Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

If you like your comedy laced with strong and sharp observations about our current politics and culture, look no further than Bill Maher who has made a career out of serving up just that. After early work as an actor, Bill really found his path doing standup comedy. He turned that into a long-running series ("Politically Incorrect"), another longer-running series ("Real Time"), a hit documentary ("Religulous"), and best-selling books and standup tours. Along the way he has become a vocal proponent and consumer of cannabis as well as an animal rights activist. Maher's gift for stirring up controversy on both sides of the aisle has made his show a magnet for people wanting smart conversations laced with acerbic wit. (To be fair, Maher's other gift for stepping over the comedy line has also come back to bite him on occasion). The recipient of this year's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Bill shows no signs of slowing down -- good news indeed for comedy fans. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Does Bill have something to say about Ronald Reagan? Of course he does -- as in this bit from 2007's HBO special The Decider. https://youtu.be/j8FrNEGO7q8?si=SBbfrYZcndlUppFK

Bill's first Carson spot showed the outlines of the career that was to come. (And it reinforced Carson's enormous role in highlighting new comedians). https://youtu.be/V__wp4xvTjI?si=wzjq8d2vxrs7XXah

Since 2003 Bill has hosted Real Time on HBO. One recurring segment (and one spun off into best-selling books) is New Rules where Bill provides helpful suggestions for the nation. https://youtu.be/6dMOfwUP0F0?si=x9dujP71LLfyO4GZ

 

This week we meet Anthony Jeselnik who has turned a "lightbulb moment" into a booming career as the modern prince of dark comedy. Originally intending to be a novelist, Anthony discovered a stand up comedy course in LA and his new career trajectory was set. Gaining experience and exposure as a writer and roaster on Comedy Central's roast series, Anthony developed a comic persona that is can walk you right up to the line -- and then step over it in a way you didn't see coming. A well-named Comedy Central show (The Jeselnik Offensive) further established his style and though a short stint as host of Last Comic Standing didn't click, a continuing run of Netflix specials, comedy tours and podcast episodes keeps Anthony at the top of the heap for those who like their comedy with an edge. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Anthony is a top standup draw with a style that is perfect for his dark observations. https://youtu.be/iTUNOw5bo48?si=2TioTDa02tykNpYN

Anthony's big boost came from his work as a writer and roaster on Comedy Central's no-holds-barred roasts including this one of bad boy Charlie Sheen. https://youtu.be/jqzFTuuOHyk?si=E5ae8DNW6vLrUall

Anthony had a two season run as host of the Jeselnik Offensive which found him in unusual situations -- such as performing standup for an audience made up entirely of members of the Church of Satan. https://youtu.be/a-UBqlEHcr8?si=Wta_8VRV5-fB9AhG

Join us north of the border as we meet Brent Butt who has become a Canadian comedy legend with a long stand-up career, a smash sitcom (and movie), a well-received novel, and a shelf full of awards. From a small town in Saskatchewan, Brent started his comedy career at amateur nights, then moved to Toronto and started his climb to the top of the comedy ladder. Brent also created the sitcom Corner Gas in which he played the owner of the only gas station for miles in -- you guessed it -- Saskatchewan. That show spawned a movie and an animated version, and Brent has also continued as a standup and more recently a novelist. Not bad for a small town lad! As always find extra clips below and thanks for watching our shows!

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Here's Brent with more hair, fewer wrinkles and, as always, great material from Just For Laughs in 1992. https://youtu.be/YXWT5OmFdDs?si=Z3mDgJEQ3bFaxOHO

Corner Gas was a hit sitcom in Canada and Brent's sly portrayal of gas station owner Brent Leroy was the centerpiece. Here are some more highlights from Dog River.https://youtu.be/sJ_DbLx4-i8?si=O9KdBK_9o6yqgZdD

Brent remains a top standup draw in Canada and his recent work celebrates his longevity (and his receding hairline), https://youtu.be/YmdkyUdKwhs?si=q-W4pEnIxADkYE3d

 

Pull out your opera glasses because Anna Russell is here to poke some good natured fun at all things operatic. After realizing she didn't have the chops to be a true diva, Anna pivoted and merged her admirable singing voice with some sly and sharp parody of the art form. Through a series of albums and one-woman shows, Anna was a favorite of opera fans (at least ones with a sense of humor) from the 1940s through her retirement in the 1980s. Her major claim to fame was a very funny deconstruction of Wagner's the Ring. And what did Anna say to critics who said she had insulted a great piece of music. Just this: "I merely tell the story as accurately as possible and play the bits of music exactly as written. I can't help it if the story is absurd." As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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Anna's main claim to fame was her fabulous take down of Wagner's Ring. First released in 1953, the routine remained a mainstay of her act for the rest of her career. https://youtu.be/Us6CrJzJlIc?si=Ftv-OfPJv8lt0UuB

