Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Mark Russell

With a style that owed a lot to vaudeville -- using sheer enthusiasm to blow past limited piano and singing skills -- Mark Russell playfully roasted politics and pop culture for over 60 years. Setting up shop at Washington DC's Shoreham Hotel in the 1960s, Mark came from an era in which a politician could take a joke and he gleefully doled them out, often on one of his regular PBS television specials or as a special guest on Good Morning America or as a co-host on Real People in the 1980s. Find more Mark Russell clips below, and thanks for sharing our shows.

 

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Mark Russell got his comedy inspiration from the newspaper which kept his act fresh. This is a good example. When Libyan strongman Muammar Gadaffi announced he was imposing a 'line of death' it sent military strategists and international political analysts scrambling for a policy response. It sent Mark to his trusty piano for his more tuneful response. https://youtu.be/oZczL-P_5Ps

 

Mark's satire was often more playful than pointed which led to him being satirized by Saturday Night Live in this clip from 1986.https://youtu.be/Pk5AAHvb71Y

 

Mark Russell tried retiring in 2013 -- but he couldn't resist being a musical smartass and unretired shortly thereafter. This clip, from 2018, has Mark giving his patented "Old McDonald" treatment to the then-current White House occupant. And we can add Mark to our "comedy keeps you young" list -- this show was recorded when he was 86! https://youtu.be/hGXp-xkpfIg

Paula Poundstone

Meet standup stalwart Paula Poundstone this time out. Since emerging as a comedy star in the 1980s (including an American Comedy Award win), Paula has remained a favorite on tv talk shows, game shows, and the standup stage. Her comedy is thoughtful but pointed, calling out the absurdities of daily life and popular culture. As always, find additional cuts below. Want an easily searchable archive of past shows? Check out our YouTube Channel (Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy). And thanks for sharing our shows!

 

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Paula had great chemistry with Craig Ferguson, so it was no surprise that she was among is final guests as he wound down his late night show. This clip is vintage Paula, pulling big laughs from everyday life -- such as her son's first efforts at filling out a job application. https://youtu.be/G6WnBZ5G6fc

In recent years Paula may be best known as a regular panelist on the NPR news quiz "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me" where her brand of plain spoken snark is right at home. Here is Paula riffing on Suze Orman. And yes, we know "Wait Wait" is a radio show -- this footage was taken from BBC's attempt to create a video version. https://youtu.be/gR47v_2a8Lw

Paula remains a top standup draw both here and in Canada where this clip was filmed. It has Paula musing a little with her audience about the differences in tolerance between the two countries. https://youtu.be/AYHzVxhhSZA

 

 

Dennis Miller

Set the snark phasers to stun -- Dennis Miller is in the house. A Pittsburgh lad, Miller was a smart standup comic, full of obscure (yet perfect) pop culture references when Lorne Michaels spotted him and offered him Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update anchor chair. He followed that with an Emmy-winning HBO show, radio talk shows, several best-selling books, and the occasional standup gig. Find extended cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Dennis Miller's breakout standup special came in 1988, while he was still on SNL. Called the "Off White Album" it holds up as one of the most quotable (at least by us) bit of snarky standup ever set to tape.https://youtu.be/N5xmmybtEDg

While Dennis Miller became famous at the Weekend Update anchor desk, his best work was his HBO show (Dennis Miller Live) which opened each week featuring a Miller "rant" (which led to a series of books based on the concept). Here is Dennis ranting away in 1996. https://youtu.be/uhHiPaJB1_0

While Dennis Miller's sharp turn into conservative politics cost him some fans, he still has plenty left judging by this clip from his most recent standup special -- which is vintage Miller, full of razor sharp observations about the foibles of pop culture. https://youtu.be/ejrxhNC7jRU

David Brenner

A master of observational comedy, David Brenner was much more over a career lasting nearly 50 years. Starting as a documentary filmmaker, Brenner took a left turn into standup and never looked back. Along the way he penned several best-selling books, hosted his own talk show(s), and set the record for most appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show.  Find more cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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David Brenner holds the record for most appearances on Johnny Carson's version of the Tonight Show (158!!). Here's Davids memorable debut from 1971. https://youtu.be/ZV2RxtVIZQY

David Brenner was a favorite on college campuses -- his observational style had just the right blend of snark and satire. This clip from the Midnight Special, captures David at the top of his career in 1975. https://youtu.be/lAx3_mEXxz4

David Brenner stayed active well into is 70s -- this fun late-career profile fills in a lot of his biography, plus it contains some excellent riffs from his standup act. https://youtu.be/7hRkyZChzjA

 

Frank Gorshin

For those of us of a certain age (ok, our age), Adam West was our first Batman and the legendary Frank Gorshin was our first Riddler. A gifted comic impressionist, Gorshin built a long career as a standup comic and character actor. And while his maniacal Riddler is best known, you couldn't have watched television in the 1960s and 70s without catching Frank in a sitcom, on a talk show, or logging time on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. As always, find longer clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. To find an easy to search archive of our past shows find us on YouTube at "Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy." And thanks for sharing our shows!

