# Where's "Who's Line is it Anyway?"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 10, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218 "2003-03-10T03:52:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/1 "2003-03-10T03:52:52Z")
It hasn’t been on ABC for several weeks, instead it’s been replaced by AFV, which I enjoy for the lowbrow humor, but I also enjoyed WLiiA. Was it cancelled!? I hope not! ---
**Author:** ![Lwaxana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c0e974/32.png) [@Lwaxana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lwaxana)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/2 "2003-03-10T04:18:18Z")
I find it on ABC FAMILY, but I’m not sure if they are still making it or not. Seems to be a lot of re-runs but there are some I have not seen also (and I thought I had seen them all) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/3 "2003-03-10T04:19:26Z")
(eating an on-screen _Joe Millionaire_ ad) Mmm…promo. (spits) Ew, FOX! FOX NEWS-Your source for evil® newsticker… [SUB]JFK POSTHUMOUSLY JOINS REPUBLICAN PARTY…RUPERT MURDOCH-TERIFFIC DANCER…[/SUB] ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/4 "2003-03-10T04:20:29Z")
God. I swore I would never be one of those guys that jumps into a Star Wars thread to say Star Wars sucks, but I can’t help it with WLiiA. This show is so not funny. Why they can’t find more than 6 people do rotate on and off this tired show is beyond me. And don’t even try to convince me that these guys are going up there cold everytime. My gut tells me that they are at least made aware of the big skits ahead of time, at least the themes. Im sorry. I said I would never do that. And I won’t ever again. Its just this show… ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/5 "2003-03-10T04:20:31Z")
Aw, crud! This was supposed to go in the Simpsons thread! Corrected post follows: ABC is shelving away its Drew Careys (Drew Careies?) for either summer or fall. Whose Line and Drew are next to each other, so the same thing may be happening. ---
**Author:** ![Madawc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@Madawc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madawc)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/6 "2003-03-10T07:38:42Z")
nah they doing it totally improv. i dont have proof but i’m pretty sure they dont get ryan stiles to do singin improv and wayne to do the whose line game in the show. They force the players to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses and this comes off as them preparing before hand. oh and another point is that they do basically the same situations and use very similar joke styles for each bit. I’m also pretty sure they tape 1 full hr for each show but edit it to 30minutes of the “best” clips. So everything seems to be so called rehearsed. But remember these improv’ers are professionals so saying something like that they prepared before is a compliment to them. The really talented improv’ers can make funny and make it seem like they did this before. man i miss Whose line. just give up on those song sketches with Wayne Brady. He was great ages ago, i’m tired of seeing him do his thing. I know he can do the song styles improv, and 1 per show is way too many for me. do it once in a season. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/7 "2003-03-10T09:18:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stinkpalm \* > \*\* > And don’t even try to convince me that these guys are going up there cold everytime. My gut tells me that they are at least made aware of the big skits ahead of time, at least the themes. > \*\* If this were true, I would hope they’d be able to come up with better stuff than they do. Many of their jokes are painfully obvious and often recycled. “Hey! Colin’s still bald! HAHAHA!!” I actually find the show mildly amusing, but it’s not so good I have a hard time believing that’s it’s improv. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/8 "2003-03-10T10:43:51Z")
Try the english version that might still run on comedy central … altouhg it does have a few of the same performers the jokes and styles were more originial heck the original show was off the air for at least 5 years or so when they decided ot remake it … Actually From what I’ve read the drew carrey show is almost dead and he was wondering if they should of ended it earlier when the syndication started ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/9 "2003-03-10T11:10:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nightshadea \* > \*\*heck the original show was off the air for at least 5 years or so when they decided ot remake it … \*\* That doesn’t appear to be the case. It looks like the last UK show was July 1998 and the first American show was August 1998. TV Tome gave me this [link](http://www.abcmedianet.com/pressrel/dispDNR.html?id=022603_06) > [@](#): > > “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” will also return to the schedule this summer. > _So says a Feb 26th ABC press release_ ## It’s really weird that we’re moving more and more away from the traditional season for tv shows. They also say the Drew Carey Show will re-launch during the summer. Anyway concerning the show itself, one thing I noticed while watching the back to back reruns on ABC family is that different shows will often feature the same guests doing the same style skits in the exact same order. This makes the show old real quick. They need to invent more games which operate in new and different ways. They also need to get a larger rotation of guests. Ryan already gets a pay check, he’s funny but he doesn’t need this show. L.A. must be chock full of young fresh comedians willing to give this a try. I see one of their unaired shows fetured Richard Simmins. Well that’s certainly an interesting guest. