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In comedy, we try to get laughs
because that's how we survive.
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You get paid to be
a certain guy.
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They don't want to see me
doing Othello.
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My wife says when I put this bad
boy on, I turn into a wild,
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hairy, disgusting ape. Wuh!
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Comedians, we tend to talk about
our failures, not our successes.
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I wish I could walk in there
and tell my boss off and quit.
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You're self-employed,
Mr. Carlin.
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I know.
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I was a trailblazer, too.
I made the trail wider.
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I'm going on a diet, Dan,
I'm startin' right now.
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Go. I'll be here when you
get back.
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Every morning I get clean
clothes and an apple.
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And I'm happy.
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"Pioneers of Television"
was made possible by
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contributions
to your PBS station
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00:01:05,965 --> 00:01:07,733
from viewers like you.
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They played the doctors and
nurses we watched every week.
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When I first stepped on stage
as a comedian,
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I really had no idea if I was
funny or not, I mean none.
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You know, sometimes audiences
don't laugh, did you know that?
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I know that.
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In the beginning of standup,
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it's the hardest thing
in the world,
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because you are not good.
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It takes thirty years to make
a great standup comic; it does.
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Are you a housewife, too?
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I hate that word and I hate
the word "homemaker," too.
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I wanna be
called "domestic goddess."
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They brought their characters
to life
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in our favorite sitcoms.
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The character is about
85% me,
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the other 15% being
an extremely sick mind.
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Emily, this may come as a shock
to you, but...
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in high school I was considered
great looking.
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You're kidding!
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I cannot tell you and describe
it beautifully,
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the camaraderie
we had.
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¶ I want you by my side ¶
we had.
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¶ And I want you to keep,
oh, keep me satisfied ¶
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Through drive, intelligence
and creativity,
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they've kept us laughing
decade after decade.
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Because funny is smart,
for the most part.
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It's pretty hard to be funny
and a complete moron.
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Nothing matches better than
vanilla and chocolate.
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And yet, still somehow,
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racial harmony eludes us.
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I got a goal in mind.
I want to do Johnny Carson.
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I want to sit
there on that desk.
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I want him to do this
and invite me over to his desk.
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In my core, I felt like this is
what I was kind of meant to do.
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This is what I do the best.
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-Oh, now I don't love you.
-You don't say it.
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-I do.
-No, you don't.
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-I do.
-When do you say it?
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With my eyes!
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What people think of me is often
not what I am.
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Together, these standup comics
redefined the American sitcom.
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They are the pioneers
of television.
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In the spring of 1976,
Jerry Seinfeld
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told a joke on stage
for the very first time.
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I really had no idea if I was
funny or not, I mean none.
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A shower is the only break
you get, isn't it?
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When you're asleep, people
can bother you.
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In the shower, they can't
get to you.
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They call up,
"I'm sorry we can't reach him.
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He's in the shower.
There's nothing anyone can do.
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He's five feet away,
we can't talk to him,
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we can't get a message,
we can't do anything."
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You come out, "I can't
talk now, I just got out."
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This got a huge laugh.
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And I was so shocked,
I was just shocked.
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I was shocked.
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I heard this laugh just hit me
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like a bucket of water
in the face.
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That's what it felt like.
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From that moment forward,
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Jerry Seinfeld's singular focus
was standup comedy.
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I go, "I want to be in
this life."
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And this is really the key
aspect of a comedian --
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is that you want to be this
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and you
don't care about anything else.
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Five years later,
Seinfeld reached
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the holy grail for standups --
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a shot on Johnny Carson's
"Tonight Show."
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To get asked to be on that show
was like,
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"Do you want to play
in the World Series?"
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Have you ever seen the guy who's
got the record
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for fattest man in the world?
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It's an amazing thing --
Bob Hughes, 1400 pounds.
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Ladies and gentleman,
the man has let himself go.
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I used to feel bad talking about
him on stage,
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'cause somebody -- but you could
weigh a thousand pounds
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and go, "He's not talking
abouou!
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This is a man with a serious
weight problem."
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[Applause]
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It went well.
It went well.
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I had a different image of it
in my mind.
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I had never been in front
of 500 people before
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and that was the biggest
audience I had ever seen
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at that time.
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So, I was nervous for
a million reasons,
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but that was very
overwhelming to me.
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You're so in shock at the time.
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Jerry Seinfeld.
Thank you, Jerry.
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Take a bow.
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SEINFELD: He was saying,
"Great job, Jerry," as I left.
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And he gives you
the big "OK" sign,
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which was a very
valuable thing...
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We'll be back in a moment.
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...that I realized,
oh, he liked me.
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He liked what I was doing.
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The success of Seinfeld's
talk show appearances led
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to a meeting at NBC
discuss a potential sitcom.
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They called me in and they said,
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"What is it that you have
in mind?"
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And I said, "Nothing.
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I don't have anything.
I didn't have anything in mind."
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I actually believed maybe they
had something in mind
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since they had the big building
with the logo on it --
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I thought, "Maybe that's
what they do here.
