do broad comedy as his long run as Sheriff Buford T Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit movies proved. And what about those Saturday nights alone with your lover -- well Jackie had you covered there as well with a string of highly successful "romantic music" albums. It all adds up to a unique and legendary career. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.
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In pop culture Jackie Gleason and Ralph Kramden are joined at the hip. Through sketches on the Jackie Gleason show and a standalone sitcom, The Honeymooners were must see television and inspired another iconic show -- the animated Flintstones. Here is the full bit where Ralph decides he just won't mambo. https://youtu.be/_-FhWB1POWQ?si=sinTj3YRAqY3hbw8
While Ralph Kramden is Jackie's best known character, he had many other gems including sophisticated playboy Reginald Van Gleason who was responsible for delivering his "How Sweet It Is" catchphrase. https://youtu.be/f-aR6IoiN-Q?si=7rfepLuKmvT5fxmI
When the part called for broad comedy Jackie could deliver, as in his long run as the blustering Sheriff Buford T. Justice in the Smokey and the Bandit franchise. https://youtu.be/TjLUPXLPvKo?si=naEK5z7M86ODk8nR
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What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day -- and the 200th Episode of Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy -- than by turning the spotlight on Ardal O'Hanlon, a masterful Irish stand-up comic and television star. Launching into a late 1980s Dublin scene that didn't have much comedy, Ardal had a solution! With a couple of college mates he started a comedy club, then went on to win a "New Act of the Year" award at the Hackney Empire comedy competition in 1994. A long tv career followed with Ardal playing everything from a child-like priest to a superhero to a detective investigator in the recent "Death in Paradise". He has also dabbled in stage and voice acting, and he still finds time to work the standup stages of the UK. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Ardal's big break came in 1995 when he was tapped for a key role in the British sitcom "Father Ted". Playing the child-like Father Dougal McGuire, Ardal was a fan favorite. https://youtu.be/bZ4XdqQrT20?si=0kaD5mCDc8XXOqaE
After his initial series "Father Ted" had concluded it's run, Ardal took a left turn for his next show -- starring as George Sunday -- a simple man who in reality is Thermoman from the planet Ultron. High concept? Yes. Very funny? Absolutely. https://youtu.be/ZimdnUvfs0I?si=dhAisyQ6MKg2cV0r
While he has become a television star with many series under his belt, Ardal continues to perform standup to the delight of fans. This is a fine bit from the BBC Comedy Roadshow a few years back. https://youtu.be/8LrY-Usdc54?si=-VM-Ib19rP0Q4TUf
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Might want to put on the asbestos underwear this week -- the modern king of roasting is in the house. Greg Giraldo might have started out as a corporate lawyer, but he soon found out that the stand up stage was his natural habitat. Possessed of a blazing wit and the ability to turn complex issues into sharp gags, Greg was a favorite on Comedy Central in its early days, becoming a fixture at their Celebrity Roasts. But, unlike the heavily sanitized Dean Martin versions folks were used to, the Comedy Central roasts were no holds barred. Similarly, he was a standout on the show Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, on which a panel of stand up comics shredded each other along with the day's news. As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Greg believed comedy was art -- but he knew it wasn't exactly the same as Shakespeare. This short bit from a documentary tells why. https://vimeo.com/11839333
Greg was a first rate standup and this routine, taken from an early Comedy Central special, captures why audiences loved him and why fans today wonder what he would say about our current condition! https://youtu.be/YLz1XujQlBQ?si=X6K1xv5kIAp6LIRD
Greg pretty much owned the Comedy Central roasts and this video collects his finest work. When a joke goes too far -- and one almost always does -- in true roasting fashion Greg dishes it back to the audience and plows straight ahead. Warning -- this one is NSFW! https://youtu.be/0_TrrWWkMXU?si=R9YjlVPI4NsdZOEB