Here Anna parodies folk tunes on the wonderful Alistair Cooke show Omnibus. Somehow TV was more adventurous in the 1950s! https://youtu.be/UQ4IdPB_aFE?si=nQ9DaGtjZkOOPu0y

Like fellow musical parodist PDQ Bach, Anna had fun discussing the ins and outs of unusual musical instruments. Take the bagpipe. . . please. https://youtu.be/xKWZbFNzFhs?si=uXkXZ3sRg87plZph

So back in the day you could see vintage entertainers such as Dean Martin, Jackie Mason, Ed Sullivan, Glen Campbell, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Or you could just see John Byner and he would cover them all with spot-on impressions, combined with fine stand-up comedy. When young John offered up his version of Bing Crosby singing "Accentuate the Positive" at age 6 his path in life was clear. As an adult, his early gigs were supported by a day job at a swimming pool company but he soon found fans and became a regular opening act for jazz artists in NY and DC. Along with his nightclub work John was a sought after guest star on sitcom and talk/variety shows, landed a recurring role on Soap, and starred in a popular Canadian tv sketch show. Now 88, John maintains a fun website with highlights from his long career. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Here's a nice slice of John's stand-up from the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour back in 1970. https://youtu.be/Ej3pZWwxTfE?si=pPcGXGTkipGK8nJx

Byner was a favorite of Ed Sullivan and the feeling was mutual -- watch John imitate the master himself. https://youtu.be/hzE97Bov1kk?si=_uD12rTtzqFhzEkP

An unusual project, The Ant and the Aardvark had 17 theatrical short episodes, and featured Byner voicing both characters -- using Dean Martin for the Ant and Jackie Mason for the Aardvark.https://youtu.be/lVXoXlqqxuk?si=4gp349eO7Chck0uE

In 2020 John published an autobiography ("Five Minutes Mr. Byner") that covers his career, his favorite impersonation subjects, and how he approaches his craft. https://youtu.be/6CwKq6I-oZI?si=U4n_nuUMF59dBb_I

Today we meet one of the sharpest satirists of the last 40 years, Harry Shearer. We could also say Mr. Burns or Kent Brockman -- two of the Simpsons characters he voices. Or we could say the the long term host of a weekly comedy and music program called Le Show, as well as the creator of great comedy albums with The Credibility Gap as well as solo. And oh yeah, Harry was part of the crew that came in to rescue SNL as it floundered after the original cast departed. Or, perhaps he is Derek Smalls, bassist for the mockumentary rock kings Spinal Tap. Check it out to find out more -- as always there are extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Harry provides so many great voices for the Simpsons it's hard to keep track, but here is a fun sampling. https://youtu.be/3X2JLl9U4Rw?si=eEDJiukahjM56VEw

Harry has two short runs on SNL in the 1980s and while he didn't stay long his bits remains classic. This one features Harry and Martin Short as the world's first male synchronized swimming team. https://www.reddit.com/r/LiveFromNewYork/s/eTMzv1qmyw

The Credibility Gap isn't as well known as the Firesign Theater, but they should be. A creation born of the LA radio scene in the early 1970s, the Gap specialized in precise takedowns - including this homage to Abbott and Costello's classic Who's on First. https://youtu.be/YEvwW1yqIjA?si=yd-92mP5Km6YLqUV

You might want to wait until 4:20 to fire up this episode. And why not -- this time we feature Seth Rogan, comedian, movie star, and enthusiastic cannabis consumer. Hailing from Vancouver, BC Seth managed to score a role in Freaks and Geeks at age 16, befriended the show's creator Judd Apatow who recognized his talent, then parlayed that beginning into a run of outrageously funny movies, award winning tv shows, and memorable voice roles. And Seth is Canadian to the core, turning down a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in favor of one on Canada's Walk of Fame. So next time you are in Toronto stop by and leave an herbal offering to this comedy master if you can -- you never know when Seth might be in the neighborhood. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Seth started young, performing standup in his teens. You could see already see a star in the making. https://youtu.be/IPnNntVI1DQ?si=Mkxx8qbsQOH_xMkp

Seth has become known for cannabis friendly films -- and none more so than Pineapple Express. Here Seth and his dealer played by James Franco try to navigate a novel joint. https://youtu.be/0L0QQa_MvK0?si=hvcHNBBe6WOP40Op

Seth's most recent hit is The Studio, an Apple TV show about a legacy movie studio trying to survive. https://youtu.be/EIQuE7JGXU8?si=_Okh9g8JRV5tfChN

