Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Bill Hicks

Meet Bill Hicks, the "Dark Poet" of standup comedy who burned brightly, but quickly, in the 1980s and early 90s. A savage truth teller in the tradition of Lenny Bruce, George Carlin, and Richard Pryor, Bill developed an intense cult following, especially in England. His sets were unpredictable, mixing satire, history, and philosophy with impeccable timing and a whole lot of NSFW content. When he died from cancer in 1994, many comics noted he was ahead of his time. To that point, all of Bill's recordings have been reissued in recent years and many of his sharpest routines are still right on target today. As always find more cuts below, and thanks for sharing our shows.

Want more Bill Hicks?

Bill was a chain smoker on stage so the movement to restrict indoor smoking was predictably greeted with snark. But hey, Bill, tell us how you really feel! https://youtu.be/xDbDT3Bry2g

Bill was a wild man and indulged heavily in drugs and alcohol. As his health suffered he gave them up -- but his take on the matter might not be what you expect. https://youtu.be/VCcHkR9iv7M

Bill Hicks once said that comics who do commercial should be stricken from the "artistic roll call." Some would say he simply wasn't offered any, but that's not true -- let Bill tell you himself. https://youtu.be/pRcF7t5HGhQ

Tommy Tiernan

Tommy Tiernan has built a career as one of Ireland's funniest -- and, at times, most inappropriate stand-up comics and comic actors. Winning the best newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in the early 1990s, Tommy soon became a favorite on Irish tv, including The Late Late Show and the sitcom Father Ted. More recently, Tommy has hosted the Tommy Tiernan Show in which the guests are unknown to him until the moment they walk on stage. And for American audiences, he is perhaps best known as "Da Gerry", the perpetually beleaguered father on the hit Netflix show "Derry Girls." And did we mention he's a Guinness World Record Holder? Well, he is -- for performing standup for 36 hours and fifteen minutes straight during a 2009 Galway show! It won't be 36 hours worth, but you can find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Tommy Tiernan?

Tommy is a comic who often finds the line between comedy that is "ok" and that which is really not by crossing it. Here Tommy tells the audience on The Late Late Show about one such case. https://youtu.be/u3MG1iIZZjQ

Tommy's bond with standup crowds is legendary -- as is the way he lets the audience in on his frustrations in ways that are always clever -- and often quite naughty! https://youtu.be/-DWc9CArliU

While he made his initial name as a standup, Tommy has built a fine career as a character actor as well. In the Netflix hit Derry Girls, Tommy plays the beleaguered father ("Da Gerry"). Here's a nice collection of Tommy's finest moments from that show. https://youtu.be/JpYol7ZP6hk

 

George Kirby

One of the greatest impressionists of all time, George Kirby was a frequent flyer on tv variety and talk shows, and on the nightclub stage from the 1950s all the way until the 1990s. One of the first black comics to fully cross over to white audiences, Kirby's gift was his uncanny ability to mimic pop culture figures singing as well as speaking. George was a favorite of Ed Sullivan, who featured him on his "Toast of the Town" show as well as his national variety program. After a run on The Kopykats -- an ABC show devoted to impressionists -- George earned his own short-run series but his career was interrupted by drug charges that sent him to prison for over three years. While his career never fully recovered, he remained active in Vegas and was a guest on Bob Hope's USO shows. As always, find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more George Kirby?

While George's impressions were his main calling card he was also a fine standup with an expressive style and great timing. This cute bit, about his wife's poker game, is drawn from his 1970s standup work. https://youtu.be/PACXnn0842o

George had a wonderfully versatile voice and it served him well on ABC's The Kopykats which ran in the 1970s and then his own George Kirby Half a Comedy Hour which had a 22 episode run. In his bit, from George's show, he imitates two classic caucasian blowhards -- Ralph Kramden and Archie Bunker (with an assist from another Legend, Marilyn Michaels). https://youtu.be/XJmBrefkI3Q

Back in the day, Bob Hope would make an annual USO tour to entertain US troops in a war zone or hostile environment. Along with singers and scantily-clad cheerleaders, Bob would always bring a comedian along and in 1983 George was picked to join the USO tour of Beirut. Here's George being introduced by Bob, then treating the troops to some standup and a fine impression of Humprey Bogart singing jazz. https://youtu.be/IVmzsqOuA74?t=416

June Foray

Turn on some classic cartoons from the 1960s and one of the voices you're sure to hear is that of June Foray, the finest female voice actor of the 20th Century. From Stan Freberg parodies, to voicing Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to playing Rocky the Flying Squirrel and Natasha Fatale on the classic Rocky and Bullwinkle show June was everywhere during the golden age of TV cartoons. In later life, June also became an tireless advocate for advancing the animation arts. The great Looney Tunes director Chuck Jones once said that June wasn't the female Mel Blanc - Mel was the male June Foray. High praise indeed! Find more June Foray below and thanks for sharing our shows.