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No need for the "7-second delay" button this week -- Brian Regan is in the house. A comic who has built a formidable audience with observational comedy that's sharp, but clean, Brian has released eight CDs and specials worth of material, beginning with 1997's Live. That early CD was a favorite of disc jockeys pressed to find clean comedy for their local version of "The 5:20 Funny" -- with Brian you could just hit play and be guaranteed on a great punchline and no FCC fines! In 2015 Brian was the star of Netflix's first truly live special and in recent years he has begun to branch out into character acting with a particularly juicy role in Peter Farrelly's dark comedy Loudermilk. But despite the occasional acting gig, Brian remains a creature of the standup stage and a favorite of people who love a sharp punchline, but without a side of F-bombs. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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This 1999 clip shows Brian near the start of his career in front of a very enthusiastic crowd at the Just For Laughs comedy festival. Here he rewards them with some thoughts on Pop Tarts. https://youtu.be/r6GHPIwkXl0?si=at-Y7aBjXJujGndF
Brian mines a lot of comedy gold from his childhood -- and particularly his widely shared distaste for the ritual humiliation of the spelling bee!https://youtu.be/CafPNEWnDhk?si=rVKEEShxKo1PDg8F
Brian has taken some first steps into character acting and his role in Peter Farrelly's dark comedy Loudermilk is a gem. https://youtu.be/iwsVPvjV0i8?si=X9_PfNddMmg8caUr
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Come back to the golden age of Vegas comics to meet Buddy Hackett who rode a quick wit, an amusing face, and an endless supply of profanity to become a major standup, film, and tv star from the 1950s through the early 2000s. Buddy had Bell's Palsy as a kid which gave him his distinctive look, but his comic persona and timing were all his. A favorite of talk show hosts, Buddy had the most guest appearances of all time on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, and was a welcome addition to motion picture comedies such as The Music Man, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, and Scrooged -- and for the little ones, he voices Scuttle in The Little Mermaid. And the best trivia of all -- Buddy turned down a shot to join The Three Stooges! As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Buddy started out as a tummler in the Catskills, then a family friendly comic. But he gained his most fame in Las Vegas after he took off the muzzle and became famous for using naughty words in bulk!! This one is just a little bit blue. https://www.tiktok.com/@clown.../video/7245747231792336171
Buddy was a wild man which is why he was such a fave on late night television. While he made the rounds, he was most at home on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show where he holds the record for most guest appearances ever. https://youtu.be/KAWvI5eZvC0?si=m8gsxGgrUk37f5Wm
In 1978, Buddy teamed with Harvey Norman to star as Abbott and Costello in the tv biopic "Bud and Lou". Of course they had to do the classic "Who's on First" routine and they did a fine job indeed!https://youtu.be/5JRB5nOFutM?si=fES0zqrJ2D-fuHgL
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If you like your comedy with wit, intelligence, and more than a fair amount of savage snark, you're likely already a fan of Ricky Gervais. From his early days as new wave rock artist (really) in London, Ricky moved on to the standup stage, then radio and television. His breakthrough came when he was cast in the BBC series The Office playing the manager of a paper distributor (the role taken in the US version by Steve Carrell). Later, he was in the hit series Extras, followed by a run as Dr. McPhee in the Night at the Museum films. From then on Ricky has blended standup tours with high quality comedy series, most recently After Life. And who can forget the verbal flamethrower he brought to the Golden Globes as a five time host? As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Ricky had a great role in Extras, another BBC gem that ran from 2005 to 2007. He played an actor who could only get roles as extras -- and here's his agent telling him why!https://youtu.be/2oIHXI7ZyOU?si=sDMzLZIGp8qD9iTU
Ricky has hosted the Golden Globes five times, most recently in 2020. His opening monologues were worthy of an original, unexpurgated Friar's Club Roast! https://youtu.be/BvHXzP2SpLA?si=LnJjWLZxFSgMcEiO
Over his quarter century as a standup, Ricky has released 9 specials, most recently 2023's Armageddon which won a Golden Globe. https://youtu.be/sm9AG0TCQ9E?si=eMaVjTVOPRUuYQFX
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One of America's most beloved entertainers, Jimmy Durante specialized in gentle, often self-deprecating humor delivered with and unmistakable voice (and nose). From humble starts playing ragtime piano in a family musical act, to major success in films and on the radio with the novelty tune 'Inka-Dinka-Doo", to a long run as a favored guest on television variety and talk shows. By the time he died in 1980, Jimmy's career was well over 70 years long. And, of course, he is destined to live forever as the voice of the singing narrator in the animated classic "Frosty the Snowman." As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Jimmy was a sweet man, and he closed every show saying goodbye to "Mrs. Calabash, where ever you are". Mrs. Calabash was code for his first wife and the name came from a seaside diner they favored. Truly romantic stuff indeed! https://youtu.be/yp7r0j4XrO8?si=gFo5Ln2Ww52FFGAZ