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Maybe they come up with TV shows
and they take talented people
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and say, "We have a show for
you," but they don't do that.
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They don't do that.
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Jerry may not have had an idea
for a sitcom,
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but his friend
Larry David did.
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Before long, the two comics
had worked up a premise.
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The whole show came from
the way Larry and I related
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and that's why I asked him
to work with me on it.
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Because I liked
the sound of the conversations
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that he and I would have.
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And he had a lot more
ideas than I had
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about what we should do
and shouldn't do.
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So he really helped structure
the whole thing.
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The first decision was to
create a scenario
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that wasn't too far from
Jerry's own life,
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a New York standup comedian
who hung out with his friends.
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There's nothing, pretty y ch,
that TV Jerry would do
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00:07:06,258 --> 00:07:07,759
that I wouldn't do
and vice versa.
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00:07:07,810 --> 00:07:10,862
But "TV Jerry" wasn't as
successful or smart
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as real Jerry, and that
was the source
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of much of the series' humor.
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What happened Tuesday night?
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I saw your act.
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My act? What does that
have to o with anything?
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Well, to be honest, it just
didn't make it for me.
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It was just so much fluff.
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I can't believe this.
So what are you saying?
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00:07:37,757 --> 00:07:40,759
You didn't like my act,
so that's it?
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00:07:40,810 --> 00:07:44,346
I can't be with someone if
I don't respect what they do.
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You're a cashier!
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For Jerry Seinfeld,
the cluelessness
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of the sitcom characters
is what made them funny.
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Go talk to her.
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Elaine, bald men with no jobs
and no money
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who live with their parents
don't approach strange women.
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00:08:04,149 --> 00:08:06,117
Well, here's your chance
to try the opposite.
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00:08:06,168 --> 00:08:08,453
Instead of tuna salad and being
intimidated by women,
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00:08:08,504 --> 00:08:10,288
chicken salad and going
right up to them.
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That is one of my favorite lines
of the show,
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00:08:12,992 --> 00:08:15,927
when I say to George,
"If everything you do is wrong,
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then the opposite would
have to be right."
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I should do the opposite.
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If every instinct you
have is wrong,
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then the opposite would
have to be right.
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It's just completely stupid,
you know.
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But he's stupid
so he believes it.
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Yes, I will do the opposite.
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I used to sit here and do
nothing
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and regret it for
the rest of the day.
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So now I will do
the opposite.
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It sounded good, you know,
but it doesn't make any sense.
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My name is George.
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I'm unemployed and I live
with my parents.
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I'm Victoria. Hi.
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SEINFELD: What I love about that
is that
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that's an eternal comedic
device.
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Two idiots trying to work
something out.
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It can't be done, huh?
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00:09:04,677 --> 00:09:06,761
The switch?
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00:09:06,846 --> 00:09:08,980
The switch.
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00:09:09,048 --> 00:09:10,982
Can't be done.
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00:09:11,050 --> 00:09:12,550
I wonder.
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00:09:12,601 --> 00:09:15,770
That is an ancient comedic
device.
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00:09:15,855 --> 00:09:18,189
Do you realize,
in the entire history
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00:09:18,240 --> 00:09:21,893
of western civilization, no one
has successfully accomplished
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00:09:21,944 --> 00:09:23,194
the roommate switch?
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00:09:23,245 --> 00:09:25,997
In the middle ages you could get
locked up
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00:09:26,065 --> 00:09:27,532
for even suggesting it.
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00:09:27,583 --> 00:09:30,919
They didn't have roommates
in the middle ages.
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00:09:31,003 --> 00:09:32,754
If two guys are stupid,
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00:09:32,838 --> 00:09:36,841
tching them try and be smart
is going to be funny.
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If you haven't
got the stomach for this,
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00:09:39,095 --> 00:09:41,680
let's get it out right now
and I'll go on my own.
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00:09:41,747 --> 00:09:45,249
If not, you can get on board
and we can get to work.
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00:09:45,301 --> 00:09:47,418
Now what's it gonna be?
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00:09:47,470 --> 00:09:51,306
Alright, dammit, I'm in.
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00:09:51,390 --> 00:09:53,525
I couldn't do it without you.
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The Seinfeld sitcom was known
200
00:09:55,728 --> 00:09:58,780
for its seemingly unconnected
storylines
201
00:09:58,864 --> 00:10:00,565
that merged at the end.
202
00:10:00,616 --> 00:10:04,268
When Kramer was hitting
golf balls on the beach,
203
00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,471
George was pretending to be
a marine biologigi.
204
00:10:07,540 --> 00:10:09,124
What's going on over here?
205
00:10:09,208 --> 00:10:11,042
There's a beached whale.
She's dying.
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00:10:11,110 --> 00:10:13,161
MAN: Is anyone here
a marine biologist?
207
00:10:15,131 --> 00:10:17,215
We were doing those storiess
before we saw
208
00:10:17,282 --> 00:10:19,334
that there was a connection
between them.