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/10 "2003-03-10T16:13:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Madawc \* > \*\*nah they doing it totally improv. i dont have proof but i’m pretty sure they dont get ryan stiles to do singin improv and wayne to do the whose line game in the show. > > They force the players to their strengths and avoid their weaknesses and this comes off as them preparing before hand. > > oh and another point is that they do basically the same situations and use very similar joke styles for each bit. \*\* Wayne as the sportsguy, Ryan as the weatherman, Colin and whomever is the guest as the anchors. Colin as the director. Colin as the field reporter. Some episodes are clearly improv. They did a hoedown once where Ryan couldn’t think of anything so Drew filled in. Then there was the film noir when Colin & Ryan stepped toward the camera for a monologue at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/11 "2003-03-10T17:39:35Z")
Of course some of the material can be done ahead of time. think of Colin’s witty openings to the news skits. They aren’t at all context-dependent, so he can just think of them at his leisure and try it out on the stage. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/12 "2003-03-10T20:08:46Z")
Didn’t Drew Carey’s shows go into hiatus because he had a heart attack? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Zamboni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Zamboni)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/13 "2003-03-11T02:08:36Z")
OK, so it’s returning in the summer. That’s all I wanted to know. You guys just ran away with the thread. I had no idea people were so impassioned about the show. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_of\_the\_Brach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Lady\_of\_the\_Brach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_of_the_Brach)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/14 "2003-03-11T06:16:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Zamboni \* > \*\*It hasn’t been on ABC for several weeks, instead it’s been replaced by AFV, which I enjoy for the lowbrow humor, but I also enjoyed WLiiA. Was it cancelled!? I hope not! \*\* I had the same question and called the Denver ABC affiliate a few weeks ago, and they said the show was scheduled to return on March 14th… I plan to call the station that morning and see if that is still the case, otherwise, there ARE all of the wonderful Brit originals on the Comedy Channel. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/15 "2003-03-11T11:18:36Z")
Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. Whose. ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/16 "2003-03-11T15:30:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Great Zamboni \* > **That’s all I wanted to know. You guys just ran away with the thread.** Yep, welcome to **Whose Thread Is It Anyway?** , the thread where the posts are made up and the post counts don’t matter. That’s right, the post counts are just like being told to stay on topic - doesn’t seem to matter at all. Sorry about that, just having some fun. Now we’ll go on to a game called… ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/17 "2003-03-11T16:28:56Z")
…Threads From A Hat ---
**Author:** ![metroshane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@metroshane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metroshane)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/18 "2003-03-11T16:53:04Z")
\>\>\>And don’t even try to convince me that these guys are going up there cold everytime. Depends on what you mean by “cold”. It’s all improved on the set based off a technique called the “Harold” developed by the legendary Second City director Del Close. There’s certain techniques that usually lead to funny results…that part is learned and ingrained…so it’s not cold. But the details, the part that’s funny, can only come from improv. If it were rehearsed, you’d be able to tell, and it would cease to be original and funny. Most top comics have learned this process and it’s very creative. They use ingenious techniques such as the “yes and”, “agreement”, “support and trust”, etc that inables them to succeed. The only rehearsed part is that they are all familiar with the individual techniques. If you want to know more I recomment the book “truth in comedy”. ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/19 "2003-03-11T18:46:51Z")
With respect, **metroshane** , WLIIA is about as far from a [Harold](http://www.improvolympic.com/s_harold.html) as once can get while still improvising. It is much more indicative of short-form or “theater-games” Viola Spolin-type improvisation, much of which is used in preparing teams to perform a Harold, but rarely if ever seen on stage _as_ one. This is not to say that WLIIA is not brilliant- short-form done well is irreplaceable. A Harold is usually described as “long-form” in that it takes a half-hour or more, it tends to involve recurring characters and overall themes with some sort of geographical or thematic connection, and it is only structured in the loosest of ways, with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Harold performers take deep pride in avoiding pat setups or even scene outlines. It is a fascinating piece of stagecraft and anyone with interest in improvised comedy should see one. ---
**Author:** ![metroshane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@metroshane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/metroshane)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218/20 "2003-03-11T19:25:32Z")
Agreed that WLIIA is not actually performing a harold…the exercises and techniques used to feed off each other are relatively the same. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wheres-whos-line-is-it-anyway/160218.md?page=2)