Jimmy's first big hit was a novelty song, "Inka-Dinka-Doo" which soon became his signature song. Here's a movie version with Jimmy selling it with all he's got! https://youtu.be/oV7XIw-eNUg?si=P8b0_2Q3cuW_bBAv
Jimmy's high energy style and ability to adlib made him a perfect host for tv variety shows, such as the Hollywood Palace which he hosted 14 times. Here's a representative episode featuring The Turtles -- as Jimmy says, a bunch of "rocka-rocka's" Bonus! This show also features an early appearance by a clean-cut George Carlin! https://youtu.be/vddmf2tMNSg?si=mQMimb6B-4lZcDy6
Jimmy was over 50 years into his career when he took a role that defined him for a new generation -- that of the singing narrator in the animated classic "Frosty the Snowman". Come on, you know the words -- sing along!https://youtu.be/SDNcJL90Y9A?si=fNnKFKZ6UlmiYlZ2
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Meet Kyle Kinane, a comic who looks like everyman, but whose razor sharp humor has won him elite fans around the world. Since emerging as a star in the 2010s, Kyle has recorded six albums, been a globally touring workhorse, hosted podcasts, and was a voice actor as a drug-addicted, drug-sniffing police dog. You know, typical comedy stuff. Kyle's comedy is often built around the contradiction between how he looks (big beard, flannel shirt, gruff) and his style which is playful and self-deprecating. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Kyle has a distinctive look and at a recent appearance in Australia he started by clearing up a few misconceptions! https://youtu.be/cvTS7uQ09ok?si=XOLtYgsFHZbSGbKW
Kyle's comedy often probes the contradictions we face in our everyday live. For instance, why is he a vegan who still wears leather?https://youtube.com/shorts/qj_RqAn9fFI?si=AqjemldJ-0FtRVNe
Kyle's take on cryptocurrency is a great example of his style. Lead with some self-deprecation then close with a punchline you didn't quite see coming. https://youtu.be/cvTS7uQ09ok?si=XOLtYgsFHZbSGbKW&t=183
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"It's 106 miles to Chicago. . ." You know the rest, especially if you are a fan of the Blues Brothers, the musical comedy invention of John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd and one of the breakout hits of the original Saturday Night Live, earning sold out concert tours, two feature films, platinum albums, and spinoffs and tributes that continue today. A serendipitous meeting of John Belushi with future blues star Curtis Salgado in Eugene during the filming of Animal House gave John the blues bug, as well as the moves. Danny Ackroyd was already a huge blues fan, even buying a blues bar to unwind in after SNL tapings. Put that together and you had some real combustible magic -- and a real boost for blues music and blues musicians at a time it was sorely needed. As Dan Ackroyd put it (in the persona of Elwood Blues) "We're on a mission from God." Mission accomplished! As always find full cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Blues Brothers?
The Blues Brothers was a fun (and funny) movie -- and a very quotable one at that. See if you or your friends quoted any of these lines after the movie came out in 1980. https://youtu.be/TrxSM_Gxtqw?si=hJq1l2i9OKtyxFJl
The Blues Brothers specialized in excavating superb blues tunes from singers who weren't household words (unless your house had it's own Jake and Elwood). And Jake learned well from his teachers, including Curtis Salgado, that a little ad=libbed naughtiness in the middle of a song always brought a big reaction. Check out this version of Willie Mabon's "I Don't Know" from a 1978 Winterland concert. And man, what a band! https://youtu.be/eBcc7PvXAHg?si=c4K9JH8m8jMUsYHw
Blues Brothers 2000 paled in comparison to the original in critical reception and box office, but that isn't really fair given the task (replacing John Belushi). There are some great bits in here and the musical numbers are over the top. https://youtu.be/2eEpcETVV3s?si=dYwZrWy6qTq1kVf1
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It may be 2024 but to us it's still the Al Franken decade! One of SNL's original staff writers (and occasional on-air talent), Al Franken first announced his "decade" on SNL way back in the 1970s, but since then he has gone on to a career in movies, tv, radio, standup comedy, and a stint as the United States Senator from the state of Minnesota. He also penned a number of wickedly funny books of political analysis and satire, winning a Grammy in 1996 for the audio version of "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot". He's also collected five Emmy award for his writing and today, Al hosts his own podcast. So what if Al's is now approaching 50 years?? We say, well played, Mr. Franken!