209
00:10:19,418 --> 00:10:22,387
That, what if the distress
of the whale
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00:10:22,454 --> 00:10:25,056
was caused
by Kramer's golf ball?
211
00:10:25,124 --> 00:10:27,976
A huge tidal wave lifted me,
tossed me like a cork,
212
00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:30,311
and I found myself right on top
of him,
213
00:10:30,396 --> 00:10:32,130
face to face with the blow hole.
214
00:10:32,181 --> 00:10:34,566
I could barely see
from the waves
215
00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:38,153
crashing down upon me but I knew
something was there.
216
00:10:38,237 --> 00:10:41,773
So I reached my hand in,
felt around
217
00:10:41,824 --> 00:10:43,775
and pulled out
the obstruction.
218
00:10:50,032 --> 00:10:54,502
We were way, way deep into
making that show.
219
00:10:54,587 --> 00:10:57,122
We might not have even
noticed it.
220
00:10:57,173 --> 00:10:59,824
Just, somebody went,
"Wait a minute.
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00:10:59,875 --> 00:11:03,628
What if that's what the whale's
problem was?"
222
00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,215
What is that?
A Titleist?
223
00:11:09,301 --> 00:11:10,935
A hole in one, huh?
224
00:11:11,003 --> 00:11:12,503
We wrote that the night before
225
00:11:12,555 --> 00:11:12,637
and just laughed ourselves silly
writing that.
226
00:11:15,024 --> 00:11:19,177
and justBut that's aboutes silly
my most favorite thing
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00:11:19,228 --> 00:11:21,279
that we ever stumbled upon.
228
00:11:23,199 --> 00:11:26,484
No show of the era produced
more water cooler talk
229
00:11:26,535 --> 00:11:29,621
than Seinfeld, knitting
countless catchphrases
230
00:11:29,688 --> 00:11:31,156
into the American fabric.
231
00:11:31,207 --> 00:11:32,523
You mean shrinkage?
232
00:11:32,575 --> 00:11:34,525
Yes.
233
00:11:34,577 --> 00:11:36,911
ificant shrinkage.
234
00:11:36,996 --> 00:11:40,799
He recycled this gift.
He's a re-gifter.
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00:11:40,866 --> 00:11:43,134
So you're still
master of your domain?
236
00:11:43,202 --> 00:11:46,504
Yes, yes I am master
of my domain.
237
00:11:46,555 --> 00:11:48,640
I met this lawyer, we went out
to dinner,
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00:11:48,707 --> 00:11:51,176
I had the lobster bisque,
we went back to my place,
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00:11:51,227 --> 00:11:54,229
yadda, yadda, yadda -- I never
heard from him again.
240
00:11:55,681 --> 00:11:57,915
But you "yadda yadda'd"
over the best part.
241
00:11:57,917 --> 00:12:00,885
No, I mentioned the bisque.
242
00:12:00,936 --> 00:12:04,489
Coming up with a half-hour
of memorable comedy
243
00:12:04,556 --> 00:12:08,443
each week isn't easy,
especially for a standup comic
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00:12:08,527 --> 00:12:11,279
who isn't used to
managing people.
245
00:12:11,363 --> 00:12:14,249
The difference between
the stand-up and a sitcom
246
00:12:14,333 --> 00:12:17,869
is you're going from the least
collaborative medium there is
247
00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:19,787
to the most collaborative.
248
00:12:19,872 --> 00:12:21,456
The reason you become
a comedian is
249
00:12:21,540 --> 00:12:22,841
you're not a good collaborator.
250
00:12:22,908 --> 00:12:24,575
You're not good
with people.
251
00:12:24,627 --> 00:12:27,595
You're not good in social
situations
252
00:12:27,680 --> 00:12:29,747
or professional situations.
253
00:12:29,798 --> 00:12:32,133
You're not really good at
anything but that.
254
00:12:32,218 --> 00:12:34,969
When Seinfeld ended
its network run,
255
00:12:35,054 --> 00:12:38,956
Jerry was content to leave
behind the team environment
256
00:12:38,958 --> 00:12:41,109
and return to his first love,
standup.
257
00:12:41,193 --> 00:12:42,861
I just can't drive around there.
258
00:12:42,928 --> 00:12:44,896
You know how
the old people drive,
259
00:12:44,947 --> 00:12:46,564
they drive slow, they sit low.
260
00:12:46,615 --> 00:12:48,432
That is their motto.
261
00:12:48,484 --> 00:12:51,486
The state flag of Florida
should be just a steering wheel
262
00:12:51,570 --> 00:12:53,905
with a hat and two knuckles
on it.
263
00:12:58,077 --> 00:13:00,278
People always say, "Why don't
you do another sitcom?"
264
00:13:00,329 --> 00:13:04,716
I think, "If I could do another
sitcom that good,
265
00:13:04,783 --> 00:13:08,119
yeah, sure I'd do it."
266
00:13:08,170 --> 00:13:10,672
You can't.
I mean, I can't.
