Pod Stallions 119: Joe Flaherty Tribute 

Joe and the SCTV crew were a huge part of my formative years and helped shape my sense of humor (we got it here in the US in the early 80's on NBC). Not only that, but Maniac Mansion (the first live adaptation of a video game) was SUCH a good, goofy show, if not entirely faithful to the games. Rest well, Count Floyd. Maybe they'll finally show you some good scary movies in the hereafter instead of Dr. Tongue's rejects.

Aw man. I wasn't aware he had passed. I loved SCTV so much. Count Floyd is the greatest monster movie show host ever and Sammy Maudlin is the greatest late night talk show host ever. The world could use more Joe Flaherty right now.

My favorite SCTV episode was where Guy Cabellero skimps on the security for the SCTV satellite and a Russian state TV station CCCP1 jams the SCTV signal. Jumping in and out are mockingly accurate Russian programs like Tibor's Tractor with a tractor that has the soul of Nikita Kruschev (a riff on the weird 1960's sit com My Mother The Car), another show was Today From Russia with the audience made up of the Minsk Bus and Truck Works with a video camera the size of a refrigerator. Then a Russian show called Hey Giorgy! where John Candy plays a happy go lucky Russian that helps fellow Russians. Joe Flarherty's character complains about why he married his wife, John Candy points to her boobs and Joe Flarherty says, "Oh yes! For the sex!" Finally, Guy Cabellero finds out it will cost $200 million to fix the SCTV satellite and goes for the cheap choice, sending Dr Tongue and Bruno into space to fix the SCTV satellite. It's just brilliant and so ahead of its time. Joe Flarherty wrote a bunch of that episode and my teen years were better for it.

Steve Railsback is the 18 wheeler driver in Armed and Dangerous hauling rocket fuel.

Going way back to the early years of SCTV when it was in syndication in the US, our local NBC station showed it right after the original Saturday Night Live. That was a great double feature for some kids who may have been a little too young to stay up that late. Rest in Peace Joe Flaherty. Another part of my childhood has just faded away.

Joe Flaherty is in a hilarious deleted scene in Anchorman where he plays the boss of a Houston, Tx news station and he's got the goofiest Texas accent and he's being sleezy trying to get Christina Applegate to do the news in a bikini.

The SCTV bit that really predicted Adult Swim was "The Irv Goldfarb Show"; they gave NO sign that you really weren't watching low-rent local programming on a UHF station. Also, "Wheelbarrow World" had to be what Weird Al based "Spatula City" from UHF on.

I was watching that Quincy skit the other day and Joe's impression is so precise and brilliant yet as broad as his Kirk Douglas. It borders on Joe being possessed by Jack Clugman's Katra.

My favorite Joe Flaherty character was Guy Cabellero. There are little moments here and there that spring to mind. Like in the towering inferno parody where the elevators don't work, so he has to ditch his wheelchair and take a million flights of stairs. He says something like ''Oh well, no problem...I've got strong legs!!!'' and then he immediately falls down every staircase to the lobby. And in the Godfather parody, he wheels himself up to a newsstand to buy the latest issues of Cracked and MAD. And the hitmen drive by, and empty a ridiculous amount of ammo into him before driving off. He acts like nothing much happened and tries to pay the newsstand guy but his money is reduced to confetti. He looks up and says ''For shame...all my money is shredded.'' Just something about the man was inherently and uniquely funny. God bless you Joe, and may you always rest in peace.

I became a fan of Joe's all out of order. I first saw him because of 'Maniac Mansion', as I was a huge Addams Family fan, so had an obsession with anything featuring a weird family. Liked him as the Dad. Then discovered Count Floyd, and then SCTV. He had a great offbeat vibe, that I always liked.

My infatuation with Joe Flaherty began autumn 1988 when I began watching reruns of Second City Television on Nick at Nite. The first episode I saw was the Sammy Maudlin Show 23rd Anniversary. Watching the opening credits, I was also shocked to see the vampire act he put on, remembering it from the commercials for Canada’s Wonderland’s Bat roller coaster. and Wendy’s Great Canadian Hot Dog. The character of Guy Caballero initially put me off, until my sister reminded me that “it’s the guy you like”. I realised I was in love. I lived in Buffalo, NY in the 1980s and 1990s, and we frequently visited Canada. Not once have Joe and I crossed paths in our Toronto visits. I personally would love to have attended Friends of Gilda in September 1992ish or so (that special aired on CBC in November 1993), the public memorial service for John Candy at St. Basil’s church in March 1994, and the Toronto Second City’s 25th anniversary in June 1998. And after moving to Massachusetts, it would’ve been worth a flight, hotel and vehicle to have attended the Benefit of Laughter in May 2008, the 50th anniversary of Chicago’s Second City in December 2009, and the May 2018 Netflix reunion. In October 2022, I was supposed to celebrate my birthday with him at Monster Bash in Mars, PA, but fate thus deterred that. Imagine the pictures we would’ve taken together. It would’ve been a real trip to feel his arms around me in a warm, snuggly embrace. Hugging him has been a dream of mine, as the hallmark of my fangirling was cooing “poor little guy” in response to his adorable fake crying scenes. I am of course very happy for those who did get to meet this gorgeous man in person, and I’ve always enjoyed reading your stories. Alas, I wasn’t meant to tell such a story. I’m glad he’s no longer suffering, and he’s reunited with his son Gabe, God bless him as well. Thanks, Joe. I love you and I’ll never forget you. 💗

The bit where the tabloid newspaper has their own news show predicted cable news now.

Damn. I didn’t want to click on this because I knew what it meant. I don’t know where I’ve been but I had no clue, I don’t really watch the news. It’s too bad we never tribute someone until they pass but I know this is the podcast that will do him justice.

I also have a shelf full of Steve Railsback movies. Great show gentlemen! Love the tribute to this comedic genius, Joe Flaherty.

Bizarro! That figure is amazing!!!

Now we need a Roger Corman tribute

58:00 poppin in mid listen, curious what you were gonna say here about the family channel, did you just not watch it or did your provider not get it id assume most cable providers carried cbn family since it was one of the first cable channels alongside wtbs, which is a totally decent segue to pointing out that the grimley count floyd segments were reran on tbs/cartoon network's cartoon planet show