Joe was a beauty, never too over the top! Oh, okay, maybe with Count Floyd, but that was ACTING!! He was underrated as an impersonater, too. Man, I miss those guys: $87.00 budget per show (or so it seemed), and they still knocked it out of the park most shows. Sure, a lot of it is nostalgia, but damn, those guys knew how to sell a character!
SCTV was the greatest, most talented, most unpredictable ensemble sketch comedy show in television history. IMO, the best show ever on television. Period. 'Nuff said.
I would say that SCTV had some very good comics/comedians - but the content is now just plain awful. This humor simply has not worn well. I'm sure I howled with laughter when this was first run.... but now? AWFUL. (BTW - go back a couple generations of comedians. And humor simply doesn't wear well. Jack Benny? Gag me with a spoon. Henny Youngman? A fiddle is funny? I could go on and on. You know who is eternally funny? George Burns and Groucho.)
binyon: Groucho, yes. But Geroge Burns? Meh. SCTV does seem dated because it focused so much on spot-on impersonations of the celebrities of the moment. Mony Python made a decision to focus on types, politicians as a whole, for example, not the one currently in office, so their stuff is timeless. But there is always a place for topical humor.
Really wish you assholes would STOP trying to compare or instigate SNL to SCTV. In reality, both shows had their up and downs and both shows are consistently different from each other. Completely different format and styles of presentation. LOVE them both, but honestly, I've seen just as many duds of an idea or sketch from SCTV as I have SNL over the years. BOTH had many great ones also.
I laughed so hard at this sketch that I thought my eyeballs were going to pop out! My Dad laughed so hard at 'Joan Baez', that he had to take his glasses off!
You nailed it, Greasy! Subtle humor. SNL was achingly funny at times, but it was SO uneven. And they committed - HARD - to some pretty poor stuff, IMÒ. I.e., the Church Lady, Father Guido, et al. Sweet memories, Grease-meister!
Nobody would get it. Unless they poked fun at Reality Television. This would be a great return vehicle for Roseanne, Andy Dick, Rosie, Grace Under Fire, Matt Lauer.....
When you have good impersonation and excellent writing this is what you get. SCTV was a little smarter than SNL in their heyday, and the Skits were a little more clever. Kudos to Rick Moranis and the gang... 😊🙄😉🤔👍
When I was younger, I never understood what my Radio/TV Teacher in High School found funny about this show. Several years later, I "got it," laugh out loud at the "funny" and think that "SCTV" was simply Epic! Martin Short? John Candy? Eugene Levy? True greats!
I hope Merv Griffin saw these parodies of him, I'm sure he did, he was a nice man, had a great sense of humor, he would have laughed and been flattered. Had a great talkshow, and excellent businessman.
I remember when Merv Griffith got the better of a major hotel deal over Donald Trump--Griffith thought Trump was "way in over his head" and was a big goof
There's two musical numbers/jokes cut out of this (for rights issues). One is right before the Maharishi scene where Merv sings the Doors Light My Fire, and the other is right after the police storm Hef's place, where Merv sings CSN's Chicago. Here's hoping one day we get the full episode.
Out of all the performances Catherine's impersonation of Virginia Graham steals the show!! Younger generations may not remember she had her own talk show in the late 60s and early 70s! I know this because my mom watched it! Again spot on!!!
at 4:38 during the commercials they mention "Rochdale"--Rochdale was this notorious student residence at the University of Toronto in the 1960's--drugs, sex you name it
been binging on hendrix videos. couldn't believe the very very beginning, and the Watchtower bit. sick. and Owsley as a sponsor. unbelievably hilarious
Brilliant! I actually did visit Rochdale in Toronto a few times, many years ago, to get what's legal now in Canada. As I recall, it was the 14th floor that was totally inaccessible.
@@hankkingsley9300 The 14th floor was where large quantities of various illegal drugs were stored and distributed. Only top level buyers made it up there.
@@stevejohnson1577 cool I never noticed Merv Griffin's butt to be that big, when they parodied Arsenio Hall on In Living Color years later Keenen Ivory Wayans had a very big inflated butt
Wow,another week went by ..Im still laughing.Just like Merv Griffin did at the 61 second timeline in this video."WooooooooWHOoooooooooHHAaaaaaaaaaa" !!
Through SCTV and national lampoon, I learned all there is to know about the 60s. I think I need to educate my own children. This way the problem is there a weed is too strong and I tend to Tripp real bad when I smoke their stuff. For our children.
I'm still watching this. I think subtle funny bit that when dennis hopper hands joan baez the joint and says to smoke the joint she actually hit it lol
I actually know what they were talking about! For those not aware/not in Canada in the early 70s, that was a hippie experimental living space at the U of Toronto. Its end: "After increased clashes with police, and unable to pay its mortgage, political pressure forced financial foreclosure by the government, and Rochdale closed in 1975. A number of residents refused to leave. On 30 May the last residents were carried from the building by police. The doors to the college had to be welded shut to keep them out. "When it was clear that the game was up," writes Sharpe, "Rochdale published its own wry comment: 'Drugdealing is now the domain of the professionals, i.e. lawyers, doctors, etc. Let's hope they never get to live in the same building.'" "
@@Albertanator It's City owned mixed housing now. Many of the apartments are built for for people in wheelchairs (lower counters, cupboards in kitchens, adapted bathrooms) Lots of people that can't stand or walk thrive there. It's a success. 341 Bloor west is something to be proud of.