267
00:13:10,756 --> 00:13:13,457
Often forgotten
in the Seinfeld saga
268
00:13:13,509 --> 00:13:16,477
is the story of the series'
first years,
269
00:13:16,562 --> 00:13:18,563
when it was almost c clled,
270
00:13:18,630 --> 00:13:19,981
crushed in its time slot
271
00:13:20,065 --> 00:13:22,267
by the other
'90s powerhouse sitcom,
272
00:13:22,318 --> 00:13:25,019
which also starred
a standup comic who had brought
273
00:13:25,104 --> 00:13:26,905
his act to television.
274
00:13:29,775 --> 00:13:33,077
Fall of 1984.
275
00:13:33,145 --> 00:13:35,914
At the Goodyear Tire Company
in Akron, Ohio,
276
00:13:35,916 --> 00:13:39,483
a local comic has been hired
to tell a few jokes
277
00:13:39,535 --> 00:13:42,653
at a sales dinner,
but no one's laughing.
278
00:13:42,705 --> 00:13:46,090
No one's even listening
to a guy named Tim Allen.
279
00:13:46,158 --> 00:13:47,342
No one was listening.
280
00:13:47,426 --> 00:13:49,210
All these guys were just eating
their steaks
281
00:13:49,295 --> 00:13:51,262
and talking and smoking
at the time and it was,
282
00:13:51,330 --> 00:13:52,547
"Arr, arr, arr..."
283
00:13:52,631 --> 00:13:54,999
Don't think your old man grunts,
give him a steak.
284
00:13:55,050 --> 00:13:58,386
"Honey, you like that?"
"Mm, uh, mm, uh, mm, uh --
285
00:13:58,470 --> 00:14:00,671
Arr, arr, arr, arr, arr!
Eh, eh, eh, eh!"
286
00:14:00,723 --> 00:14:02,607
"You want the butter
or the salt?"
287
00:14:02,674 --> 00:14:04,108
"Arr, arr, arr!"
288
00:14:04,176 --> 00:14:05,944
I decided, perhaps,
that would be
289
00:14:06,011 --> 00:14:08,446
the only way to get
their attention, if I talked
290
00:14:08,513 --> 00:14:10,848
like men talk when they're
grumbling, they're,
291
00:14:10,899 --> 00:14:14,035
"roa, grr, arr, arr" --
and I started doing that,
292
00:14:14,119 --> 00:14:17,121
and it was clear that that was
a very big deal,
293
00:14:17,189 --> 00:14:20,458
'cause I got drunk salesmen,
smoking, going, "Arr?"
294
00:14:22,294 --> 00:14:24,712
Tim Allen recognized that
success in comedy
295
00:14:24,797 --> 00:14:27,465
would mean expanding beyond
his Midwestern base.
296
00:14:27,532 --> 00:14:29,968
So he transitioned
to Los Angeles,
297
00:14:30,035 --> 00:14:32,203
where his career
accelerated,
298
00:14:32,254 --> 00:14:34,973
including a Showtime special
and packed houses
299
00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:36,641
at bigger and bigger venues.
300
00:14:36,708 --> 00:14:38,176
Men like doing things women
don't like.
301
00:14:38,227 --> 00:14:40,228
Go to a guy's house and say,
"Did you build that table?"
302
00:14:40,312 --> 00:14:41,712
"Yeah."
303
00:14:41,764 --> 00:14:45,433
Go to a woman's house and say,
"Did you make that dress?"
304
00:14:45,435 --> 00:14:47,718
She'll knife you right
in the heart.
305
00:14:47,770 --> 00:14:52,056
By 1990, Tim Allen was offered
"Did his own sitcom,ess?"
306
00:14:52,107 --> 00:14:54,742
by the head of Disney --
Jeffrey Katzenberg.
307
00:14:54,827 --> 00:14:57,061
Allen said no.
308
00:14:57,112 --> 00:14:59,414
Katzenberg offffed
a different sitcom.
309
00:14:59,498 --> 00:15:01,115
Allen said no again.
310
00:15:01,200 --> 00:15:03,334
I had had a career touring.
311
00:15:03,402 --> 00:15:04,836
I was making great money,
312
00:15:04,903 --> 00:15:07,121
and really doing what
I wanted to do,
313
00:15:07,206 --> 00:15:08,623
so I didn't need the gig.
314
00:15:08,707 --> 00:15:12,427
So when Jeffrey called, he said,
"We want to offer you this,"
315
00:15:12,511 --> 00:15:14,745
I said, "Well, I don't
think so."
316
00:15:14,797 --> 00:15:16,764
And if you don't know
Jeffrey Katzenberg,
317
00:15:16,849 --> 00:15:19,083
I'll tell you, he doesn't like
being said no to,
318
00:15:19,134 --> 00:15:21,585
especially when he's being nice
and sweet like he is.
319
00:15:21,637 --> 00:15:23,805
And he said -- he called me
at home, he said,
320
00:15:23,889 --> 00:15:26,524
"Maybe you didn't hear me."
I said, "Yeah, I heard you."
321
00:15:26,591 --> 00:15:29,193
What Tim Allen wanted was
to create
322
00:15:29,261 --> 00:15:33,064
his own show from scratch,
based on his standup persona.
