Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Rick Mercer

Meet a longtime favorite from North of the Border -- Rick Mercer! Over a career now over 30 years, Rick has had a hand in creating some of Canada's best loved satirical shows, including This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Made in Canada, and The Rick Mercer Report. Rick's gifts at blending news, parody, sketch comedy, and "person in the street" interviews have earned him multiple Gemini Awards (the Canadian Emmy), membership in the Order of Canada, and a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award from The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards. Not bad, eh? As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Rick Mercer?

Canadians love to poke fun at Americans and few have done it better than Rick, whose "Talking to Americans" bit from This Hour Has 22 Minutes finds him showing Americans to be a bit clueless -- using our own words for evidence. https://youtu.be/7ZE0TuKTpo4?si=YBr4h3PSjXFVfkrt

A big part of Rick's enduring popularity are his rants -- short and pointed bits of satire (in the style of the Dennis Leary MTV commercials). https://youtu.be/225Mx6ya7SQ?si=CWLSM4MwMN6ny-pZ

Rick Mercer is a master at interview work and when he is paired with a wildman such as long-time Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry it's comedy gold. The topic? Why men's suits, of course! https://youtu.be/EFPuMzza9hk?si=LCqBq0Kjc0XCDVs0

 

Andy Kaufman

Meet Andy Kaufman whose performance-art style comedy had the power to amuse, mystify, and (sometimes) offend during a short but brilliant run in the 1970s and 80s. A master of oddball characters, Andy first gained national fame with a groundbreaking spot on SNL in 1975, then in 1978 he took on the role of Latka the foreign mechanic on the smash TV sitcom Taxi. But fans who bought a ticket for his live show found themselves in a spectacle of edgy crowd work including a long-running bit in which Andy would wrestle female audience members for the "Intergender Wrestling Championship of the World." Was it all a put on? With Andy, who ever knew exactly where the line was drawn? As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Andy?

Andy's breakout tv role was as Latka, a foreign mechanic, on Taxi. To take advantage of his range of characters, writers gave Latka multiple personality syndrome. But they all came from Latka, whose indecipherable accent was a staple at office water coolers during the show's run. https://youtu.be/NRKxPrFXbO0?si=ov1HyZXabHbyMfk_ 

Anyone who watched SNL in its early years remembers groundbreaking sketches and appearances and Andy's 1975 spot sure qualifies! https://youtu.be/Yxp23Gkvn9g?si=k-0shn_WLRLR4OJq

Andy had a thing for pro wrestling, eventually sparking a feud with Jerry "The King" Lawler that landed in David Letterman's lap in 1982. Was it all a fake? Andy never broke character! https://youtu.be/FL9PGJslS6A?si=Xxjc_YVHni8bxoGD

 

 

Bill Dana

Bill Dana is best known for his Jose Jimenez character which charmed television audiences in the 1950s and 60s but there was so much more. A gifted comedy writer, Dana created some classic comedy bits including Don Adams "Would You Believe?" routine from Get Smart and the superb All in the Family episode where Archie Bunker had Sammy Davis, Jr. as a guest in his house. Dana was also a civil rights advocate (he retired the Jose character because of its stereotypes) and a comedy historian, co-founding the American Comedy Archives at his alma mater, Emerson College. Find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Bill Dana?

Back when a comedy routine could break into the radio Top 40, Bill struck comedy gold in 1961 when he released "The Astronaut" a Jose Jimenez bit that capitalized on the space race and raced up to number 19 on the Billboard charts. https://youtu.be/8YXKL86H6kU?si=AwogyYmDqOXeOSwF

Bill Dana became known to a wider audience as part of Steve Allen's superb comedy troupe, first as a writer, then as an actor. He created the Jose Jimenez character specifically for the show and his banter with Steve was an instant crowd favorite. https://youtu.be/9DMQJtKaXtM?si=y0iQJtKO24ZtK6JW

Back when a comedy routine could break into the radio Top 40, Bill struck comedy gold in 1961 when he released "The Astronaut" a Jose Jimenez bit that capitalized on the space race and raced up to number 19 on the Billboard charts. https://youtu.be/8YXKL86H6kU?si=AwogyYmDqOXeOSwF

Jay Leno

A standup stalwart who stepped into the Tonight Show hosting gig when Johnny Carson retired, Jay Leno held that spot for 20 years. So when he finally retired, then unretired, then retired again (after some Succession-worthy intrigue) did Jay pick up the fishing pole? Nope! Instead he continued with frequent standup gigs, became a game-show host (You Bet Your Life), and launched a show about his friends and their cars (Jay Leno's Garage). As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Jay Leno?

