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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
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Joe Piscopo
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
Tuesday Dec 26, 2023
It's Ebony and Ivory, baby, and we've got the Chairman of the Board to sing it for you today! Well, ok, we actually have Joe Piscopo with his superb Frank Sinatra impression that he frequently deployed on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s. His SNL run also included one of the most cringe inducing (in a good way) SNL characters ever -- Doug Whiner. After a few missteps along the way after SNL (bodybuilding!), Joe developed a touring act that focuses on his musical impressions and has become a long running talk radio host in New York. As always find extended cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Joe?
Joe Piscopo has the misfortune to join SNL just after the original cast and Lorne Michaels had all departed. Lucky for him, Eddie Murphy was also along for the ride and they were the only two kept the next year when they became breakout stars and were featured in what is often voted one of SNL's best sketches ever -- take it away Stevie Wonder and The Chairman of the Board. https://youtu.be/U3-2Z2rmG0w?si=OTAogohQXoxAqq1K
While his mimicry made him a star, Joe stood out in other sketches, none more so than as Doug Whiner, half of "The Whiners", a couple who meet every minor problem with a gale force blast of -- well, whining! https://youtu.be/xH8yt71CDNU?si=9N7fFa3SAD4vW7Dd
Joe had always reveled in his New Jersey background -- in later talk radio incarnation he was known as "Jersey Joe". So is it any surprise that the centerpiece of his 1985 comedy album and special titled New Jersey would be another favorite son. https://youtu.be/otfMyWmkWfY?si=WQQwWhZzmDwToUSh
Sorry for the rough picture quality, but we had to throw in a little bonus this week -- an extended cut of Joe as Sinatra absolutely wrecking rock songs including Under My Thumb. You'll never hear it the Rolling Stones way again. https://youtu.be/U3-2Z2rmG0w?si=MYrFx2hnvRZVg5Ai
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Holiday Humor
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Tuesday Dec 19, 2023
Happy Holidays from Randy and Steve! Instead of a single artist this week, we're going to dip into a little holiday comedy that will bring a smile to your face. Allan Sherman? Check! Elmo and Patsy? Check! Adam Sandler? Check! Doc Mo She (???) Check!!! You get the picture. And you also get our thanks for letting us be part of your holidays this year. As always, find extra cuts in the comments (and these are gems) and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Holiday Humor?
Jeff Foxworthy was a titan of standup comedy back in the 1990s and as all entertainers do, he adapted his shtick to the holidays and issued his version of the 12 Days of Christmas -- adding his "redneck" flavor to the proceedings. https://youtu.be/h8ISVIOgPJA?si=3yR6c1r-ARhM30UG
We love Allan Sherman here and one of his best parodies was his take on the 12 Days, featuring some of the cheesier gifts of the moment. https://youtu.be/DgrkqDJFQoo?si=P3dWLQc1XKLJil-T
Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis have created many fine comic characters, but none more beloved than those hosers from the Great White North, Bob and Doug McKenzie. Their take on 12 Days has a distinctly Canuck feel! https://youtu.be/c3aCw-RurOk?si=KQq8pBgYaZi0NDKW
If there was an all-time Christmas novelty tune, Elmo and Patsy's "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" would surely be in the mix. A folk duo from Marin County, Elmo and Patsy cut this tune for fun, but it soon found its way onto radio playlists -- it was different, it was funny, and it was FCC clean! For DJs that was a Christmas miracle! https://youtu.be/MgIwLeASnkw?si=x1M2atIIojTp3VKl
You don't usually associate Psychobilly/Roots wild man Mojo Nixon with Christmas tunes, but he weighed in with a naughty disc (Horny Holidays) back in 1992 and it had his great read on "Mr. Grinch"!https://youtu.be/A1YVehEGG6E?si=kFpqbEns4eQ0IQkJ
The Christmas Jug Band is made up of some of the finest Marin County musicians and they come together once a year for a few fun and popular holiday concerts. They can handle the traditional holiday tunes -- and they can deliver this, a fun little ditty about Santa losing a prized possession!!https://youtu.be/D9zli5IC6qE?si=lWtM5I_OIDYjtD4-
We always leave room for some Hanukkah humor, and it's getting easier to find each year as a new generation of Jewish humorists takes over. The absolute icon of the genre is Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song and here it is in all its SNL glory. https://youtu.be/KX5Z-HpHH9g?si=_AwmyvJ0035RHGDK
Tom Lehrer wrote some of the best satirical songs ever, but his initial career was brief. So it was a delight for fans when his box set contained a few new tunes, including "I'm Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica"! https://youtu.be/R_3FjHEbdhc?si=uUUf3gGxy7XF6bIs
Hanukkah Hip Hop? Of course we've got you covered! We saw a video of this years ago at a Dr. Demento lecture -- it's Doc Mo She, The Hanukkah Homeboy, letting you know what he's all about. https://youtu.be/Er8a7gOPe5Q?si=qNlRPZwWLLKIbtIj
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Julia Sweeney
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Tuesday Dec 12, 2023
Saturday Night Live has always had cringeworthy characters and none moreso than Pat Riley, the androgynous, uncomfortable, and very funny creation of Julia Sweeney, this week's legend. With deep improv roots, Julia was on SNL for four years in the early 1990s, but after life dealt her a bad hand with a cancer diagnosis, she pivoted to one-woman shows, including God Said Ha! (about her medical journey) which later had a movie version produced by Quentin Tarantino. Since then, Julia has continued with one-woman shows and juicy supporting roles including as Andy Bryant's micromanaging mother. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.