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While Frank is best remembered for his Batman work, he was first a fine comic impressionist with a long list of credits. Here is a bit of Frank's act from 1964 on Ed Sullivan -- the time he "opened" for the Beatles. https://dai.ly/x4wd08m

Frank Gorshin's Riddler was the breakout villain of the Adam West version of Batman. Frank played the role 10 times, plus he took the character to other shows and even issued a single in character that scraped the Billboard Top 40. Here is a nice fan-made supercut of some of the Riddler's best bits from 1966.https://youtu.be/C9aCdP83eAw

 

Frank Gorshin did an uncanny Burt Lancaster and an even better Dean Martin -- so what better time to deploy them both than on a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast!https://youtu.be/mJzcU8z2U14

 

 

 

Jimmie Walker

Meet Jimmie Walker, who turned an "explosive" catch phrase into comedy gold back in the 1970s. When Jimmie was hired to play the son of Esther Rolle and John Amos on Norman Lear's Good Times he was intended to be a a supporting actor who would periodically lighten the mood. Instead, driven by his infectious enthusiasm, he became THE breakout star (much to the consternation of Amos and Rolle). Jimmie still is a road warrior over 40 years into a career that began with a bit of "Dyn-o-mite"! As always, look for extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Before landing the Good Times gig, Jimmie was an up and coming standup. This short set from NBC's Midnight Special (remember that?) is a good taste of Jimmie's early standup style. https://youtu.be/KBV70C0skC8

Jimmie Walker's breakout role was as J.J. on the groundbreaking Good Times sitcom. The show was the first to feature a two parent African American household and Jimmie's infectious style (and way with the word "Dyn-o-mite" stole the show. https://youtu.be/HlbygyToHXc

Jimmie Walker continues to be a road dawg, touring top comedy clubs around the nation. This recent set from the Gotham Comedy Club shows he hasn't lost his audience connection. https://youtu.be/rbi3YQCsyFM

Who’s on First

This week we serve up a "changeup" and focus on a legendary comedy routine instead of a comedian. And with the World Series going on, what better choice than Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's classic wordplay routine "Who's on First?" Bud and Lou borrowed the basic concept from a number of wordplay routines making the vaudeville circuit, but their all-American spin using a baseball team as the focus made it an instant hit. It also was a masterclass in slow burn comedy, with Lou becoming more and more frustrated until he explodes. As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy

Bud and Lou first performed the routine to a wide audience on the Kate Smith Radio Hour in 1938. This clip is taken from a later appearance on the show, but it's a fun listen as the boys have fully inhabited their characters. https://youtu.be/Y91PmP9AXbI

 

There are a number of video versions of the routine available, but this version -- taken from their early 1950s tv show -- is among the very best. https://youtu.be/2ve20PVNZ18

 

All great comedy inspires great comedy homages and this one by the Credibility Gap is a gem. Instead of baseball we have a rock concert, but the bit translates perfectly. https://youtu.be/ludCVowT-DE

Richard Ayoade

Richard Ayoade is one of the modern masters of UK comedy, honing his craft at Cambridge (where he was President of the Footlights Society performing group -- which also include John Oliver). Since then he has become a staple on British tv with great roles in classic sitcoms such as The Mighty Boosh and The IT Crowd. He now hosts a clever travel show called "Travel Man" in which he explores a different city each episode with a celebrity guest. Find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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The Brits have a gift for comedy television shows that are very funny AND very surreal. Case in point -- The Mighty Boosh. It's so hard to describe in print, so just feast your eyes. https://youtu.be/ngXzLcWGMTY

While a long-rumored US version has yet to materialize, the UK show The IT Crowd remains a cult favorite. In the show, Ayoade plays Moss -- a socially awkward and painfully shy computer tech. Here's a fan clip of the Best of Moss. https://youtu.be/o0gH_omVWIg

Richard Ayoade may seem an unlikely choice to host a travel show, but he makes the show like his humor -- full of dry wit and wry observations. The premise of Travel Man is simple. Ayoade and a celebrity guest explore a foreign city for 48 hours. In the hands of Ayoade and a fine guest such as Jon Hamm, it's a delight to watch. https://youtu.be/q2C0EO0zzAY

 

Flight of the Conchords

It's "Business Time" here at Laugh Tracks Legends -- and by that we mean it's time to salute Flight of the Conchords, a musical comedy duo from New Zealand who took a song with that title to the top of the charts in the mid-2000s. Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clements met in college where they honed a "folk duo" act, blending sharp satire with great musical chops. They won raves at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Competition which launched a career that includes (to date) several studio albums (including a Grammy winner), sold out concert tours, a BBC radio series, and a beloved HBO comedy series. Not bad for a couple of lads who bill themselves as "the almost award-winning fourth-most-popular folk duo in New Zealand”! As always, find extra cuts at laughtracksradio.com -- or check out our YouTube channel (Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy) where you can get new episodes as well as a complete archive. As always, thanks for sharing our shows!

Catherine O’Hara

If you've watched comedy, even casually, over the last 40 years you know Catherine O'Hara. An icon of contemporary comic acting, Catherine was a founding cast member of SCTV, a frequent guest star in hit movies (Beetlejuice, Waiting for Guffman), and a co-star (with Eugene Levy) on the Schitt's Creek series. No wonder Canada honored her with her own postage stamp in 2014. As always, find extra cuts at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!