Want more June Foray?

When June came to Hollywood she soon found a friend and fan in Stan Freberg, the master of parody. In one of her best roles, June plays "Little Blue Riding Hood" being interrogated by Stan's tough cop (an early take on his Joe Friday impersonation). https://youtu.be/hzDvoJWB3t4

When it comes to enthusiasm, few cartoon characters match Rocket J. Squirrel, the plucky flying rodent who is Bullwinkle's best friend. June's voice for Rocky is animation gold. In this bit Rocky and Bullwinkle stumble into the Hatfield-McCoy feud with predictable results. https://youtu.be/a4LPQEljkRE

Rocky and Bullwinkle debuted during the Cold War and that resulted in one of June's signature character -- super spy Natasha Fatale who labored (with Boris Badenov) in futility to bring down "Moose and Squirrel". https://youtu.be/4txmBNCAXg8

Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band

Prepare your ears and open your mind for the surreal sounds of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, a much loved British group whose music blended music hall stylings with dadaesque flourishes. Starting as an art-school project, the Bonzos managed to get a gig on a BBC children's program (which also featured future Pythons Eric Idle, Michael Palin, and Terry Jones). In later years, Bonzo Neil Innes became the Python's go to source for music. While the Bonzo's initial blast didn't last long, they reunited several times, including a spectacular 40th anniversary show in 2006. Find more Bonzo's below, and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want More Bonzos?

A great intro (and outdo) to the Bonzos is the song called "The Intro and the Outro" which blended a bouncy tune with a long list of band members (most delivered with tongue firmly in cheek). https://youtu.be/hcrUuCDFLOQ

In 1967, the Bonzos released "Jollity Farm" a bouncy little tribute to country living. In later years, the lyrics were transformed into a children's book -- and we sure hope the little ones eventually discover the original source! This live version give a good taste for the Bonzo's visual style as well. https://youtu.be/VwksszrDYNw

There was a lot of crossover among young British comedians in the 1960s and the 1967 kids show "Do Not Adjust Your Set" is a great example. Imagine a children's show featuring Michael Palin, Eric Idle, and Terry Jones of future Python fame -- with the Bonzos supplying the music. Needless to say the was a hit with colleges students as well as little tykes. This cut -- I'm the Urban Spaceman -- was as close as the Bonzos ever got to a chart hit. https://youtu.be/mZ8bj8lcMsM

Fred Willard

Meet one of our personal favorites this week -- the great Fred Willard. A consummate improv, sketch, and film comedian, Fred got his start in a New York comedy duo, but it was after he spent time at Second City (alongside the likes of Robert Klein and Peter Boyle) that his career blossomed. From helping found the influential Ace Trucking Company comedy troupe, to Norman Lear's Fernwood 2 Night, to a long run as part of Christopher Guest's improv repertory company, Fred was a reliable and welcome addition to any comedy project. Find more clips below and, as always, thanks for sharing our shows!

 

Want more Willard?

Fred had a great long run as part of Christopher Guest's repertory company, winning an American Comedy Award for his work in Best of Show. But our favorite is this short bit in This is Spinal Tap, where Fred plays the consummate military guy trying to be hip as he meets the band. https://youtu.be/IpTNoq2np_4

Fred was always at his best in a group. His ability to play off people, honed by years at the Second City, let him make any scene funnier. As part of the Ace Trucking Company comedy troupe Fred was a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight show. Here's one of their bits from 1974. https://youtu.be/c4wL0BM1IQc

Fred had a gift for playing characters who were confidently clueless, none better than his portrayal of hack tv talk show sidekick Jerry Hubbard (to Martin Mull's smarmy Barth Gimble) on Norman Lear's "Fernwood 2 Night". Here is Fred with some prime inane banter! https://youtu.be/RJsNr0GqXMk

Dan Ackroyd

He is an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor and writer, an entrepreneur with a classic nightclub chain and a spooky vodka to his credit, and the only SNL cast member that Eric Idle said could be a Python. Of course, it's Dan Ackroyd who has placed a BIG footprint on pop culture and comedy over the last 50 years. From early work at the Second City, to being part of the original Saturday Night Live cast, to a string of hit comedy movies Dan has an amazing comedy resume. And besides -- how many people can say they were both a Blues Brother AND a Ghostbuster? Just Dan. As always, find more clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

 

Want more Dan Ackroyd?

