Tuesday, October 27, 2015

What Fits Into Russia

One of the best skits ever done on the old SCTV program. Their spoofing of Russian television was brilliant.



12 comments:

Jordan said...

They won the writing Emmy on that one. An absolute classic.

I take a backseat to no-one in my SCTV fandom.

Konsumterra said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv_fAAO_A5Y
lots of these
having been in russia in 1980s ppl will never have a clue what it was like

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Tibor's Tractor, Hey Yorgi. Don't give the Uzbeks matches and watch that they don't drink your battery fluid. 'Look at Yuri's new Potempkins." "Oh you workers."

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

I miss those times during the end of the Cold War when Russia tried to get all hip and Westernized. Oh boy it was sad most of the time. Except for Yakov Shmirnof. That guy was a genius.

Jordan said...

"Cameraman! Shoot shoes!"

"You lose...Comrade."

Eugene Levy's stern facial expression as he turns down a second vodka in the "It's after the job" ad.

And of course the entire endgame plot with Dr. Tongue, Bruno (excuse me: "Woody Tobias, Jr.") and "Red Rooster"'s space mission. Brilliant!

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Woody Tobias Jr....that was inspired characterizations. They just went full retard with most of their concepts. Tex and Edna Boyle. Oh and of course KING OF THE POPES...their most genius bit ever. I still can do that final soliloquy. I used to be asked by my buddies girlfriend to do it for her when we were out. It was my favorite performance...

"When I was Pope I made you King. When I was King I made you Pope. I love you my King. I love you my Pope BUT I LOVE ENGLAND MORE AND THAT'S WHY I AM KING OF THE POPES!!!"

Jordan said...

I love anything that involved Dave Thomas' schtick about how Richard Harris did nothing but alternate between the high and low voices.

I had no idea we had this in common! Great.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

It is great. I taped every episode on BETA and watched it over and over again. That early stuff was so cheap but they did so much with what they had just by good writing. All The Long Leggedy Beasties.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

They did most of their best work in Edmonton which is where I went to University in the 80s.

Jordan said...

I have a sense of Edmonton streets and parks and the rest of the cityscape just from watching the episodes over and over.

It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that the joke with Woody Tobias, Jr. is that he actually looks like that (meaning, the "Bruno" appearance isn't makeup).

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Joe Flahrety did this Salvador Dali bit that we would laugh our asses off acting out while pulling all nighters in college. Yeh, I could watch a ton of that stuff. I should choose a day and post some of my favorite bits.

Cal's Canadian Cave of Coolness said...

Now a real question for you Jordan. Tell me what you know of the Last Polka. We'll see how smart you are.