Want more Julia?
Julia's most famous character was the androgynous and cringe inducing Pat Riley who she created at the Groundlings Improv Company, then took to Saturday Night Live and the big screen. Here Pat interacts with another legend -- the great Catherine O'Hara -- and the results are comedy perfection. https://youtu.be/Y6PcTOKSP0A?si=5FABnp5ebnNCJBpi
Julia turned her greatest challenge -- a cancer diagnosis -- into her greatest triumph, the one-woman show God Said Ha! It's an intimate, tender, emotional, and very funny look at an often taboo topic. This snippet will give you a flavor, but the whole film is well worth your time.https://youtu.be/NcxWc6bpA-w?si=yvpfM5nKX7j7k9iG
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
Don Knotts
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
Wednesday Dec 06, 2023
For five decades Don Knotts charmed the public from early work as an ensemble player on The Steve Allen Show to his long run as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show to more family-friendly Disney movies than you can count, Don turned his "nervous man" personal into comedy gold. Later in his career, Don found a niche in small, but juicy supporting roles on Three's Company and in movies such as Pleasantville -- and he also reunited with Andy Griffith for the Matlock series. As always find more clips below and thanks for watching our shows!
Want more Don Knotts? Don's greatest triumph came when he was cast as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife, a lovable bumbler, in The Andy Griffith Show. Here is one of Don's all time great bits as Barney gets into an argument with Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle. https://youtu.be/A1D78Y60gvo?si=oiL3o2wJBbWfQrqP
In the 1960s Don starred in a run of family-friendly movies including The Incredible Mr. Limpet, The Love God, The Reluctant Astronaut, and our fave -- The Ghost and Mr. Chicken. Here are some highlights of Don in that film, playing the high strung Luther Heggs. https://youtu.be/fkSk-Zz9Bno?si=HHYinseQbbAZtUdn
In 1979 Don returned as a tv series regular playing the lovable landlord Ralph Furley on the comedy hit Three's Company. https://youtu.be/NEE05Egqjlo?si=3PwAyPNpQxq7IquY
Late in his career, Don appeared in a number of juicy supporting tv and film roles including a mysterious and slightly sinister tv repairman in the comedy-drama Pleasantville.https://youtu.be/Mii7EcFsGho?si=T1UFxJ0hwBphv-3U
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Rip Taylor
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Grab some confetti and settle in to meet Rip Taylor -- The King of Confetti! A flamboyant slinger of "rim shot" jokes, Rip initially punctuated his act with exaggerated crying when his gags bombed. Ed Sullivan was a fan (he booked him over 20 times) and dubbed Rip "The Crying Comedian". Much later when bombing on the Merv Griffin show, instead of crying Rip was moved to tear up his joke cards and toss them in the air like confetti. The audience went nuts and from then on it was confetti instead of crying -- and a career that saw long runs in Las Vegas, many game and talk show appearances, and supporting film roles including Indecent Proposal (a rare dramatic turn) and Wayne's World (a great comedic turn). As always find more clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.
Want more Rip?
The New York Times once described Rip as a cross between Captain Kangaroo and Liberace, wound up to warp factor 7. Pretty good description! https://youtu.be/50pFJU99wUw
Ed Sullivan gave Rip his big TV break and had him back over 20 times. Here's an early Rip performance sans mustache and with crying, not confetti, as the shtick. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rm4g_ZGx-c
Rip was over the top, so in 1978 when producing madman Chuck Barris had an idea for another show that would do for beauty pageants what the Gong Show he tapped Rip to be the host. So back from the glory days of shlock tv -- here's a bit of the $1.98 Beauty Show! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF7yrbl_X6E
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Chevy Chase
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
He's Chevy Chase. . .and you're not! From early work with the National Lampoon Radio Hour to his time as the first anchor of SNL's Weekend Update, to a varied (and variable) movie career, Chevy Chase has blended snark and slapstick to the delight of fans. Films such as Fletch, National Lampoon's Vacation, and Caddyshack were box office hits while other projects such as a Fox late night show were bombs. And there were many stories of Chevy and his coworkers scrapping (sometimes literally) along the way. So fans were surprised when Chevy reemerged as Pierce Hawthorne in the NBC sitcom Community. That didn't end well either, but it was a welcome callback to the time when we all stayed up late waiting for the words "Live from New York, It's Saturday Night!" As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Chevy?
