# Is this the first Mock Rockumentary or is it Rock Mockumentary? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2025, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446 "2025-12-06T05:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/21 "2025-12-06T18:46:30Z")
I’m so happy I thought of it first. The Rutles. (I said Buggles) I had the name wrong. But that is exactly what I saw one weird afternoon. _All you need is cash._ I actually thought, at the time, Am I in an alternate universe? Dang, I’m so good 😁 I amaze me! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/22 "2025-12-06T21:44:18Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Dang, I’m so good 😁 I amaze me! I had it from the thread title. The Pre-fab Four, the group that made the 60s what they are today, a living legend that will live on long after other living legends have died. Awesome film ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/23 "2025-12-06T22:05:16Z")
Smarty pants. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/24 "2025-12-06T22:10:26Z")
The Buggles are a real band, formed in 1977. For a long time I too confused their name with The Ruttles, and couldn’t understand why people were talking about this fictional band The Buggles as if they were real. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/25 "2025-12-06T22:13:18Z")
Oh, I didn’t know that. I’ll be looking for it. (Oh, I know that “video killed the radio” song, thx) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/26 "2025-12-06T22:26:33Z")
“Video killed the radio star” Which, by the way, was the perfect song to kick off MTV… ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/27 "2025-12-06T22:28:22Z")
Yeah, sorry skipped a word. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/28 "2025-12-06T22:42:04Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Dang, I’m so good 😁 I amaze me! Beckdawreck ~~bad~~ good x 3 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/29 "2025-12-06T23:41:04Z")
There’s also this… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/awxrMOvVAIc/hqdefault.jpg "BAD NEWS! (These are blocked in some countries by copyright)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awxrMOvVAIc) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/30 "2025-12-07T03:56:32Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > > OTOH, though I’ve never watched _All You Need is Cash_, it sounds like it might be truly a mockumentary. > > I’ve seen _All You Need is Cash_ and I agree it’s a mockumentary that predates _This Is Spinal Tap_. I think the distinction is that _This is Spinal Tap_ is a feature film. Maybe it was the first mockumentary feature film. _All You Need is Cash_ was made for TV. It was first broadcast on NBC (Lorne Michaels was a producer) and a week later was broadcast on BBC. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/31 "2025-12-07T04:46:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I think the distinction is that _This is Spinal Tap_ is a feature film. Maybe it was the first mockumentary feature film. _All You Need is Cash_ was made for TV. It was first broadcast on NBC (Lorne Michaels was a producer) and a week later was broadcast on BBC. I did consider this. But I figured when we’re talking about something like a movie’s genre, the broadcast format isn’t very relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/32 "2025-12-07T05:20:14Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > I think the distinction is that _This is Spinal Tap_ is a feature film. Maybe it was the first mockumentary feature film. _All You Need is Cash_ was made for TV. It was first broadcast on NBC (Lorne Michaels was a producer) and a week later was broadcast on BBC. > > I did consider this. But I figured when we’re talking about something like a movie’s genre, the broadcast format isn’t very relevant. But if Reiner is saying Spinal Tap was the first that’s probably what he meant. I don’t know what the exact quote was. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/33 "2025-12-07T07:17:56Z")
Yes, “The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash.” It came out in the late 1970s. > **[The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (TV Movie 1978) ⭐ 7.3 | Comedy, Music](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077147/)** > > 1h 16m | Not Rated ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/34 "2025-12-07T13:18:42Z")
[Here is documented the origin of Keith Moon.](https://youtu.be/XCvs5pqsMEA) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/35 "2025-12-07T17:00:16Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > I think the distinction is that _This is Spinal Tap_ is a feature film. Maybe it was the first mockumentary feature film. _All You Need is Cash_ was made for TV. It was first broadcast on NBC (Lorne Michaels was a producer) and a week later was broadcast on BBC. > > I did consider this. But I figured when we’re talking about something like a movie’s genre, the broadcast format isn’t very relevant. I also meant to say the broadcast format doesn’t mean much today. Prior to about 2020 it meant a lot, especially with those that worked in the business. Television and movies were very separate with movies being looked at as the higher art form. Which was hammered home during the monologue of every Golden Globe broadcast. Rob Reiner who came from TV and who’s first movie was Spinal Tap would be acutely aware of that. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2025, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/36 "2025-12-09T13:20:58Z")
I know it’s not the same, but the 1972 Dr Hook song _The Cover of the Rolling Stone_ had lyrics that may be exagerations based on other groups: - We sing about beauty and we sing about truth at 10, 000 dollars a show (right) - I got a freaky ol’ lady name a cocaine Katy who embroideries on my jeans - I got my poor ol’ grey-haired daddy driving my limousine - We got a lotta little teenage blue-eyed groupies who’d do anything we say - We got a genuine Indian guru, he’s teaching us a better way Since it was on their debut album it’s not likely that it was autobiographical. And it was written by Shel Silverstein so parody is likely. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/37 "2025-12-10T03:08:45Z")
It was on their second album _Sloppy Seconds_. > **[The Cover of "Rolling Stone"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cover_of_%22Rolling_Stone%22)** > > "The Cover of 'Rolling Stone'" is a song written by Shel Silverstein and first recorded by American rock group Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show. Produced by Ron Haffkine and released in 1972, it was the band's third single and peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. pop chart for two weeks on March 17–24, 1973. The song satirically laments that the band had not appeared on the cover of the Rolling Stone, a magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. The song's success led to the band appeari... They got on the cover, but in caricature, and only three of the seven members were shown. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/38 "2025-12-10T04:05:14Z")
If you want to go down that road, The Byrds’ 1967 hit “Do You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star”, thought to be a swipe at the Monkees, is way earlier. > So you want to be a rock ‘n’ roll star? > Then listen now to what I say > Just get an electric guitar > Then take some time and learn how to play > > And with your hair swung right > And your pants too tight > It’s gonna be alright > > Then it’s time to go downtown > Where the agent man won’t let you down > Sell your soul to the company > Who are waiting there to sell plasticware ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/39 "2025-12-10T04:22:39Z")
Not a documentary parody, of course, (and hardly “the first,” since [sitcoms all had episodes where rock bands were the butt of jokes](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yXP7JSmGr_4&pp=ygUQRiB0cm9vcCByY2sgYmFuZA%253D%253D)) but Cheech & Chong’s _Earache my Eye_ from 1974 deserves mention The world’s comin’ to an end, I don’t even care As long as I can have a limo and my orange hair And it don’t bother me if people think I’m funny 'Cause I’m a big rock star, and I’m making lots of money ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2025, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446/40 "2025-12-10T14:24:39Z")
> [@saucywench](#): > > It was on their second album _Sloppy Seconds_. > > [The Cover of "Rolling Stone" - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cover_of_%22Rolling_Stone%22) Thanks, I’m not that familiar with their discography. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-the-first-mock-rockumentary-or-is-it-rock-mockumentary/1025446.md?page=3)