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As we said in the intro, Al once pronounced it "The Al Franken Decade" -- here's Al from SNL taking stock of progress. https://youtu.be/wyoaOZW7rTo?si=hvv619eODQxNbddE
One of Al's best loved characters was his least political -- a very "new age" self help hosted named Stuart Smalley. He turned it into a book and a movie, but first it appeared as an SNL skit. https://youtu.be/HMRX-Wj2WOk?si=ZKVCg_sQLyob_kCL
Al was on top of the comedy world back in 1996 after his very funny and very pointed book about Rush Limbaugh (and his ilk) scaled the NYT best seller chart. That year Al was also tapped to host the White House Correspondent's Dinner. Here are some more highlights. https://youtu.be/Cp4vZG-PqII?si=RahZsVsFktJyRzWa
Al recently returned to the spotlight with a well-received guest hosting stint on The Daily Show and a sold out standup tour -- "The Only Former U.S. Senator on Tour Tour". Here's Al with a promo for that tour. https://youtu.be/daGrLOtkyE0?si=LfweOFzKTSeNo_9f
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Meet the "Jazz Comedian" Franklyn Ajaye who is a fine jazz clarinetist along with a stellar career as a standup comic and character actor. Franklyn started in the 1970s with a series of excellent stand-up albums and roles in a number of popular movies including the iconic "Car Wash" in which he played a lovable motormouth known as "The Fly". Eventually tiring of American political life, Franklyn decamped to Australia where he has become a favorite on stage and screen. And he still takes an occasional role in an American hit such as that of Maya Rudolph's dad in Bridesmaids, or as part of HBO's Deadwood. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Early in his career Franklyn made the rounds of tv talk shows and this clip from Merv Griffin is a good sample of his style. https://youtu.be/cog_NERLS6Y?si=QvxV4-U2QT052R6_
Franklyn cut three excellent standup albums in the 1970s, but he may be best remembered as Dee-Luxe Car Wash employee T.C. "The Fly" Elcott, in the classic 1976 comedy Car Wash. https://youtu.be/qE1u-W1uGz4?si=Fnyilj--PAgnjrCK
This is a fun piece from Franklyn's "Talking Vagabond Jazz" show about a bit of Star Trek lore loved by all pop culture aficionados. https://youtu.be/oM4bi3sU59w?si=ENw4W7TyLb5JyEVG
Here's a rare special that follows Franklyn on tour in Australia in 1990, and also features a bit of his clarinet at the start. https://www.reddit.com/.../jazz_comedian_franklyn.../...
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Huh-huh, huh-huh-huh. Yes, it's time to meet Beavis and Butt-head, the legendary creations of Mike Judge who went on to MTV stardom, movie hits, and several revivals by providing boneheaded stupidity and lots of it, with some rock and roll thrown in for good measure. Based on a composite of middle-school morons Judge knew, Beavis and Butt-head shocked pundits and reviewers with its crude humor, but audiences begged to differ. So get out the Winger albums -- it's time for B and B! As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more B&B?
This is short but fun -- Butt-head provides his all purpose verdict on music, food, people, tv, etc. that suck. https://youtu.be/UcbXCMvpmWo?si=2_20aWuoG1cEaY5n
The clear breakout star of Beavis and Butt-head was "The Great Cornholio" who appeared when Beavis had too many stimulants (candy and caffeine in his case). Here's the transformation process in action.https://youtu.be/9oPTTfNuolc?si=PLWOAsUJCUECeeWl
When Paramount rebooted Beavis and Butt-head for it's 30th Anniversary, as with most cartoons the characters were stuck in their original time frame. But not always as in this gem where a current-day B&B apply for a job with Amazon! https://youtu.be/7eU8ovtnzvw?si=FnkqxUdfoMEZctZG