323
00:15:33,115 --> 00:15:36,818
Katzenberg agreed, and Allen's
sitcom began to take shape.
324
00:15:36,902 --> 00:15:40,655
ALLEN: I like "This Old House"
a lot, so start with that.
325
00:15:40,739 --> 00:15:44,876
But make me just a jerk,
always screwing up his work,
326
00:15:44,943 --> 00:15:47,245
and then I want a neighbor
that you can't see.
327
00:15:47,296 --> 00:15:49,464
Somehow, I had neighbors in
my life that were like,
328
00:15:49,548 --> 00:15:51,382
on acre plots in Michigan,
I never even --
329
00:15:51,450 --> 00:15:53,117
I still don't know what
he looks like.
330
00:15:53,168 --> 00:15:55,953
-Wilson?
-Howdy, neighbor.
331
00:15:56,004 --> 00:15:59,390
Always, from his car
to his house, "Hey, Paul."
332
00:15:59,458 --> 00:16:02,260
And he'd have groceries
by his -- I never saw him.
333
00:16:02,311 --> 00:16:04,512
Still, to this day,
he's still there,
334
00:16:04,596 --> 00:16:07,798
I still own that same house.
I wanted that and three boys.
335
00:16:07,850 --> 00:16:09,633
Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!
336
00:16:09,685 --> 00:16:14,972
Truckenstein vs. Fordzilla
at the Silver Dome!
337
00:16:15,023 --> 00:16:17,308
The biggest monster truck rally
in Detroit history!
338
00:16:17,359 --> 00:16:20,361
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
339
00:16:20,446 --> 00:16:22,413
What will I wear?
340
00:16:22,481 --> 00:16:24,198
I didn't get you a ticket,
honey.
341
00:16:24,283 --> 00:16:27,151
House to myself
342
00:16:27,202 --> 00:16:31,089
on Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!
343
00:16:31,156 --> 00:16:34,625
ABC still wasn't sure Allen
could translate
344
00:16:34,676 --> 00:16:38,096
his standup persona
to a sitcom character,
345
00:16:38,163 --> 00:16:39,964
so they sent him
to an acting coach.
346
00:16:40,015 --> 00:16:42,666
We went through all these,
"Oh, please,"
347
00:16:42,718 --> 00:16:46,270
all this Shakespeare, and I had
to beg and cry and emote,
348
00:16:46,338 --> 00:16:48,506
and it was like,
"What are we doing?"
349
00:16:48,557 --> 00:16:50,474
He said,
"To be honest with you,
350
00:16:50,626 --> 00:16:52,527
they're wondering if you can
memorize.
351
00:16:52,611 --> 00:16:54,178
That's all they want to know is,
352
00:16:54,229 --> 00:16:56,280
are you a person that can't
memorize?"
353
00:16:56,348 --> 00:16:57,681
Which means it's a problem,
354
00:16:57,733 --> 00:16:59,683
because it's 40 new pagess
every day.
355
00:16:59,735 --> 00:17:03,371
Tim Allen soon proved
he could memorize
356
00:17:03,455 --> 00:17:05,323
and he could act.
357
00:17:05,374 --> 00:17:08,126
But like all standups, he knew
he'd get his best performance
358
00:17:08,193 --> 00:17:09,460
in front of a live audience.
359
00:17:09,528 --> 00:17:12,663
In a television show,
you got the audience,
360
00:17:12,714 --> 00:17:14,298
but it's manipulated.
361
00:17:14,366 --> 00:17:15,967
You only get one try.
362
00:17:16,034 --> 00:17:19,203
As soon as you give the audience
where the joke lands,
363
00:17:19,254 --> 00:17:21,055
then you do the second take,
it's phony,
364
00:17:21,140 --> 00:17:23,808
because they know, "Oh, this is
where we're supposed to laugh."
365
00:17:23,875 --> 00:17:25,927
"Home Improvement"
was a success
366
00:17:26,011 --> 00:17:28,513
from the first episode
and grew to become
367
00:17:28,564 --> 00:17:33,267
one of the most popular
television shows o oe 1990s.
368
00:17:33,352 --> 00:17:36,253
But Tim Allen had one goal left
unfulfilled.
369
00:17:36,271 --> 00:17:40,691
Like all comics of the era,
he wanted to do standup
370
00:17:40,742 --> 00:17:42,777
on Johnny Carson's
"Tonight Show."
371
00:17:42,861 --> 00:17:44,829
Now, he'd finally get
his chance.
372
00:17:44,896 --> 00:17:46,330
I bombed.
373
00:17:46,398 --> 00:17:49,033
I went on there and didn't have
my glasses, which I wear.
374
00:17:49,084 --> 00:17:51,202
He said, "Do you see
where you're standing?"
375
00:17:51,253 --> 00:17:53,004
He just quickly opened
the curtain,
376
00:17:53,071 --> 00:17:55,006
and I lied because I wanted
to be a pro.
