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Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan’s lifelong love of comedy was kindled when they met more than 40 years ago in graduate school in Seattle. While managing family and professional work responsibilities, they hosted a one hour comedy radio program on Saturday mornings for 10 years on a small radio station in Olympia, WA and also co-authored two books on northwest popular culture – Seattle on Film (1995) and Wet and Wired (2000). Stuck at home during the early days of the pandemic with hundreds of comedy albums, cassettes and CD’s gathering dust on their shelves, they launched Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy in May 2020, a weekly mini-program featuring a different comedy icon, with biographical bits and a nice slice of the comedy that made them famous. From standup stars, to stellar sketch teams, to novelty music maestros -- they are all part of our Legends.
Episodes
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Meet Lenny Bruce, the original "dark angel" of controversial standup comedy in this miniprogram. Intellectual, pointed riffs, delivered at a mile-a-minute and sprinkled liberally with profanity were Lenny's stock in trade. Along the way it netted him numerous obscenity arrests -- as well a permanent place in the DNA of every irreverent comic to follow. As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com. And thanks for sharing our shows!
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Life feeling a little surreal right now? Well you are in luck, because this time out we feature Steven Wright, legendary standup comic whose stock in trade is philosophical and gently surreal one liners delivered in a laconic and ever so dry style. From his start at the Ding Ho club in Boston to college arenas to HBO specials and movie roles, Steven Wright has forged a unique and very funny career. As always, find more clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Tuesday Jan 05, 2021
Stellar pipes and saucy wit propelled Bette Midler from small roles off, off , off Broadway to entertaining at NYC bathhouses to headlining gigs around the world -- with a first rate acting career to boot. Meet her in this week's episode. As always, find additional cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Wednesday Dec 30, 2020
Meet Mike Nichols and Elaine May -- better known as Nichols and May -- pioneers of ironic, improvised comedy in this miniprogram. After meeting at the University of Chicago and helping form the Compass Players (a precursor of the famed Second City troupe), Mike and Elaine split off to with a duo act that conquered the comedy world and influenced a generation of comics. Said Steve Martin: "Never had I heard irony delivered just in the tone of a voice." As always, look for extended clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Tuesday Dec 22, 2020
Patton Oswalt knows more about movies, comic-cons, science fiction, and KFC bowls than any man alive. From the funniest kid in class, to a writer for Mad TV, to a standup star, to a voice acting and sitcom stalwart, Patton has had a legendary comedy career -- with some intriguing side projects along the way. As always, find extended clips in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Tuesday Dec 15, 2020
Say a hearty "Howdee" to Sarah Colley -- known to comedy fans worldwide as country comedy superstar Minnie Pearl. From humble beginnings to the Grand Old Opry stage to film and tv stardom, Minnie Pearl never changed the basics of her act -- tall tales from the fictitious town of "Grinderswitch" told with a twinkle in her eye and just a tad of naughtiness. As always, look for extra cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows!
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Tuesday Dec 08, 2020
Meet the Royal Canadian Air Farce, provider of north of the border laughs for nearly 50 years. Starting on CBC radio back in 1973, the original cast of Luba Goy, Dave Broadfoot, John Morgan, Roger Abbott, and Don Ferguson delivered a mix of sharp satire and silliness, eventually moving to tv where they (and new Farce members) stayed until finally signing off with a 2019 NYE special. As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
Tuesday Dec 01, 2020
His friends know him as Barrett Hansen, but radio listeners know him as Dr. Demento, and for over 40 years he has delivered good medicine to fans of novelty music worldwide. Meet him and some of the twisted tunesmiths he favors in this miniprogram. As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
Wednesday Nov 25, 2020
From the Devil, to the devilish schemer Blackadder, to the hilarious manchild Bean, Rowan Atkinson is one of the most distinctive and versatile comedians the UK has ever gifted the world. Find out more in this miniprogram and, as always, extra clips are in the comment section at laughtracksradio.com. And thanks for sharing our shows!
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Tuesday Nov 17, 2020
Meet Robin Williams, whose comedy act resembled a one man improv troupe and whose films -- whether comedies such as Mrs. Doubtfire, serious fare such as Good Will Hunting, or in-between such as Good Morning Vietnam -- made his a global star. And in his spare time, he helped launch Comic Relief which brought help to the homeless. As always, find extended cuts in the comments at laughtracksradio.com and thanks for sharing our shows.