Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve Randy Hodgins and Steve McLellan

Meet one of the most charmingly eccentric of our Legends, Judy Tenuta. From a start at Chicago's Second City, Judy created an immediate sensation with her unusual style -- sort of a Far Side cartoon brought to life. In the era of early MTV, that style proved to be perfection and soon Judy could be regularly seen on the small screen. A 1986 Letterman appearance and 1987 HBO special turbocharged her career and she won the American Music Award for best female comic in 1987. Through multiple albums and books, Judy dove into her persona as the "love goddess", wearing an accordion and slinging pointed and sometimes salty jokes. And she was part of "Weird Al" Yankovic's cast for his offbeat kid's show -- you can't get more Legendary that that! As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Judy was fearless as a performer -- and sometimes it took audiences a while to catch on -- check out how the response builds to her style during her first Letterman appearance in 1986. https://youtu.be/BEqznn2kEcg?
Judy sometimes played a psychic and perhaps she was judging by this clip from the American Comedy Awards back in 1990. It's way ahead of its time!https://youtu.be/R9IigIWiqis?si=SIAJADhu8RVHWfi7
"Weird Al" Yankovic mounted a hilarious (and unfortunately short-lived") Saturday morning kids show (that was really for adults) in 1997 -- and of course Judy was there!https://youtu.be/vdaXddNyP2Q?si=uqrRzCbB47QFOk2w
What happens when two niche comedy legends meet? This clip of Judy on the Space Ghost Coast to Coast shows the results! https://youtu.be/b2XzUq3uf8s?si=OPbrzulMJJJ5zItu
 

Sometimes pointed, but always playful, Cedric the Entertainer first came to attention as host of BET's Def Comic Jam and Comic View programs. But it was in Spike Lee's classic "Kings of Comedy" that Cedric really got to own the stage, charming audiences with routines that mixed observational humor with some nice pokes at race relations. Cedric reached new heights as the salty Eddie the Barber in the Barbershop movie franchise and he now mixes acting (both comedic and dramatic) with his comedy career. As always, find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Eddie broke out to the nation in Spike Lee's hilarious Kings of Comedy. Here's a fun routine on why white America supports the space shuttle (and why it won't work out). https://youtu.be/fiTC8GfBFSE?
Cedric's iconic role is bound to be that of Eddie in the Barbershop movies. Eddie is sweet and salty, and some of his opinions are just a tad controversial. Here's a fun package of some of Eddie's best. https://youtu.be/zMuRN7w3Wsc?si=KwrUVTJGLDV64VEa
Cedric remains a top standup draw some thirty years after his start and it's no wonder -- his recent Netflix special shows him still full of playful charm. https://youtu.be/Qmz5U2Txi9E?si=x2AVEY70Rov3I9L5

Meet "Lonesome" George Gobel who turned a gift for low-key stories and funny songs into a comedy career that lasted over 40 years. George was a pioneer of television comedy, starring in his own show beginning in 1954 and winning an Emmy in the process. George's playful meandering (plus completely clean material) made him a favorite on variety and talk shows, and he became a welcome guest star on sitcoms during the 60s and 70s. Later George could often be seen working the game show circuit and he became a regular on Hollywood Squares. For a guy who's nickname was "Lonesome" he sure seemed to have a lot of friends. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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George was there in the early days of television and a feature of his show was a monologue, often reference his TV wife -- "Spooky old Alice." https://youtu.be/BJoOKG-laZU?si=uMgkVa-DDw9CJyd0
Here's a real time capsule for you. Set the wayback machine for 1969, set the location for Burbank, and settle yourself in for a bit of Johnny Carson's Tonight Show with George -- PLUS Bob Hope and Dean Martin. https://youtu.be/hLIZPOvQQrE?si=tE-2CeQUMvRbv-Tu
George was an influence on other comedians who mixed music and comedy -- especially Victor Borge and Tommy Smothers (who cited George as his motivation when he got into comedy). Here's George on the Smothers Brothers' show in 1968.https://youtu.be/G_jSnpw5RIQ?si=i5cCYl4_ZXB2wIVn

