Anyone remember "Not Necessarily the News"?

[EstimatedProphet]

HBO comedy in the 80s that spoofed the news-in some ways a forerunner to the Daily Show. Like the Daily Show, it had the guts to styand up and talk about the farcical way the country was going, and show everyone that the President has no clothes.

[JimmyJazz]

1. Isn't that where the "snigglet" was invented? Or am I confused?

[guitar man]

2. yes!

the sniglet came from there.

[EstimatedProphet]

3. Not invented, but it was a big part of the show, yes.

Sniglets were a part of Rich Hall's standup act before he joined the cast. They incorporated them into the show, and it was a hit.

[NightTrain]

4. I used to love that show!

Stuart Pankin, Audrey Neenan, Lucy Webb, Danny Breen, Mitchell Laurence, Rich Hall.... Did I forget anybody?

[Zomby Woof]

5. Yes!

HBO! Stuart Pankin, Rich Hall (sniglets!)... used Clapton's "Motherless Children" as the theme. Great stuff. They did non-news skits, like the one where it showed how caffeine was removed from coffee... or my favorite ad: "Coffee and cigarettes, the best laxative you can buy without a prescription!"

They were great at taking actual news footage and tampering with it... like when the "reporter" asked Reagan what he thought of the constitution, and he said "Interesting fiction!" as he waved on his way to the copter.

Or the close-up of Reagan pinching Thatcher in the ass! :D

[Patsy Stone]

6. Absolutely!

I remember they had a skit about the word "neutralize". They started by asking Sen. Moynihan if he knew what "neutralize" meant. It then became an ad for a CIA dictionary. They were discussing the styles it came in and you had your choice of camouflage, regular or the handy "stealth" edition (where there was no book at all). At the end, they returned to Moynihan and asked him if he knew what it meant now and he replied, "It's got to mean killing people."

Really funny show. The Sniglets were great. I only remember two off the top of my head:

Blivet: turning your pillow over to find the cool spot.
Sub-Atomic Toasticles: the little toast crumbs in the butter

[Zomby Woof]

8. Pigslice

That last piece of pizza everyone is secretly dying for but no one dares take. :D

[Patsy Stone]

11. LOL! n/t

[TroubleMan]

7. Yep, I used to like that show, but I barely remember any of it

nt.

[Wilber_Stool]

9. How about TWTWTW. TW three it was called

Tha Was the Week that Was. The '70s I believe. Think I'll google it. Can't remember the players. Think one was David Frost.


Jeez. "63-'64.

Principal performers included "Special Correspondent" David Frost (who was also a member of the BBC's TW3 troupe), Henry Morgan, Elliott Reid, Doro Merande, Margaret Hamilton, Buck Henry, Bob Dishy, Alan Alda, Pat Englund, Phyllis Newman and Nancy Ames (known as the "TW3 Girl," and the only cast member to appear in every show throughout the run). Guest performers, a regular feature of the first season, included Allen Sherman, The Chad Mitchell Trio and Woody Allen. Puppeteer Burr Tillstrom performed his innovative hand ballets (unique, expressive performances using his bare hands) on several shows; he was also the hands behind the dreadful animated Him Beagle Johnson, the White House pet seen several times later in the run.

[mcscajun]

10. and the musical delights of Tom Lehrer. :)

their resident songwriter.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. I BARELY remember that

In the early 70's I was still not of legal age...:) Doubt I would have understood it anyway.

[MrSlayer]

12. Yes, Great Show.

Kadhafi Fried Chicken was a great skit.

[Blue_Tires]

13. great humor

great memories

[miss_kitty]

15. Like 'TW3,' 'Not Necessarily the News' Was copied from a British show

NNTN was based on 'Not the 9 O'Clock News.'