Dan first came to national attention as part of the original cast of Saturday Night Live. This sketch firmly cemented him in our minds -- no wonder it was chosen for Dan to reprise on the SNL 40th Anniversary Special. https://youtu.be/6RLHPaZUuyc

Just a taste here of an iconic line from The Blues Brothers which took Dan and partner John Belushi to superstardom on the screen and the concert stage. https://youtu.be/gvKs2VLmVnY

1983's Trading Places paired up two of the hottest comic actors of the day - Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy -- to answer the question of what would happen if two wealthy old bastards -- played brilliantly by Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche -- bet on whether switching Dan and Eddie's circumstances could change their personalities. Here, Dan -- reduced to pawning his stuff -- tries to convince a pawn shop owner (Bo Diddley!) to buy his watch. https://youtu.be/uYlOIKtYsos

One of Dan's most enduring and endearing characters is Ray Stantz, an occult expert who ends up becoming part of the Ghostbusters. Dan nails every line, capturing Ray's sweet nerdiness. Here's a clip where Ray learns the answer to a very important question. https://youtu.be/jCe5vfQx50c

Bill Burr

There is no one hotter in standup today than Bill Burr who has turned rage comedy into an art form. Bill speaks his mind (and then some), but always leavens it with a twinkle in the eye or a bit of self deprecation. Along the way, Bill has been a podcast pioneer, founding the All Things Comedy podcast network. He also has carved out a growing niche as a character actor in shows like the Mandalorian and films like The King of Staten Island. He also found time to voice the main character -- a guy who seems a lot like Bill -- in the animated series "F is for Family." But we think that Bill -- as a guy from Boston -- would rank his greatest achievement as selling out a comedy show at Fenway Park, setting a Boston comedy crowd record. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

 

Want more Bill Burr?

 

Bill has become one of Netflix's biggest standup stars and this clip gives a good sample of his style -- confessional to a fault, dancing along the edge of good taste, and zigging to a thoughtful point when you expected him to zag. In other words, a pretty wild ride! https://youtu.be/j2D4BelPffU

 

Bill has carved out a niche as a great character actor, but his voice work in the animated hit "F is for Family" wasn't much of stretch -- one listen and it turns out the main character is pretty much a dead ringer. https://youtu.be/o6rP4eEtlsI

 

When Bill Burr hosted SNL during the height of the Covid pandemic many wondered how well his caustic and politically incorrect style would be received. Turns out people just wanted to laugh! Here's Bill's monologue from that show. https://youtu.be/O1xgXJ5_Q34

 

Don Adams

OK fans of 1960s sitcoms, time to get out your shoe phone and deploy the cone of silence because this week we feature Don Adams, a great standup comic who scored the role of a career when he was tapped to play Maxwell Smart, Agent 86, in the Mel Brooks/Carl Reiner classic Get Smart. Before becoming the world's most confident (and least capable) secret agent, Don was a regular on tv talk shows with standup that mixed satire, snark, and great character voices. Later Don would use his voice acting skills on kids cartoons such as Tennessee Tuxedo and Inspector Gadget (an homage to his Get Smart character). Find more Don Adams below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Don Adams?

Before (and after) Get Smart, Don was a top standup comic. He wasn't a rapid fire joke teller and he wasn't a modern observational comic. Rather he set up scenes that played to his voice acting talents. This set from the Steve Allen Show -- which Don guested on 15 times -- is a good example of his standup style. https://youtu.be/7vpkoqzd39s

Get Smart was a smash from day one, mixing great visual gags with groaners and featuring inspired parodies of the spy genre. This clip package does a good job at capturing what made the show unique. https://youtu.be/rEGA7eyWeAA

Don was typecast after Get Smart and couldn't get traction in unrelated sitcoms or periodic attempts at a reboot. One area in which he found continued success was voice acting and in Inspector Gadget he found the perfect role -- one that sounded suspiciously like one Maxwell Smart!https://youtu.be/bw1nuljvW

Elayne Boosler

The New York Times once called Elayne Boosler a "comedy master who hasn't gotten her due." Well, let's correct that starting now! From her start in the 1970s, Elayne established herself as skilled practitioner of observational comedy, often centering on her life and challenges as a single woman. In 1985, she had the first cable comedy special headlined by a female comic -- and she had to pay the production costs herself. A frequent guest on tv variety and talk shows, Elayne continues to tour and shoot specials -- only now someone else pays the production costs! Find more Elayne below and thanks, as always for sharing our shows.

Want more Elayne?

Elayne participated in the Comic Relief benefits of the 1980s. In this bit, she expertly discusses some of the challenges of living in the city. https://youtu.be/DjDC6Yj2OrQ

Elayne's first big tv break was on an Evening at the Improv and it established her style -- sharp, yet playful observational comedy. https://youtu.be/RWNArzJN4Ek

Now over 70, Elayne keeps touring, now turning her sharp observational eye toward that season of life. This comes from a recent show at the Gotham Comedy Club. https://youtu.be/E5XjyH1ZieU