waltt@tekecs.UUCP (Walt Tucker) (10/20/83)
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It seems that a little bit of Americana is now making the syndication
circuit. The local television station here in Portland is televising
the original Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In", a show that was a forum
and had influence in the thoughts and actions surrounding the 60's.
Political for its day (but tame by today's standards, especially compared
to such later shows as SNL), it was one of the first television programs to
poke fun at many of the sacred institutions in America. Last night, one of
the segments was "Laugh-In looks at religion" (a previously untouchable
pulic subject for jokes). Through-out the program are topical (for 1968)
messages on the bottom of the screen such as "Bedfellows makes for strange
politics", and the ever-present messages on bikini clad girls (I seem to
remember that caused quite a censorship controversy when the show aired). In
its time, it was a forum for many public figures, with former President
Richard Nixon appearing to solemnly declare "Sock it to me" (some say it
was a definite vote-getter for the '68 election).
Laugh-In also spawned more cliches than any other show in television
history, such as:
o Here comes da Judge
o Sock it to me.
o Ring my chimes
o Verrrrry Interesting....
o Look that up in your Funk and Wagnal's
o You bet your bippy.
o Beautiful Downtown Burbank
and many more.
The show ran between 1968 and 1973 (oh, those golden protest years), with
68 - 70 being the most popular. The syndicated version has cut the show
to a half-hour (from the original hour), and unfortunately, taken out one
of (what I remember as) the best parts: Laugh-In looks at the news. However,
it's still a good vintage 1/2 hour of television. The syndication copyright
is 1982, so it hasn't been on the syndication circuit long.
Catch it if you can.
-- Walt Tucker
Tektronix, Inc.