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Meet Bob Rivers, long-time Seattle morning disc jockey, Radio Hall of Fame inductee, and for our purposes most importantly the man behind Twisted Tunes! Over the course of a 40 year radio career Rivers wrote and produced hundreds of razor sharp parodies of popular hits. Part of Bob's genius was his ear for voice talent, so his AC/DC parodies really sounded like AC/DC and the Beatles bits sounded like the Beatles. After a "Twisted Christmas" album hit the charts, Bob began releasing more tunes and they grew to have their own life separate from the radio show. When he retired in 2014, he was recalled in the press as a morning host who didn't need to shock -- he just unleashed superior wit and musicianship to get his laughs. As alway, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Bob was a master of stylistic satire and his take on Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" is parody perfection. https://youtu.be/9hNkfvW64VU?si=V5ypF_XYpQr4a-80
Bob once said he believed the OJ Simpson murder trial generated more Twisted Tunes than any other single event. This one, "OJ's Dirty Laundry" is a fine parody of Don Henley's then-big hit. https://youtu.be/As5swSslDVM?si=Mz8rc6IQf2JD9ocd
Perhaps the most popular Twisted Tune was Bob's parody of Joan Osborne's "What if God was One of Us?". https://youtu.be/wwnXsdCbUYI?si=BRxPbvGkxdxPmO46
It doesn't happen often, but even in retirement Bob still pops out a Twisted Tune and the one he did for Covid showed he'd lost nothing off his fastball! https://youtu.be/RgAbsDKHaW0?si=5TkunrGaWZ5OUv5b
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It's Ebony and Ivory, baby, and we've got the Chairman of the Board to sing it for you today! Well, ok, we actually have Joe Piscopo with his superb Frank Sinatra impression that he frequently deployed on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s. His SNL run also included one of the most cringe inducing (in a good way) SNL characters ever -- Doug Whiner. After a few missteps along the way after SNL (bodybuilding!), Joe developed a touring act that focuses on his musical impressions and has become a long running talk radio host in New York. As always find extended cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Joe Piscopo has the misfortune to join SNL just after the original cast and Lorne Michaels had all departed. Lucky for him, Eddie Murphy was also along for the ride and they were the only two kept the next year when they became breakout stars and were featured in what is often voted one of SNL's best sketches ever -- take it away Stevie Wonder and The Chairman of the Board. https://youtu.be/U3-2Z2rmG0w?si=OTAogohQXoxAqq1K
While his mimicry made him a star, Joe stood out in other sketches, none more so than as Doug Whiner, half of "The Whiners", a couple who meet every minor problem with a gale force blast of -- well, whining! https://youtu.be/xH8yt71CDNU?si=9N7fFa3SAD4vW7Dd
Joe had always reveled in his New Jersey background -- in later talk radio incarnation he was known as "Jersey Joe". So is it any surprise that the centerpiece of his 1985 comedy album and special titled New Jersey would be another favorite son. https://youtu.be/otfMyWmkWfY?si=WQQwWhZzmDwToUSh
Sorry for the rough picture quality, but we had to throw in a little bonus this week -- an extended cut of Joe as Sinatra absolutely wrecking rock songs including Under My Thumb. You'll never hear it the Rolling Stones way again. https://youtu.be/U3-2Z2rmG0w?si=MYrFx2hnvRZVg5Ai
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Happy Holidays from Randy and Steve! Instead of a single artist this week, we're going to dip into a little holiday comedy that will bring a smile to your face. Allan Sherman? Check! Elmo and Patsy? Check! Adam Sandler? Check! Doc Mo She (???) Check!!! You get the picture. And you also get our thanks for letting us be part of your holidays this year. As always, find extra cuts in the comments (and these are gems) and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Holiday Humor?
