# SCTV isn't funny **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814 "2001-12-04T11:15:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/1 "2001-12-04T11:15:59Z")
SCTV has been in reruns on L.A. tv in the middle of the night, and I’ve seen it a couple times recently. I honestly don’t get how this show is so bad. Look at some of the cast: Rick Moranis: Great as Bob McKenzie. Great in Ghostbusters. I assume fine in the “Shrunk” movies. Dave Thomas: Great as Doug McKenzie. Fine in Grace Under Fire. Eugene Levy: A total stitch in many movies, especially improved ones like “Best in Show.” John Candy: Great in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Good in Uncle Buck and that one where he’s a fireman or something living with his mother. But this show! I don’t even find it mildly amusing. It never goes over the top to being an actual joke. It’s like I wrote it, and honestly, maybe worse than if my friends and I spent a couple weeks working over scripts. Any explanations or arguments? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/2 "2001-12-04T11:17:18Z")
That would be better stated as: Eugene Levy: A total stitch in many movies, especially _improvised_ ones like “Best in Show.” ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/3 "2001-12-04T12:39:42Z")
I find the OP odd. When it was first on, I thought SCTV was much funnier than the Saturday Night Live that preceded it. FAR funnier. (And the half-hour Second City show that ran back in 1977-78 was a hoot, too. John Candy playing Ben Hur as if he was Curly of the Three Stooges, instead of Charlton Heston: “My Mother and Sister are what? Leopards?”) Maybe they cranked back the “funny” knob so today’s shows wouldn’t look bad by comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/4 "2001-12-04T13:12:25Z")
It’s a matter of context. Back when SCTV first aired, they were on the cutting edge. At the time, SNL was mired deep in a suckfest (1976-present), and SCTV was a breath of fresh air. If you look at the show and try to compare it to today’s comedy, it going to look dated. The production values (especially in the early shows) often left something to be desired. And given that it was on a major network in the late 70’s/early 80’s, the writing was often restrained (I would’ve loved to have seen SCTV if it had been on HBO similar to KitH). And depending on what your TV station is showing you, you may be getting robbed. A lot of the best SCTV shows were from when they had a 90 minute time slot. They would often develop running gags and build to certain jokes over the length of the show. If all you’re seeing is an edited version, a lot of the best stuff may be on the cutting room floor. I still consider it one of the funniest shows around. Bob & Doug, Count Floyd, Johnny LaRue, Ed Grimley, Earl Camembert, Edith Prickley, and Lola Heatherton (I had a serious crush on Catherine O’Hara). You must visit this [site](http://sctvguide.ca). Now! ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/5 "2001-12-04T14:39:26Z")
I love this show, but some of the humour is Dated (after all it was based on 70s and early 80s TV) There are moments that still make me laugh… Walter Conkite Hosting Dialing for Dollars and being Harrased by a caller who has tapped into the phone line and waits outside in a Van threatening to put Conkites head into a vice until his mustache pops off. Why Because the sign behind Cronkite Reads “Dialing for Dollar” And the first $ makes no sense to the caller. The Soviet Union’s TV station CCCP1 breaking into SCTVs signal. (Hey Yorgi) The Towering Inferno episode. Francis Ford Coppala trying to shill money for his remake of Straight from the Heart (Stake from the Heart in 3D) Gosh there are so many… But my favorite is Merv Grffin’s extra special which includes Hal9000 Steven Speilburg, and George Lucas. Funny. ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/6 "2001-12-04T15:25:37Z")
“Ooooooh, boy! She blowed up reeeeal good, didn’t she/” “Yep, she sure blowed up good.” _Farmer Blow Up_. Best sketch of the show IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/7 "2001-12-04T15:29:19Z")
I agree that it doesn’t hold up aas well as, for instance, those first few years of SNL do, but it’s still got some good stuff. And as mentioned, most of the current airing so fthe show are edited to death. –Cliffy, who always liked it when Guy Caballero put his feet on the desk. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/8 "2001-12-04T15:55:45Z")
I always thought the various impersonations they did were the best I’ve ever seen for a sketch comedy show. ---
**Author:** ![Caricci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Caricci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caricci)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/9 "2001-12-04T16:09:22Z")
I never thought it was funny either. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/10 "2001-12-04T16:14:17Z")
> [@](#): > > But my favorite is Merv Grffin’s extra special which includes Hal9000 Steven Speilburg, and George Lucas. That’s Merv Griff_ith_, who was a fusion for Merv griffin and Andy Griffith/Sheriff Andy Taylor. Can’t believe no one’s mentioned Libby Wolfson or Tex and Edna Boyle yet. ---