Chevy's tenure at Saturday Night Live was stormy, but maybe that was inevitable as he became the breakout star of the first season with his pratfall filled opens and his Weekend Update anchor gig. Here's Chevy with one of his most notorious impressions -- that of perpetually clumsy President Gerald Ford. https://youtu.be/_bvxZgCryUE?si=nYQ8kyW-I4log8Nh
Chevy's first two films were rom-coms which confused his fans who were expecting sharper edged comedy. That came in 1980 courtesy of Caddyshack, a Lampoon production that included great work from Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, and Ted Knight. All together now -- Be The Ball! https://youtu.be/I3akC_INsFc?si=iY_iB8Msu6xrNUBk
Chevy pretty much fell off the radar in the early 2000s, so it was a surprise at the end of the decade when he was cast as older community college student Pierce Hawthorne in NBC's Community and gained a new generation of fans. https://youtu.be/srIhtTPUJ_g?si=DcgRiITlDt1j7Rzi
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Kate McKinnon
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Tuesday Nov 14, 2023
Meet Kate McKinnon, one of Saturday Night Live's greatest "most valuable players" in this miniprogram. From early work in a college sketch troupe, to a breakout role in The Big Gay Sketch Show, Kate next made the leap to Saturday Night Live where her versatility and mimicry made her a legend. At the same time, Kate began to establish herself in movie comedies including the all-female Ghostbusters reboot and this year's smash hit Barbie in which Kate plays -- you guessed it -- "Weird Barbie". As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Kate?
Kate was a treat as Weird Barbie in 2023's smash Barbie movie. Here's a sample. https://youtu.be/66cMkxolaHM?si=y6mZX9IgwlJwASw3
One of Kate's standout characters from SNL was Colleen Rafferty, a woman with unusual alien encounters! https://youtu.be/OuRnPvJe7C8?si=2o1PEDqMNN7ebHOM
One of Kate's best SNL impressions was Trump advisor and "fake news" inventor Kellyanne Conway, here envisioned in a therapy session with husband George. https://youtu.be/0B96ZM3C-h4?si=rmFi9lvHGxANyC7g
Kate's versatility allowed to play both female and male roles -- such as her take on Covid guru Dr. Anthony Fauci. https://youtu.be/IqgyBN0OIns?si=A4bw-XYnxjdaqOTm
This one is delightful. Kate plays the Devil who it turns out invented podcasts. And who better as a guest on the Devil's own podcast than Alan Dershowitz! https://youtu.be/3c5neBXQwf8?si=WDS_X0KZYR2Phatt
When Paul Feig recruited an all-female cast for a Ghostbusters reboot a few years ago, a key role went to Kate who played eccentric and slightly disturbing physics specialist Dr. Jillian Holtzman -- here recounting an unfortunate lab incident. https://youtu.be/X5FgreIMIQo?si=30YyVm-kU7cpAnZX
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Morecambe and Wise
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Meet Morecambe and Wise -- that's Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise -- who formed one of Britain's most illustrious and best-loved double-acts of all time. From beginnings in post-WWII Great Britain the lads soon found a home first on radio, then with television series and specials that spanned 20 years. And, for many of those years, they produced Britain's most watched Christmas special -- a real tradition. Morecambe and Wise were versatile, with both men capable of song and dance as well as either the comic or straight man role. That versatility made them a huge influence on future British comics including Ben Elton and Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. Not bad for a couple of song and dance men who just wanted to make people laugh. As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Morecambe and Wise?
Morecambe and Wise had oodles of chemistry -- perfect for two guys who could flex between the comic and straight man parts with ease. Here is some typical banter with Shakespeare the focus. https://youtu.be/WMXz2SCqtfg?si=rMO19GXNPcWZD__6
As one of Britain's top variety shows, Morecambe and Wise were the place to be for pop stars including a man who was the biggest of all back in the early 1970s -- Tom Jones! -- who shows a bit of comedic flair himself. https://youtu.be/e66z6nnWKq0?si=Siv0_Hkb0kiPECpT
One of Morecambe and Wise's secrets was the quality of their scripts, mostly written by Eddie Braben who also was the pen behind David Frost and Ronnie Corbett. It allowed them to draw top-notch guest stars including Andre Previn, here helping the boys with a classical music bit (taken from the 1971 M&W Christmas Special). https://youtu.be/R7GeKLE0x3s?si=sBr-gYcqixGc1l8j
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Halloween Humor
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
This week we sample some classic Halloween Humor from everyone ranging from Bo Diddley and Tom Lehrer to Joe Flaherty and Bobby "Boris" Pickett. While Christmas remains the big dog among holidays for comedy records, Halloween has a more than respectable showing, particularly in the 1940s and 60s, the heyday of novelty songs reaching the Billboard Top 40 charts. So if you aren't able to sneak enough candy from you child (or grandchild's) treat bag, enjoy these comedy confections (plus no calories). As always, find complete cuts below and thanks for listening and sharing our shows.
