Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Dom DeLuise

Meet Dom DeLuise, a fixture on tv variety and talk shows during the 1970s and 80s and a frequent comic costar in the movies, particularly in a string of (first) Mel Brooks' and (then) Burt Reynolds' flicks including classics such as Blazing Saddles and Smokey and the Bandit. Whether goofing with Dean Martin as floundering magician "Dominick the Great", trying to get down from a mountain as Father Fyodor in The Twelve Chairs, or even teaching you how to make great Italian dishes in his warm and funny series of cooking videos, Dom never wore out his welcome in a career that spanned 40 years. As always, look for full cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.

Norm MacDonald

Norm MacDonald was never afraid to make an audience VERY uncomfortable as he worked to a punchline. Beginning as a standup star in Canada, Norm eventually became a cast member of Saturday Night Live. At SNL he helmed Weekend Update until getting unceremoniously dumped by network executives for telling one too many OJ Simpson jokes! Much later he penned a highly entertaining "autobiography" that knitted his real life struggles into an epic "Fear and Loathing" -- style road trip. As always, find extra clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.

Alan King

Meet Alan King, an icon of old-school comedy who was a fixture on nightclub stages, tv variety and talk shows, and the big screen from the 1960s through the 90s. While King started off as a rapid fire punchline machine, he developed into a fine storyteller, often drawing on his Jewish background for inspiration. He also became a sought after character actor, but his true calling was as the Abbot of the New York Friar's Club where he had a big hand in their legendary and legendarily profane "roasts." As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com, and thanks for sharing our shows.

Rusty Warren

Rusty Warren never made it on big variety shows or nightclubs because her bawdy material was too strong for the prudish 50s. A quick tour of any Goodwill store used record section, however, will show that everyone in America must have owned at least one of her albums. In Rusty's world women not only liked sex, they ran the show. Her songs were naughty and her crowd work superb. Catherine O'Hara's spot-on impression on SCTV (in the character of "Dusty Towne") was an affectionate sendup, and in later life Rusty became an icon for young female comics who wanted to tell it like it really is! As always find extra cuts in the comments and thanks for sharing our shows. Miss an episode? We now have a full archive on YouTube along with themed playlists. Check it out!

George Lopez

Were back with new shows! This time out meet George Lopez who has turned a playful (and sometimes pointed) eye toward his challenging childhood and his beloved Mexican-American community into a stellar career on tv, in movies, and on the stand-up stage. As always, find extra cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.

Rev. Billy C. Wirtz

Prepare for some musical comedy salvation this episode with the Rev. Billy C. Wirtz who has blended rollicking piano with sharp comedy for four decades. His lyrics run the gamut from laments about aging to praise for pro wrestling to revival tent exhortations about the afterlife (Will There Be A Shopping Mall in Heaven?). He's a one of a kind act and we're glad to say that after a few years off to deal with health issues, the Rev is back and on the road taking his "First Church of Polyester Worship and Horizontal Throbbing Teenage Desire" to the masses. Say Amen -- and look for extra cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com!

David Frye

Meet Richard Nixon in this week's episode. OK, actually meet David Frye -- widely acclaimed as the best Nixon impersonator ever -- who rode his brilliant impression to a series of hit albums in the 1970s. Frye was a struggling impressionist when he hit on lampooning politicians rather than the Hollywood stars favored by most comics. He did a great Bobby Kennedy and LBJ, but his Nixon is transcendent and Frye captured it all -- not just the voice but Tricky Dick's unique mannerisms and facial expressions. As always, look for full clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!

Wayland Flowers and Madame

Meet Wayland Flowers and Madame, a top draw in nightclubs and on tv during the 1970s and 80s. Wayland was a fine ventriloquist and his puppet Madame -- who he styled as a saucy southern lady -- was a great character, full of sass and snark. From frequent variety show gigs, to a faux talk show (Madame's Place), to a short run as center square on the Hollywood Squares, Wayland and Madame were all over the entertainment map during their decade long run. Find extra cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!

Madeline Kahn

Here's a treat -- one of the funniest women ever to grace the Broadway stage and the silver screen. Madeline Kahn started out as a singing waitress and worked her way onto Broadway, but it was her movies with Mel Brooks -- especially Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein -- that made her a comedy icon. Look fo extra clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!

 

Colin Quinn

Meet Colin Quinn who has risen from game-show sidekick (MTV's Remote Control) to become a comedian's comedian by blending history, politics, and culture -- with just the right amount of Brooklyn snark. From SNL (where he hosted Weekend Update for a spell) to a long run as host of the scathing Comedy Central talk show Tough Crowd, to a series of one-man shows focusing on American history, to a number of juicy character roles on movies and tv, Colin is a thinking person's comic. As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!