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While it's been well established that Fox News' 1/2 Hour News Hour cribbed its name from either/both CBC's This Hour Has 22 Minutes or MTV's old 1/2 Hour Comedy Hour, I've been heretofore unable to put my finger on where exactly they draw inspiration for their flat and toothless comedy stylings. Then it hit me: Not Necessarily the News. In case you forgot or (sigh) weren't born yet, here's a clip from 1987 that's worth watching if only for the retro "HBO'87" promo and the absurdly long opening credit sequence:
And check back here tomorrow night. It's unlikely that anybody is more excited than us for the premier of this incredible new show. We'll be posting our thoughts and reactions.
You are SOOOO right! Once those opening credits are out of the box, it can't be fixed. And a TV politico-comedy show HAS to have a snappy original-sounding name or the whole thing just comes off as unfunny and just plain stupid. Just think of "The Daily Show" - now THAT's snappy and original-sounding. And "The Colbert Report?" Every time I hear that show title I almost break a rib laughing and thinking: "Who's the comic genius who wrote THAT?!!! How do they think these things up!" And how is that YOU guys have such an eye for key structural elements!? Leave it to the pros!
I'm sure you're all having a great, substance-enhanced weekend ... I just know it. What other possible reason can there be for you putting up a string of posts obsessed with a competitor's yet-unaired show - and making out like you hate it (wink, wink ... 'nuf said)? Hey, wait a minute! What's with all the free CC publicity for "1/2 Hour"? You guys really working for Fox or something? Something's not right here. Gotta make a call... get someone to check this out.
Anyway, CIAO!! Hey, by the way, did you know that "ciao" means "I am your slave!" Seriously. THAT's not very PC! Do people on Comedy Central say "ciao?"
Posted by Terry Hughes | Feb 18, 2007 12:22:10 PM
Terry.... terry.... hey, terry. Calm down...
Posted by GlennBecksATool | Feb 18, 2007 12:40:32 PM
GlennBecksATool:
The tenor of your note somehow makes me feel that something genuinely tragic has intruded into your life recently, and that you are a pretty wonderful person. Keep the sunshine and all the best.
Posted by Terry Hughes | Feb 18, 2007 1:09:52 PM
Hey Terry - ever hear of Mystery Science Theater 3000?
Talking about this show is kinda like that. (With CC Insider being Joel/Mike and the 'Bots).
Posted by meg | Feb 18, 2007 2:02:51 PM
By the way, "Not Necessarilly The News" ran on HBO from 1983 to 1990. If 1/2 Hour runs for SEVEN YEARS I think, somehow, Fox will consider the investment worth while. "Not Necessarilly The News" generally received good reviews, such as this one: http://www.lanesarasohn.com/tvwriter/tv_guide.html:
"Unless you're on cable and subscribe to HBO, you can't see this show. and that's too bad because it's easily the fastest and sometimes one of the funniest half hours on television."
That review also says exactly why the out-of-context clips linked on this site purportedly from 1/2 Hour are completely pointless (even setting aside the obvious problems with evaluating political comedy not to one's personal political liking):
"Much of the humor misfires, but that isn't fatal here. Before you can say, 'That wasn't funny,' another bit is occupying your attention."
Posted by Terry Hughes | Feb 18, 2007 2:14:31 PM
Whatever you need to believe to feel you're winning "the fight", my kind sir. You're definitely NOT a rambling buffoon.
Posted by GlennBecksATool | Feb 18, 2007 2:30:30 PM
i don't really think fox news is really a competitor of comedy central. unless you broaden your definition of the word "comedy."
Posted by paul | Feb 18, 2007 2:33:46 PM
Paul:
1/2 Hour is a comedy show.
GlennBecksATool:
I would guess that you are very young. You can win your fight. Whatever happens, don't be afraid. The things that offer the best hopes are often lost in their own endless repetition: God holds you in the palm of his hand, and dearly loves you. I've already said a prayer for you today. Don't ever be afraid.
Posted by Terry Hughes | Feb 18, 2007 2:43:30 PM
Everybody leave Terry alone. He's fighting the good fight, defending the poor crippled souls and tattered feelings of Rupert Murdoch, Roger Ailes and all the rest of the millionaires who work tirelessly to make Fox News the paragon of journalism that it is.
Really, why shouldn't a supposedly non-partisan major news source run a completely partisan right-leaning comedy show that mocks an entire political party in the interest of its management's political beliefs? There's nothing wrong with that. And if they are going to do it, why should they bother hiring seasoned writers and performers to deliver the jokes in such a way that at least attempts to shield their agenda? That would just be silly.
No, Terry's right. News organizations have no duty to rise above propaganda. Thank god for yellow journalism. William Randolph Hearst would be so proud.
God speed and God bless, Terry Hughes. You're doing America proud. (Oh, and please find us some more irrelevant url links for our reading entertainment. Everyone knows, if you link to something, it makes you smarter.)
Posted by Brant | Feb 18, 2007 2:51:51 PM
terry:
yeah, but fox news is a news channel.
Posted by paul | Feb 18, 2007 2:55:33 PM
I love you, Terry.
Posted by GlennBecksATool | Feb 18, 2007 3:09:29 PM
GlennBecksATool
I love you too; I hope you can feel that. And if love and prayer can come to you from someone who doesn't know your name and has never seen your face on a silly comment board, just imagine how much you are loved in ways and by powers far beyond your comprehension … and how different the form of help may be from anything you’ve ever known. God bless you.
Posted by Terry Hughes | Feb 18, 2007 4:18:42 PM
...and thank your for calming down...even if you had to go to bat-shit crazy land to do so. : )
Posted by GlennBecksATool | Feb 18, 2007 5:38:11 PM
So they do "comedy" as well as they do "news"... how is this surprising? Its not as though they've exactly set the bar too terribly high elsewhere. How could they even hope to have a "comedy" show when their "holier than thou" audience most certainly not permit dick and fart jokes? Dick and fart = bread and butter. Even Jesus knew that.
I think it gives far too much credence to their "news" organization to distinguished one of the shows as "comedy."
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