Jeff Foxworthy was a titan of standup comedy back in the 1990s and as all entertainers do, he adapted his shtick to the holidays and issued his version of the 12 Days of Christmas -- adding his "redneck" flavor to the proceedings. https://youtu.be/h8ISVIOgPJA?si=3yR6c1r-ARhM30UG
We love Allan Sherman here and one of his best parodies was his take on the 12 Days, featuring some of the cheesier gifts of the moment. https://youtu.be/DgrkqDJFQoo?si=P3dWLQc1XKLJil-T
Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis have created many fine comic characters, but none more beloved than those hosers from the Great White North, Bob and Doug McKenzie. Their take on 12 Days has a distinctly Canuck feel! https://youtu.be/c3aCw-RurOk?si=KQq8pBgYaZi0NDKW
If there was an all-time Christmas novelty tune, Elmo and Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" would surely be in the mix. A folk duo from Marin County, Elmo and Patsy cut this tune for fun, but it soon found its way onto radio playlists -- it was different, it was funny, and it was FCC clean! For DJs that was a Christmas miracle! https://youtu.be/MgIwLeASnkw?si=x1M2atIIojTp3VKl
You don't usually associate Psychobilly/Roots wild man Mojo Nixon with Christmas tunes, but he weighed in with a naughty disc (Horny Holidays) back in 1992 and it had his great read on "Mr. Grinch"!https://youtu.be/A1YVehEGG6E?si=kFpqbEns4eQ0IQkJ
The Christmas Jug Band is made up of some of the finest Marin County musicians and they come together once a year for a few fun and popular holiday concerts. They can handle the traditional holiday tunes -- and they can deliver this, a fun little ditty about Santa losing a prized possession!!https://youtu.be/D9zli5IC6qE?si=lWtM5I_OIDYjtD4-
We always leave room for some Hanukkah humor, and it's getting easier to find each year as a new generation of Jewish humorists takes over. The absolute icon of the genre is Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song and here it is in all its SNL glory. https://youtu.be/KX5Z-HpHH9g?si=_AwmyvJ0035RHGDK
Tom Lehrer wrote some of the best satirical songs ever, but his initial career was brief. So it was a delight for fans when his box set contained a few new tunes, including "I'm Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica"! https://youtu.be/R_3FjHEbdhc?si=uUUf3gGxy7XF6bIs
Hanukkah Hip Hop? Of course we've got you covered! We saw a video of this years ago at a Dr. Demento lecture -- it's Doc Mo She, The Hanukkah Homeboy, letting you know what he's all about. https://youtu.be/Er8a7gOPe5Q?si=qNlRPZwWLLKIbtIj
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Saturday Night Live has always had cringeworthy characters and none moreso than Pat Riley, the androgynous, uncomfortable, and very funny creation of Julia Sweeney, this week's legend. With deep improv roots, Julia was on SNL for four years in the early 1990s, but after life dealt her a bad hand with a cancer diagnosis, she pivoted to one-woman shows, including God Said Ha! (about her medical journey) which later had a movie version produced by Quentin Tarantino. Since then, Julia has continued with one-woman shows and juicy supporting roles including as Andy Bryant's micromanaging mother. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.
Want more Julia?
Julia's most famous character was the androgynous and cringe inducing Pat Riley who she created at the Groundlings Improv Company, then took to Saturday Night Live and the big screen. Here Pat interacts with another legend -- the great Catherine O'Hara -- and the results are comedy perfection. https://youtu.be/Y6PcTOKSP0A?si=5FABnp5ebnNCJBpi
Julia turned her greatest challenge -- a cancer diagnosis -- into her greatest triumph, the one-woman show God Said Ha! It's an intimate, tender, emotional, and very funny look at an often taboo topic. This snippet will give you a flavor, but the whole film is well worth your time.https://youtu.be/NcxWc6bpA-w?si=yvpfM5nKX7j7k9iG
In recent years Julia has continued with one-woman shows, but she has also taken some great character roles such as that of Aidy Bryant's nagging mom in the Hulu Original series Shrill.https://www.metacritic.com/.../season-1/episode-2-date/ -
For five decades Don Knotts charmed the public from early work as an ensemble player on The Steve Allen Show to his long run as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show to more family-friendly Disney movies than you can count, Don turned his "nervous man" personal into comedy gold. Later in his career, Don found a niche in small, but juicy supporting roles on Three's Company and in movies such as Pleasantville -- and he also reunited with Andy Griffith for the Matlock series. As always find more clips below and thanks for watching our shows!
Want more Don Knotts? Don's greatest triumph came when he was cast as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife, a lovable bumbler, in The Andy Griffith Show. Here is one of Don's all time great bits as Barney gets into an argument with Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle. https://youtu.be/A1D78Y60gvo?si=oiL3o2wJBbWfQrqP
In the 1960s Don starred in a run of family-friendly movies including The Incredible Mr. Limpet, The Love God, The Reluctant Astronaut, and our fave -- The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Here are some highlights of Don in that film, playing the high strung Luther Heggs. https://youtu.be/fkSk-Zz9Bno?si=HHYinseQbbAZtUdn
In 1979 Don returned as a tv series regular playing the lovable landlord Ralph Furley on the comedy hit Three's Company. https://youtu.be/NEE05Egqjlo?si=3PwAyPNpQxq7IquY
Late in his career, Don appeared in a number of juicy supporting tv and film roles including a mysterious and slightly sinister tv repairman in the comedy-drama Pleasantville.https://youtu.be/Mii7EcFsGho?si=T1UFxJ0hwBphv-3U
- Visa fler