Want more Halloween Humor?
Jerry Seinfeld is a master at observing everyday life and his Halloween routine is a brilliant look inside a kid's mind on the one day a year when the manta is "get candy!" https://www.facebook.com/nationalcomedycenter/videos/360617858385857/?mibextid=zDhOQc
If you lived on the East Coast, your faux Dracula tv host was Philly DJ John Zacherle -- known as the "Cool Ghoul" -- who scored a national hit with the tasty Dinner with Drac.https://youtu.be/vZa_kmCxflg?si=mMI9cAsU6mpcBVzx
Novelty song king Allan Sherman couldn't resist getting into the Dracula act with "My Son the Vampire." To be honest, it isn't his best, but man is he committed to a premise -- you will never hear the word "blood" the same way again! https://youtu.be/9B4HroAm78o?si=UY4V0JloLgSU6I-N'
Tune into SCTV back in the early 1980s and you might see Joe Flaherty adopt the persona of Count Floyd, lame late night tv movie host. His movies -- usually 3D stinkers -- would often feature John Candy's "Dr. Tongue" in a key role. Case in point -- this epic Monster Chiller Horror Theater -- featuring Dr. Tongue's 3D House of Cats! https://youtu.be/SMQ8qSEVFo0?si=04oWeuTwAntHIfOt
A legend in satirical song, Tom Lehrer's career was brief but stellar. This clip, taken from a 1967 Danish tour, features one of Tom's most macabre melodies -- "I Hold Your Hand in Mine". https://youtu.be/I9C2v1oLXQo?si=GcqRYbpDWqC2MJ9y
1959 saw voice actor Bob McFadden unleash a truly odd character -- Dor -- which was the backwards spelling of his recording partner, poet Rod McKuen. https://youtu.be/boMW2kVgk34?si=jSZ6AqOzF-ARHYD0
Lambert, Hendricks and Ross are legends of vocalese -- the blending of jazz, scat singing, and sound effects and nowhere did it come together better than in Halloween Spooks. https://youtu.be/7adiWXwPCqU?si=iLbaDsTAO6sAFQeZ
The 1950s and 60s being the era of dance crazes, it's no surprise that Halloween has seen its share. First up, Bo Diddley, adapting his signature style to "Bo Meets The Monster." https://youtu.be/nc6mcuQ-T0A?si=lIopmrH8VZw_oOIz
Once you've seen Ted Cassidy's Lurch character you won't forget him -- but in case you need a reminder here is a long forgotten disc in which Ted teaches us to Do the Lurch. https://youtu.be/p8w4fOBJd_s?si=Am3zRV0X9a3y8FOD
Could we forget the Big Daddy of Halloween hits -- Bobby "Boris" Pickett's Monster Mash? Nope and here it is in all its cheesy glory -- and it still brushes the Top singles charts on occasion! https://youtu.be/vNuVifA7DSU?si=scJz5lV0KXs6PblJ
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Norm Crosby
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Today we meet a man who is a true perspiration to both of us, the great Norm Crosby -- also known as the master of malaprop. Born out of the need for a shtick when he was a young comic, Norm's ability to mangle the language on command was a hit with audiences and led to a decades long career in comedy clubs, long runs in Las Vegas, and myriad appearances in film and on television. Norm was also a staple at the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (and the much naughtier Friar's Club version), a regular on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, and an unlikely pitchman for beer. Not bad for a comic with Catskills material, but a gift for garbled gab that was top shelf all the way. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
Want more Norm?
If you want a nice sample of what Norm was all about this clip from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967 is a great place to start. It's a simple riff on US History, but filled with the malaprop comedy that made his career. https://youtu.be/gshTXgcyoq4?si=Z3ZkQqqSMO4JrSkl
Norm was a Vegas stalwart with headlining gigs of his own, plus a long run opening shows for the likes of Tom Jones. Here's Norm guesting on the mother of all Vegas gigs -- the Jerry Lewis Telethon (Norm appeared 27 times). https://youtu.be/KjImNhOSDac?si=Cpo3iQkVowynKAT_
Later in his career Norm found a new audience through an unlikely source -- he became a tv pitchman, most notably for the then new Natural Light Beer. Nothing like dressing up a lousy beer with some classic comedy! https://youtu.be/teUfoBNYXrY?si=VPa6k9mjestTFyj3