377
00:17:55,073 --> 00:17:57,575
I said, "Yeah" -- I had no
idea where he was pointing.
378
00:17:57,626 --> 00:18:00,294
So when they opened the curtain,
I walked out and stopped.
379
00:18:00,379 --> 00:18:03,247
There's booms moving and cameras
adjusting, because I didn't --
380
00:18:03,298 --> 00:18:05,383
and that took me, I go,
"Whoa, what's happening?"
381
00:18:05,434 --> 00:18:07,602
This is his first appearance
with us on the "Tonight Show."
382
00:18:07,686 --> 00:18:08,719
Would you welcome Tim Allen.
383
00:18:08,770 --> 00:18:11,055
m Allen!
384
00:18:17,062 --> 00:18:20,431
Oh! Hi, there. Thank you for
having me, nice to be here.
385
00:18:20,482 --> 00:18:23,701
And had to start my act,
I got off on theherong foot,
386
00:18:23,768 --> 00:18:25,987
and I just died,
it was just death.
387
00:18:26,071 --> 00:18:28,155
Why do you listen to shop
teachers?
388
00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,825
Half of them are missing
fingers, am I wrong?
389
00:18:30,909 --> 00:18:32,710
Hey, boys, watch that sabre saw.
390
00:18:32,777 --> 00:18:35,329
It'll kick back on you,
I'm not kiddin' ya.
391
00:18:35,414 --> 00:18:38,466
I'm not kiddin' around,
I'll tell you that right now!
392
00:18:38,550 --> 00:18:41,085
Let me pass out those
test papers, there you go.
393
00:18:41,136 --> 00:18:44,055
Thank you all very much.
I'm Tim Allen.
394
00:18:44,122 --> 00:18:45,923
Then Johnny, he sits down,
395
00:18:45,974 --> 00:18:47,592
and in between the break,
he said,
396
00:18:47,643 --> 00:18:49,293
"You got to be funnier
than that."
397
00:18:49,344 --> 00:18:53,064
Tim Allen recovered from
the "Tonight Show" misstep,
398
00:18:53,131 --> 00:18:54,932
and by November 1994
399
00:18:54,983 --> 00:18:59,103
he had the number-one TV show,
number-one book,
400
00:18:59,154 --> 00:19:01,906
and number-one movie,
simultaneously --
401
00:19:01,973 --> 00:19:04,525
an unprecedented
accomplishment.
402
00:19:04,610 --> 00:19:05,943
Tim, do you ever listen to me?
403
00:19:05,994 --> 00:19:08,446
It was the last thing I said
to you in bed last night.
404
00:19:08,497 --> 00:19:10,831
No, I believe, if you recall,
the last thing
405
00:19:10,916 --> 00:19:14,752
you said to me in bed
last night was, "No!"
406
00:19:20,175 --> 00:19:22,293
You're thinking of tonight.
407
00:19:27,049 --> 00:19:29,667
Throughout the series'
eight year run,
408
00:19:29,718 --> 00:19:32,002
Allen fought for good
stories,
409
00:19:32,054 --> 00:19:34,522
believing comedy would flow
from the situation,
410
00:19:34,606 --> 00:19:35,890
not the other way around.
411
00:19:35,974 --> 00:19:39,310
It's called a situation comedy.
412
00:19:39,361 --> 00:19:42,846
It's not a comedy situation.
413
00:19:42,898 --> 00:19:44,682
So it can't be bit to bit
to bit.
414
00:19:44,733 --> 00:19:48,119
Yellow, see -- the sun is yellow
and heats the ground.
415
00:19:48,186 --> 00:19:50,321
That's how they name stuff.
416
00:19:55,460 --> 00:19:57,295
Is that car running?
417
00:19:58,630 --> 00:20:00,798
[Screams]
418
00:20:00,865 --> 00:20:03,718
Tim Allelerole as one of
America's favorite dads
419
00:20:03,802 --> 00:20:06,137
led to movie roles playing
Santa Claus,
420
00:20:06,204 --> 00:20:08,639
and other "good guys"
and father figures.
421
00:20:08,707 --> 00:20:11,542
But he came to learn that
it was hard to escape
422
00:20:11,593 --> 00:20:14,595
the goofy dad persona he
had so carefully developed
423
00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,013
on "Home Improvement."
424
00:20:16,064 --> 00:20:17,682
Even when parts were offered,
425
00:20:17,733 --> 00:20:20,151
he thought twice about
venturing too far.
426
00:20:20,218 --> 00:20:22,103
You get paid to be
a certain guy.
427
00:20:22,187 --> 00:20:24,388
They don't want to see me
doing Othello.
428
00:20:24,439 --> 00:20:27,742
Tim Allen built a career
drawing humor
429
00:20:27,826 --> 00:20:30,828
from his take on
the American dad.
430
00:20:30,895 --> 00:20:33,331
At the same time,
another breakthrough comic
431
00:20:33,398 --> 00:20:35,866
was doing the same thing
for the American mom.