Late night television went to war after Johnny Carson retired with battles over his successor. In that scrap, Leno was often pitted against the prickly David Letterman who many felt should have succeeded Carson. That feud led to a memorable ad during the 2010 Super Bowl featuring Jay, Dave, and "mediator" Oprah Winfrey. https://youtu.be/-KSKkmypTZM?si=le0WGVwrG5Fd3FyE

When Jay moved to Los Angeles and became part of the comedy scene there in the late 1970s it was only a matter of time before he scored the Holy Grail of guest spots -- a slot on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show. Here's that first appearance from 1977 (and dig the green leisure suit). https://youtu.be/qvmQZ1jQjQk?si=NkLFMQagKE2sN1Iu

One of Jay Leno's signature bits on The Tonight Show was "Headlines" in which Jay would read real headlines from local papers -- always with some bizarre or inappropriate typos. It was a hit and spawned a number of book spinoffs. https://youtu.be/L-xm_zjXFMw?si=ePezelqI_O89TRts

Jay Leno is a workhorse -- he doesn't seem comfortable unless he has several projects in the fire. After he retired from The Tonight Show, one of those irons involved his love of old cars (he has a huge collection). This episode of Jay Leno's Garage featured Martha Steward reminiscing about her old Edsel station wagon. https://youtu.be/KaGqElpspm0?si=G2tosPABBwNoLmGE

 

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby ”Road Movies”

Bob Hope and Bing Crosby were both Hollywood icons, but when they teamed up to do a series of irreverent "buddy" comedies, they created another Legend -- the "Road To. . ." series. The plots were thin -- mostly an excuse to have Bob and Bing team up to break the 4th wall, unroll loads of snarky adlibs, and create some classic physical shtick. With Dorothy Lamour along for the ride, the films were a hit, and an template for decades of "buddy" pictures to follow. As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Bob and Bing?

For most of the Road movies, the lead female role was played by the great Dorothy Lamour. Here are Bob, Bing, and Dorothy in a scene from Road to Rio. https://youtu.be/gTEvHqkQZ3c

An enduring bit of physical shtick from the Road movies is "patty cake" in which Bob and Bing find an excuse to play the children's game -- starting a faux fist fight in the process and escaping whatever peril they were in. https://youtu.be/LQ-HhecZqjE

Bob and Bing were gleeful violators of the old acting code that you never "break the 4th Wall" -- meaning you don't talk to the audience. Here's a fun supercut of some of their best "4th Wall" offenses from The Road to Bali. https://youtu.be/uFOKJzKt3Iw

Tina Fey

Whether Tina Fey is selected to follow Lorne Michaels as SNL honcho or not, her legendary status is more than secure, including a long-running stint as SNL head writer and Weekend Update anchor. But there is so much more to Tina, including work at The Second City, starring in and producing award winning hit sitcoms (30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), and teaming up with Amy Poehler to make an unbeatable awards show hosting duo. Add to that a Mark Twain Prize for American Humor and shelves full of Emmy and Golden Globe awards and you've got yourself a legendary career right there!

Want more Tina?

Tina was SNL's first female head writer, and when she was added as Weekend Update anchor her star became even brighter. Here is some of Tina's best from the anchor desk. https://youtu.be/l3vAVhaIEIk

After leaving SNL, Tina developed and starred in the hit comedy 30 Rock, about the backstage antics at a show that looked a lot like SNL. As Producer Liz Lemon, she held it all together -- plus dropped in some snarky one liners of her own. https://youtu.be/9dYW_m5I074

When Tina and Amy Poehler signed on to host the Golden Globes they were seen as a safer choice than long-time host Ricky Gervais. Ha! They threw down with the best of them -- here is some of their best.https://youtu.be/Sy6CfQCiBUk

 

Chuck Jones

If you grew up watching Looney Tunes, the name Chuck Jones is sure to bring a big smile. As a director, Chuck helmed so many of the classic episodes, from Duck Amuck and Barbary Coast Bunny to What's Opera Doc and The Rabbit of Seville. Plus, if you love the animated version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, you can thank Chuck Jones for the animation wizardry that brought that story to life. As Robin Williams said when he awarded Chuck a lifetime achievement Oscar, "we have a jones for Chuck Jones". As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Chuck Jones?

