Días de radio

I have to say, I really didn't get into this show until A&E started showing it in reruns. I really miss the fact that there are no new shows that will ever come because NBC didn't have the foresight to place it on its Thursday night lineup. In that time slot it would have easily outpaced such dogs as Veronica's closet even without Phil Hartman (I raise my glass to you sir).

While Phil Hartman was truly the glue to the show, it did start to make a recovery after the writers and Lovitz started to make some sense of what to do with his character (I think it might have been good to use him as his original role as a mental patient).

I think Steven Root's character was possibly the greatest TV boss in history. He was nuts! If you think that his character was little unrealistic for a multi billionaire, just look at the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban. I was glad to see him again in the movies in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"

The writing was always fresh. The actors were all perfect for the role's they played (I am NOT an Andy Dick fan, but he even worked in this show). The humor was sometimes understated, sometimes slapstick, but always funny.

I can't believe I'm the first person to write about this gem! I didn't discover it until after Phil Hartman had been killed and the show was in it's final year. A friend forced me to watch the late-night reruns; I was and am forever hooked.

The writing is the kind of inspired lunacy that flourished briefly in the 1930's--smart sharp and deliberately, hilariously dumb. Packed full of pratfalls, zingers, visual puns, inside jokes, sharp satire and side steps into the downright surreal.

All the actors were great, but especially Phil Hartmen (true genius); Dave Foley; Andy Dick (poor guy) and a generally underestimated, marvelous Steven Root. Maura Tierney, Vicki Lewis and Khandi Alexander all shine but it's the guys who really get the guffaws.

Nearly every episode has classic moments, but the corkers are The Titanic ; The Space Station; Mr. Jame's Balloon Flight; Bill McNeal in Bellvue (?); The Secret of Management and The Halloween Party.

While Phil Hartman was alive he and Jon Lovitz paired up in a few episodes and were wonderful foils for eachother, but after Hartman's death, no matter how hard Lovitz and the rest of the crew tried, the show just wasn't the same.

If you haven't watched this show do it. It's one of the last bastions of real laughs left on television and one of the rare cases where you can honestly say "thank God for reruns."

***Note Hartman's picture on 'Dave's' desk til the very end.

Lets look at this as a recipe... (please forgive the gimmick)

Start with a premise: A radio show. OK, so it's been done. But this isn't WKRP. This is WNYX, an all-news station. So, it's far from original; an amalgam of different sitcoms which take place in media outlets. This is our main protein source, where we get our main plotlines.

Here's where it gets interesting. Add a former member of one of the most popular Sketch comedy shows in the world, The Kids In The Hall: Dave Foley. A gifted comedian and a very good actor as well. Probably the most versatile player out of the 5 "Kids", Foley is the base flavor that keeps the show balanced, like a carefully prepared stock.

Add another former Sketch player from the award winning Ben Stiller Show: Andy Dick. Dick plays probably the most ridiculous character to ever be employed in any capacity. Picture a 30 year old man with the mind of a 15 year old girl. A great physical comedian, Andy Dick is an acquired taste akin to cilantro- strong, sometimes overpowering, but improves almost anything to which its added.

What?! Another gifted comedian straight from a great sketch comedy show? Of course I refer to Phil Hartman, without question the most consistent and versatile actor ever to be featured on the uneven series Saturday Night Live. Mr. Hartman, who left the show abruptly due to his untimely demise, was the potato in this dish- so consistent you sometimes forget how amazing he could be.

Maura Tierney and Khandi Alexander were given what were probably the most "straight" roles, usually only involved in storylines which involved sex or relationships with the men on the show. Both are very talented actresses but neither contributed nearly as many laughs as the three men above. Their roles were essentially sauces, breaking up the flavor and adding different sweet, rich notes.

Vicky Lewis, on the other hand, was quite like the female version of Andy Dick. Instead of cilantro, however, she was the hot pepper- and not just because of her red hair. She was a foil for every character, taking no one seriously while doing as little work as possible. Again, not a favorite character for most because of her caustic screen presence. Hmmm... this tastes pretty good so far, but it needs something more... Perhaps some vegetables... well, kids don't like their vegetables and immature adults don't like to be told what to do. So Stephen Root, the hilarious Billionaire/Owner of WNYX, is the bitter vegetable- unyielding and necessary for good health.

OK, we have our meat, our potatoes, our vegetables and our sauce as well as the important herbs and spices. But... this doesn't taste good. It tastes flat. We need something which improves every flavor it comes in contact with. Salt!

Joe Rogan, the station electrician/conspiracy theorist, is the icing on the cake- a theoretically irrelevant yet logically important character who just happens to be funny every time he appears on screen. Possibly my favorite character.

There... delicious! A heady mix of flavors which would conflict without the sturdy base it's built upon. I love Newsradio and although I do like Jon Lovitz, the show was never the same after Hartman's departure. Watch for reruns, as the show has been canceled, whenever possible.

"Newsradio" is possibly the freshest comedy left on television in 1998. The chemistry between the cast members remains at a high level, even after the unfortunate passing of Phil Hartman. To this point of the fifth season Jon Lovits has stepped in and done a great job as Max. I salute NBC for not giving up on this fine show just because it's not in the top twenty each week. Someone at the network obviously still feels there should be SOME quality programing on television.

News Radio is a brilliant 90's television show. It's a great comedy, great actors, and is flexible (has many different forms of comedy) Never boring or dull. Once I started watching, I couldn't stop. I never miss it! Get it on your TV screen NOW!