432
00:20:37,902 --> 00:20:40,738
Growing up in Salt Lake City,
young Roseanne Barr
433
00:20:40,789 --> 00:20:43,174
didn't spend much time
with her father,
434
00:20:43,241 --> 00:20:45,459
but they did watch TV together,
435
00:20:45,544 --> 00:20:47,294
whenever a comic was on.
436
00:20:47,379 --> 00:20:51,132
BARR: My father wanted to be
a standup comic himself.
437
00:20:51,216 --> 00:20:55,386
He understood comedy like almost
nobody else I've ever met since.
438
00:20:55,437 --> 00:20:58,389
By her mid 20s, Roseanne found
herself working
439
00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,975
as a waitress at
Bennigan's in Denver,
440
00:21:01,059 --> 00:21:04,812
married, with three children,
and very little money.
441
00:21:04,896 --> 00:21:08,649
One night, she signed up for
an open mike at a local club
442
00:21:08,734 --> 00:21:10,267
and suddenly everything
changed.
443
00:21:10,318 --> 00:21:11,435
BARR: The first time I got
444
00:21:11,486 --> 00:21:13,320
a laugh from an audience,
445
00:21:13,405 --> 00:21:16,490
I was totally hooked
and had to continue.
446
00:21:16,575 --> 00:21:18,325
It's hard to be married
a long time
447
00:21:18,410 --> 00:21:20,211
and everything like that,
you know.
448
00:21:20,278 --> 00:21:22,279
It's really hard and everything
but they do bug you.
449
00:21:22,330 --> 00:21:24,215
This is what gets me,
is that they always think
450
00:21:24,282 --> 00:21:26,584
that you're going to be the one
that cleans everything, huh?
451
00:21:26,635 --> 00:21:29,670
Like they think that's
your destiny to clean.
452
00:21:29,755 --> 00:21:32,173
And I guess their destiny is
to have a couch
453
00:21:32,257 --> 00:21:34,425
surgically
implanteteon their behind.
454
00:21:36,344 --> 00:21:41,131
It energizes you to go,
"They're going to love this,"
455
00:21:41,183 --> 00:21:45,186
and it's like, boom,
you're giving them a gift.
456
00:21:45,270 --> 00:21:48,322
You may marry the man of
your dreams, ladies,
457
00:21:48,407 --> 00:21:52,159
but 14 years later, you're
married to a couch that burps.
458
00:21:52,244 --> 00:21:54,945
[Laughter, applause]
459
00:21:54,996 --> 00:21:58,749
And they give you a gift back
by laughing at it.
460
00:21:58,817 --> 00:22:00,835
So it's like you want to give.
461
00:22:00,919 --> 00:22:04,422
And it's a cool
give and take thing,
462
00:22:04,489 --> 00:22:06,173
an exchange of energy.
463
00:22:06,258 --> 00:22:08,759
Roseanne spent the next few
years honing her act,
464
00:22:08,827 --> 00:22:10,628
perfecting her standup
character.
465
00:22:10,679 --> 00:22:12,880
It's really fun to do that,
466
00:22:12,964 --> 00:22:17,501
and to be inside your brain when
it's working like that,
467
00:22:17,552 --> 00:22:20,137
you're going to feel very alive.
468
00:22:20,188 --> 00:22:24,775
In 1985, Roseanne moved
to Los Angeles
469
00:22:24,843 --> 00:22:28,028
and her career accelelated like
no one's before.
470
00:22:28,113 --> 00:22:30,848
BARR: It was like, wow.
It was instantaneous.
471
00:22:30,899 --> 00:22:32,382
My first time on stage,
472
00:22:32,384 --> 00:22:37,354
I did fifi minutes for
Mitzi Shore at the Comedy Store
473
00:22:37,405 --> 00:22:42,626
on Sunset Boulevard
and that night she took me
474
00:22:42,694 --> 00:22:45,579
into the main room
and told me to do 20.
475
00:22:45,664 --> 00:22:51,418
Within weeks, Roseanne Barr was
booked on the "Tonight Show."
476
00:22:51,503 --> 00:22:51,552
Have you ever noticed that
fat people
477
00:22:53,538 --> 00:22:55,038
don't think like skinny people?
fat people
478
00:22:55,090 --> 00:22:56,841
We have our own
way of thinking.
479
00:22:56,892 --> 00:22:59,477
Like, did you ever ask
a fat person for directions?
480
00:22:59,544 --> 00:23:01,896
'Cause that is when
the difference in thinking
481
00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:03,147
really shows, you know.
482
00:23:03,214 --> 00:23:05,266
'Cause you go up to them
on the street and ask 'em
483
00:23:05,350 --> 00:23:07,318
where something is and they tell
you like this.
484
00:23:07,385 --> 00:23:09,937
"Well, go down here
to Arby's..."
485
00:23:10,021 --> 00:23:15,609
[Laughter, applause]
486
00:23:15,694 --> 00:23:17,945
My first time
on the "Tonight Show" --
487
00:23:18,029 --> 00:23:19,997
that was just a dream
come true,
488
00:23:20,064 --> 00:23:22,116
and it went almost exactly
the way
489
00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:23,784
I hoped and dreamed it would.
