While perusing, as opposed to the 1920's and early 1930's slapstick we often focus on, the latest news in the world of comedy (notably, two talented comediennes and filmmakers, Saidah Belo-Osagie and Grace Reiter, joining the Saturday Night Live cast for season 52), the gang here tips a top hat worn in 1926 by Raymond Griffith to one of our favorite comedy writers and comics, Robert Smigel.
Since anyone who even worked on the periphery of show business is now required by federal law to have a podcast, here's Robert's podcast!
First remember seeing Robert Smigel on Saturday Night Live.
An SNL writer during one of the show's best eras, the latter 1980's and early 1990's, Mr. Smigel appeared in the "Bill Swerski's Superfans" sketches (Da Bears), among others.
Former SNL cast members Dana Carvey and David Spade had Robert on their podcast, by this time mandated by federal law.
And now, what readers have been waiting for, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, who has his own YouTube channel!
Triumph recently appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
After leaving the Saturday Night Live staff in 1993, Robert Smigel was among the crew that created and developed the Late Night With Conan O'Brien show.
What's the best way to conclude a post about Robert Smigel? With some episodes of TV Funhouse, the series he produced for SNL from 1996-2008.
The TV Funhouse segments are frequently the funniest and most satiric segments of these SNL shows.
The topical humor from 20+ years ago still rings true in 2026.
Some of these ideas originated on The Dana Carvey Show, which briefly aired on ABC prime time in March-April 1996.
This very funny and wildly irreverent sketch comedy program, created by a crew of inventive writers and performers (including Steve Carell and Stephen Colbert), would have killed in late night as competition to SNL and Mad TV, but was definitely a tad too extreme in its humor for prime time.
Could The Dana Carvey Show have aired at 10:30 p.m. (just before the news) and not freaked people out? Uh. . . maybe. Airing at 9:30 after Home Improvement? No.
And, with that, we conclude our tip of the Jimmie Hatlo hat to Robert Smigel - and watch more TV Funhouse.
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