Chuck Jones' Duck Amuck is often listed at the greatest Looney Tunes episode and its easy to see why. The visual comedy is inventive and relentless and coupled with Daffy's slow burn it makes a potent combo. All together now -- "All right wise guy, where's the rest of me?" https://vimeo.com/403771824

We hope that these extra clips inspire you to search out more! And here is a great starting point -- Barbary Coast Bunny -- featuring Bugs Bunny taking on Nasty Canasta as only he can -- with wit and grit! https://dai.ly/x8e0pyk

The music was as much a part of the comedy as the animation in many of the Looney Tunes shorts and nowhere was that more apparent than in the great classical music parody The Rabbit of Seville. https://vimeo.com/456078993

Because animation wasn't looked upon in Hollywood as "serious art" the Oscars ignored Looney Tunes, even though they have lasted longer than most of the movies! in 1996 they made amends by awarding an honorary Oscar, presented by a man many called a living cartoon -- Robin Williams! https://youtu.be/UZ1xZsv5t6A

Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah is on top of the comedy world and there is no wonder why. From building a career in South Africa as a disc jockey and stand up, Trevor came to America and became the first South African comic to appear on the Tonight Show, built a huge fan base with his warm and witty shows, was selected to replace Jon Stewart as host of the Daily Show, left the Daily Show to return to global stand up touring, became an in-demand awards show host, and during all of that penned a best-selling autobiography. And you get the sense he hasn't yet reached cruising altitude. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Trevor?

Trevor was the first South African featured on the Tonight Show, and his early standup work was full of warm, witty, and occasionally sharp edged observations. Here's a longer taste of his early US gigs. https://youtu.be/yhKBbBaMYcA

People wondered if anyone could take Jon Stewart's place hosting The Daily Show -- especially a comic from another country who was unknown to much of America. Well, Trevor more than filled the bill, reinventing the show to have a more global focus and a more diverse correspondent pool. And he had the good sense to keep the closing "moment of zen"! Here is a nice cut of some of Trevor's best from The Daily Show. https://youtu.be/IaomieIezI8

Trevor has been a popular awards show host (The Grammys!) and keynote speaker, and one of his best was his turn at the White House Correspondents' Dinner (The Nerd Prom) in 2022. Here are some of Trevor's best jokes nicely compiled.https://youtu.be/-KvCKeQfHIY

Yakov Smirnoff

"What a country!" has turned into "What a career!" for Yakov Smirnoff who emigrated to the US from Ukraine in the 1970s and built a career out of playful but pointed jabs at Russia and great "fish out of water" bits about himself. Along the way, Yakov has also managed to become a US citizen, earn a PhD in psychology, become an in-demand keynote speaker, score a number of juicy film and tv roles, and establish a long-running comedy theater in Branson, Missouri. We're not sure where he finds time to sleep! As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Yakov?

In the 1980s headlining at Dangerfield's was a mark a comic had arrived (much like getting invited to Johnny Carson's Tonight Show couch). Here's a bit of Yakov (introduced by Rodney himself) from 1984. https://youtu.be/QboXCnKpgtU

In the 1980s, Chrysler/Plymouth was fighting for its financial life and its line up of inexpensive cars helped pull them back from the brink (along with some help from the government). Were the cars good? Not really. Were they cheap? Oh, yeah! And did they have Yakov as a spokesperson? Of course! https://youtu.be/hkcImMNx3SU

Yakov was a frequent and popular guest on American tv, including this appearance on one of Dick Clark's many variety shows, this one from 1988. https://youtu.be/22VI3eN5r9k

Ernie Kovacs

Say the name "Ernie Kovacs" today and you may well be met with a quizzical look. But say "the video art pioneer who inspired SNL, Python, Laugh In, and MST3K among many others" and you'll be in business! Smart-ass adlibs, odd ball musical acts, and numerous (and sometimes surreal) camera tricks that we take for granted today were all part of Ernie's toolkit, and he was ubiquitous on 1950s tv. He also became a superb character actor and sketch comic, and - not surprisingly -- he was an early inductee into the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. Find more clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

Want more Ernie?

Ernie had a gift for improv and his early talk shows take full advantage. This clip catches some of Ernie's best for NBC, including a great bit with a malfunctioning camera (it starts about 5:40 in). https://youtu.be/GSH8L2zmtaM

We like to say "all comedy is derivative" -- in the best way of course! You can see that premise in action here with Ernie's "Mr. Question Man" -- the foundation for Steve Allen's Answer Man and Johnny Carson's Carnac. https://youtu.be/Tz_C4ZEwFm4

Ernie was also a fine character actor with a standout role in Bell, Book and Candle among his highlights. But he couldn't stop being Ernie as seen in this faux trailer for his first film role in Operation Mad Ball. https://youtu.be/QuVhvH4NHNc