His name may not be as recognizable as other modern comedy titans, but whether for screenwriting (The Graduate, Catch 22?) or tv series creation (Get Smart) or sketch comedy genius (SNL's first five time host), Buck Henry has his fingerprints all over American comedy. Buck's comedy was literate, topical, and often just a little naughty -- a perfect fit for comedy fan's tired of comedy's old-school "joke machines". And for those who like a bit of trivia, Buck got his NY theater start as the faux spokesperson for a (fictional) group advocating for clothing naked animals. Who can't get behind that? Buck remained active well into his 80s, and Tina Fey brought him to a new generation when she cast him as Liz Lemon's dad on 30 Rock. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Buck's first notable gig was as Clifford Prout, the "spokesperson" of the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (a creation of prankster Alan Abel). Judging by this British newsreel, Buck succeeded in making the narrator have to guess just how much of a put on it all was. https://youtu.be/qMHPe576mCY?si=QYcdns9d4v38NsFm
Early on Saturday Night Live almost always came up with a word or phrase that you couldn't believe they got away with. Here's a case in point from 1980.https://youtu.be/C6XF4RxU7xQ?si=b65ejxQFQokE4Y0O
Buck got (and gave) a big boost for SNL when it debuted in 1975 and it was repaid when Tina Fey cast him as Liz Lemon's dad in 30 rock. Here's Buck and the fam meeting Liz's boss (Alec Baldwin). https://youtu.be/9_SBzb_mQOQ?si=urqBSBXJX1vP6Cai

A groundbreaking comic from the 1950s who blended standup skill with sly racial and social commentary, Dick Gregory went on to a career that mixed writing, performing, and social activism for 5 decades. As was common in the 50s, Dick's gift for comedy was discovered by his army buddies. Hugh Hefner gave him his first big career break, filling in for Professor Irwin Corey at the Playboy Club (a gesture that Dick never forgot to acknowledge). From there Dick played top clubs, becoming increasingly political in his approach. In 1968 he ran for President on a "peace" platform, and he became a frequent sight at all manner of movement events, from anti-apartheid to feminism to Native American rights. Dick also became known for his strong commitment to vegetarianism and animal welfare. As always, find extended cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Dick Gregory always credited Hugh Hefner for booking him into the Playboy Club at a time when black comics found it hard to get a gig. Here's Dick telling the story at a Hefner roast. https://youtu.be/M5vYNrtGmsk?si=N9gQufZe3fHfjQUg
Playing the Hungry I club in San Francisco was a right of passage for topical comics (Mort Sahl! The Smothers Brothers!) so it's no surprise that Dick Gregory was a frequent feature there. https://youtu.be/tg7Pnre__a8?si=ZP1nnGpybxB5SNdB
Dick managed to get booked on the top talk shows of the day without compromising his topical material. Here's a bit from the Merv Griffin Show taped during the Watts riots in 1965.https://youtu.be/xRJRMQZ9p84?si=ivyyLfDS36xqMCMo

What voice occupies the most space in your brain? For those of us it's Mel Blanc -- the man of a thousand voices -- who gave voice to dozens of characters in the classic Looney Tunes (and many others). Bugs Bunny? Check! Daffy Duck? Check! Foghorn Leghorn? Check! And after Looney Tunes ended their initial run Mel simply shifted gears, working for other animators and founding his own advertising business. When he died, Warner Brothers paid tribute with a touching poster showing all the major Looney Tunes characters standing behind a lone microphone, heads bowed, with the caption "Speechless". As always find extra clips in the comments and thanks for sharing our shows!
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Mel did so many character voices it's hard to keep track -- so we thank some intrepid YouTubers for doing some supercuts to help us along!https://youtube.com/shorts/Ret4usxxKTE?si=FmUpvhai1dOEF86n
Mel branched out in the 1950s by recording novelty songs in character voice. Daffy's Rhapsody is peak Mel.https://youtu.be/qxjU8JJEuSM?si=K0c2W3ebKDDkNwB3
Late in his career Mel made an unexpected and welcome cameo as the father of Bob and Doug McKenzie in Strange Brew. Here's Mel with the hosers. https://youtu.be/tonXBiPY93s?si=Mc0-YXllM6Jfvl0T