Thinking of a couple of outstanding comedians today. Michael McKean, currently plugging the 2025 Spinal Tap movie along with Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner, celebrates his 78th birthday today.
First and foremost, there's something about the very earnest cover of the Rolling Stones' Start Me Up by The Folksmen that cracks me up.
The blog shall toast Michael and the superb comedy he has helped bring to a weary and stressed-out world over many decades, and also toast another outstanding comic born on this date in Quebec City, Norm MacDonald.
Will start with a terrific interview and overview of Mr. McKean's lengthy showbiz career. Thank You for this interview, SAG AFTRA!
Michael McKean's episode of Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast is a must-listen.
In the "I did not know that" department, the IMDB entry for Michael McKean notes: In early 1967, he was briefly a member of the New York City "baroque pop" band The Left Banke and played on the "Ivy, Ivy" single (B-side: "And Suddenly").
First heard about Michael via the early 1970's improv group The Credibility Gap, which also featured Harry Shearer.
The erudite and talented San Francisco deejay John Gilliland hosted a Sunday night comedy show on what was back then a top AM radio station and did us listeners the favor of playing the following Credibility Gap track.
Michael and David L Lander found their way from The Credibility Gap to the Garry Marshall sitcom LaVerne & Shirley as goofballs Lenny & Squiggy. Their best bits were the songs of Lenny & The Squigtones, although the then-prominent laugh track often drowns them out.
This comedy fan was not a devotee of Laverne & Shirley at all, as good as previous Garry Marshall series (The Odd Couple) were, as Monty Python's Flying Circus reruns and the early years of Saturday Night Live and SCTV were on then, but was familiar with The Credibility Gap's album and kept an eye out for Mr. McKean's subsequent SNL appearances.
The following sketches featuring The Folksmen and Spinal Tap is from the 10th season of SNL, when Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest were cast members.
Love those clips of Spinal Tap's early years!
There's so much to draw from that we shall very likely be making additions and edits to this post all weekend. The Return Of Spinal Tap is required viewing.
And then there are the Christopher Guest feature films, in which Michael McKean is among a super-talented stock company, along with Catherine O' Hara, Eugene Levy, Jane Lynch, Fred Willard, Parker Posey, Jennifer Coolidge, Michael Hitchcock and John Michael Higgins.
Pondering how to make the segue from Michael McKean to Norm MacDonald, recall Adam Sandler's song from SNL 50. In the Sandman's nicely done hat tip to Saturday Night Live's casts which starts at 3:45, they both are noted.
Devoted a lengthy post to Norm MacDonald, born October 17, 1959 at some length at the time of his untimely passing in 2021. Were there any clips not included in that post? Yes - this one.
If that isn't sufficient, watch the following compilation of appearances from Late Night With David Letterman.
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