**Author:** ![kingpengvin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9dc877/32.png) [@kingpengvin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kingpengvin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/11 "2001-12-04T16:59:05Z")
OOOOOOOOOOOOo My mistake… Boohooo haha Boohooo ha ha We’ll be right back. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/12 "2001-12-04T17:26:19Z")
My favorite was the boxing between the PBS Heavyweights. Mr. Rogers was kicking some serious ass. Makes me smile just thinking about it. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/13 "2001-12-04T17:45:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > **…the PBS Heavyweights…** Mr. Rogers vs. Julia Child - gah, I want to watch this episode again. Damn, I miss that show. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/14 "2001-12-04T18:25:45Z")
You guys gotta be more specifig. There were lot’s of SCTV shows. E.g., The original 30 min. Global Television (Canada) version. The best IMHO. (No Martin Short!) The 90 min. NBC version. Okay, but overlong. The ~60 min. Cinemax version. Several cast changes by then … And a lot of mixes/edits of the above and who knows what else. I could only get the old Global version by pointing my antenna (remember them?) due north and getting a Victoria UHF station that was really just a Vancouver cable station … Tweaking the knob to hear those precious words “… and Harold Ramis as the Beaver.” Johnny LaRue (John Candy) “I came, I saw, I conquered. But not necessarily in that order.” Eugene Levy at his best as Earl Camembert. And Catherine O’Hara, 'nough said. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/15 "2001-12-04T18:40:34Z")
From the original 30 minute-long shows: **The Man Who Would Be King of the Popes** A wickedly good parody of **Becket** and **The Lion in Winter** in particular, and all those movies and plays about the British monarchy that were so big in the 1960s. With John Candy channelling Richard Burton, Katherine O’Hara as Katherine Hepburn, and I forget who as Peter O’ Toole and somebody else as Richard Harris. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/16 "2001-12-04T19:03:59Z")
**"High Q"** with Eugene Levy as Alex Trebel and Catherine O’Hara as Margaret Meehan (Alex - “Margaret Meehan, Parkdale”. Margaret - “The Dewey Decimal System?”) **Mel’s Rock Pile** **The spoof of the Godfather** (Floyd the Barber, Leonard Bernstein’s horse, Network Wars and taking the Broadcasting Oath) **Tex and Edna Boil’s Organ Emporium** **Mrs. Falbo’s TinyTown** Pirini Scleroso in **“My Fair Lady”** (the Rain in Spain song!) and Edith Prickley “Pooh! - Hah!” Jeez these were funny! ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/17 "2001-12-04T19:14:28Z")
**Cal** : Dave Thomas as Richard Harris. “And I will be…_king of the popes!_ A-ha! A-ha-ha-ha!” My single favorite TV sketch ever. Which makes SCTV my favorite sketch comedy show ever, (after Kids in the Hall.) Can’t remember who was O’Toole, though. “I’m da guy wit a snake on his face!” “Teach your kids how to read. Take 'em to a liberary.” Of course, it doesn’t help much that their best stuff was when they were skewering third-tier celebrities of the seventies, most of whom are long since forgotten. (Gavin McWho?) ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/18 "2001-12-04T19:24:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by screech-owl \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by pepperlandgirl \* > > **…the PBS Heavyweights…** > > Mr. Rogers vs. Julia Child - gah, I want to watch this episode again. > Damn, I miss that show. \*\* Howard Cossell going apoplectic: “He hit her over the head with a puppet! He hit her over the head with a puppet!” TV doesn’t get much finer. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/19 "2001-12-04T19:39:57Z")
Rick Moranis as Mel Torme singing/scatting the National Anthem. (“O-oh say, can you SEE-BE-DE-BE-BE-DE-BE-DE!”) Sang that for my husband just the other day (he’d never seen it!) and he was in stitches. This one’s sorta hard to describe, but it was a fake commercial for “Perry Como sings the hits” or something (the hits of the day being mostly disco tunes.) They showed clips of him in his sweater leaning dreamily on a chair, slowly crooning “Oh, no not I…I will surviiiiiiiiive.” While sequin-clad dancers gyrated wildly behind him. The last scene was of him lying in bed (still with the dancers) sleepily singing “I love the night life…I love to boogie…” Hilarious! ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814/20 "2001-12-04T20:24:55Z")
I’m laughing my damn fool head off just remembering this stuff. Yeah, some of the gags are dated but there are so many good sketches you can’t help but remember the series as hilarious. How could you not laugh at: [ul] [li]John Candy and Eugene Levy as the Schmenge Brothers, the Leutonian accordion players/bandleaders. “Dat’s right, Stan! Dis is an audience participation song, but you don’t have to participate if you don’t want to. In Leutonia, you don’t have that choice, though!”[/li][li]“Lee A. Iacocca’s Rock Concert”[/li][li]“Dateline: Melonville”[/li][li]The time CCCP1 took over SCTV’s signal “And we would like to say hello to all our viewers at the Kalishnakov Institute for the Politically Insane!”[/li][li]The Salvador Dali Edition Lincoln Continental with handlebar moustache hood ornament and melted dashboard clock[/li][/ul] And the list goes on and on. . .Man, I miss those shows. Zap! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sctv-isnt-funny/96814.md?page=2)