People who are famous for just being famous have been around forever but this weeks Legend Orson Bean gladly took that role, calling himself a "Neo-celebrity." Orson is being far too modest about a career that started out with a magic act, evolved into stand up comedy, was featured on Broadway and in top NYC cabarets, logged many hours on game and talk shows, and worked steadily as a guest star on tv and in movies. Orson also helped found a Laurel and Hardy society and a (for the time) radical primary school. So while Orson called himself a "Neo-celebrity" we prefer to think of him as a "renaissance man". As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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From the days of black and white tv, here's a running gag between Orson and host Bud Collier on To Tell the Truth.https://youtu.be/qo8pM9LaojM?si=ueaOI_ZENiukCfzC

Orson was such a game show stalwart that even a cameo -- here on The Match Game -- would bring the house down. https://youtu.be/YLDR8oc8k6Y?si=2eH1hOHp6yjh8iz6

Orson had a quick wit so he was a natural guest for talk shows including this appearance with Johnny Carson. https://youtu.be/LpFZOp9bdCY?si=K3-jA3nRYO0typ-A

Orson found some prime roles in his career including the eccentric Dr. Lester in Being John Malkovich. https://youtu.be/DSGYElDi38s?si=j6AfFlMnG_XgVQUk

Here's a great career arc -- go from appearing in kid's movies and shows to starring in your own movie, then join Saturday Night Live and stay there for 23 years (and counting). Of course there is only one Kenan Thompson, but his career is so much more than his record setting SNL stint. What's the secret sauce? Being easy to work with helps, there is also Kenan's gift (in the words of an SNL head writer) for this ability to take "ordinary lines and make them funny and funny lines and make them special". Along the way Kenan also has set the record for most celebrity impressions by an SNL cast member. But what's next for Kenan -- more SNL for sure, but he is also busy with more movies, sitcoms, and award show hosting duties. He also has a show with pal Kevin Hart just riffing on sports -- it's good to be Kenan! As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Kenan first broke out as a child actor in D2 The Mighty Ducks, then as a cast member on Nickelodeon's hit show All That. https://youtu.be/3FtmsZ17FZE?si=CeP8gvfaMrWr7uXD

 

Anyone who has watched SNL in recent years has surely seen Kenan absolutely nail an impression of Steve Harvey hosting Family Feud. https://youtu.be/AafBunu-k2U?si=t9SVaZRfUmoSTBTH

 

On SNL Kenan is a master of characters and this take on an imaginary BET show with a very enthusiastic host is a fan favorite. https://youtu.be/3HAiKX97AZI?si=rBA2eoHkXavEzwv4

 

Kenan has a new sports show with Kevin Hart on Prime Video. It's just a couple of great comics riffing on sports -- so of course it's hilarious. https://youtu.be/uxgGjuAjEUA?si=9EVMpY38QNAI20NQ

 

This time out we meet the only woman to be a cast member of both SCTV and SNL -- and no, it's not Catherine O'Hara. Say hello to Robin Duke, another product of the stellar Canadian comedy scene. A veteran of Second City Toronto, Robin was there when SCTV was launched in the mid-1970s as a recurring cast member, moving up to the full cast in season three. Lorne Michaels had convinced Catherine O'Hara to join SNL, but a week iwas enough for Catherine to decide that SCTV was more her style. Enter Robin, who stayed with the cast until a major shakeup in 1984. At SNL Robin created a number of standout characters (Wendy Whiner anyone?) and after the show she took her talents into film and television, as well as an all-female, all-Canadian comedy troupe. With trademark Canadian modesty the group was named "Women Fully Clothed" and they have toured all over the world. And in a nice full circle moment, in 2016 Robin joined fellow SCTV cast members Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara in the hit CBC show Schitt's Creek. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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While at SNL, Robin played many characters -- none more memorable (at least in the nails on chalkboard sense) was long-suffering and long-complaining Wendy Whiner. https://www.reddit.com/r/LiveFromNewYork/s/BWOXoPIwT6

Robin's time at SCTV was before the show began airing in a 90 minute format on SCTV, but her clips are worth searching out online -- including this bit in which Robin plays Mollie Earl, the host of Crazy Crafts. https://youtu.be/yQA0n2xTeUs?

In 2003 Robin started one of Canada's funniest exports -- the all-female, all-Canadian comedy troupe "Women Fully Clothed". https://youtu.be/yQA0n2xTeUs?si=_YcXcSPF574nKFn2

Robin scored a juicy recurring role on the CBC sitcom Schitt's Creek -- and it was a fine reunion with her SCTV pals Eugene Levy and Catherine O'Hara.https://youtu.be/qTZUGFYCzYU?si=OClFL_L1AXhPhHhF