490
00:23:23,869 --> 00:23:28,839
It was just a life-changing,
exciting, fantastic night.
491
00:23:28,907 --> 00:23:32,009
But it's good that I'm fat,
though, because I'm a mom,
492
00:23:32,076 --> 00:23:34,512
and fat moms are better than
skinny moms.
493
00:23:34,579 --> 00:23:36,764
'Cause what do you want when
you're depressed?
494
00:23:36,848 --> 00:23:39,416
Some skinny mom, "Well,
why don't you jog around awhile
495
00:23:39,467 --> 00:23:41,602
and that'll release adrenaline
in your blood
496
00:23:41,686 --> 00:23:44,471
and you'll better cope
with stress?"
497
00:23:44,556 --> 00:23:47,758
Or some fat mom, " "ll,
let's have pudding,
498
00:23:47,809 --> 00:23:49,393
Oreos and marshmallows."
499
00:23:49,444 --> 00:23:51,228
[Applause]
500
00:23:51,279 --> 00:23:52,730
He asked me,
501
00:23:52,781 --> 00:23:54,815
"Do you write
your own material?"
502
00:23:54,900 --> 00:23:56,650
And I said, "Yeah," and he said,
503
00:23:56,735 --> 00:23:59,119
"Well, it's very good
and I'm telling you
504
00:23:59,204 --> 00:24:02,540
you're going to be the biggest
woman ever in standup comedy
505
00:24:02,624 --> 00:24:05,209
and you have my personal
guarantee for that."
506
00:24:05,276 --> 00:24:09,330
I was like, "Duh!"
I was agog.
507
00:24:09,414 --> 00:24:14,418
It wasn't long before Roseanne
had a deal to do a sitcom,
508
00:24:14,469 --> 00:24:17,638
but she was determined to
create something different,
509
00:24:17,722 --> 00:24:20,624
to make a statement,
to influence the culture.
510
00:24:20,626 --> 00:24:23,978
When I used to watch all those
television shows and sitcoms
511
00:24:24,062 --> 00:24:27,064
myself in my home and just go,
"You've got to be..."
512
00:24:27,131 --> 00:24:29,683
I don't want to swear,
but you've got to be
513
00:24:29,768 --> 00:24:31,268
[bleep] me with this crap.
514
00:24:31,319 --> 00:24:32,853
And it made me angry.
515
00:24:32,938 --> 00:24:35,606
From day one, Roseanne had
to fight hard
516
00:24:35,657 --> 00:24:38,642
for her vision of TV's
seanne Connor.
517
00:24:38,644 --> 00:24:41,812
It came from here,
518
00:24:41,863 --> 00:24:47,084
and I didn't want to turn it
over to anybody
519
00:24:47,151 --> 00:24:49,653
who had no idea
what it was about.
520
00:24:49,704 --> 00:24:51,755
To the show's early writers,
521
00:24:51,823 --> 00:24:55,492
a feminist character was
intrinsically anti-male,
522
00:24:55,543 --> 00:24:58,095
but Roseanne's take
on the women's movement
523
00:24:58,162 --> 00:24:59,296
was very different.
524
00:24:59,347 --> 00:25:00,798
BARR: They thought that
525
00:25:00,849 --> 00:25:05,552
saying something feminist
or something pro-woman
526
00:25:05,637 --> 00:25:10,057
was the opposite of saying
something pro man and it isn't.
527
00:25:10,141 --> 00:25:13,694
It isn't at all; in fact,
it's almost the opposite.
528
00:25:13,778 --> 00:25:15,229
The issue nearly came to blows
529
00:25:15,313 --> 00:25:17,347
when shooting this scene
in the first season.
530
00:25:17,399 --> 00:25:19,850
Tell me, miss.
531
00:25:19,901 --> 00:25:22,620
Will you still respect me
in the morning?
532
00:25:22,687 --> 00:25:25,489
The writers wanted
the Roseanne Connor character
533
00:25:25,540 --> 00:25:28,325
to make a disparaging remark
about her husband.
534
00:25:28,376 --> 00:25:30,744
Roseanne Barr refused.
535
00:25:30,829 --> 00:25:33,363
They wanted me to say
those lines, but I was like,
536
00:25:33,415 --> 00:25:36,700
"That isn't how women talk.
537
00:25:36,751 --> 00:25:38,669
I don't even know any men that
talk that way
538
00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:39,970
besides Archie Bunker."
539
00:25:40,038 --> 00:25:44,041
After stopping production
for a time, Roseanne won
540
00:25:44,092 --> 00:25:45,926
and the scene was softened.
541
00:25:46,011 --> 00:25:49,179
I'll respect you in the morning,
in the afternoon
542
00:25:49,230 --> 00:25:51,214
and especially at night.
543
00:25:51,266 --> 00:25:55,436
[Laughter, grunting]
544
00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:57,855
These people went to Yale
and Harvard.
545
00:25:57,906 --> 00:26:00,891
A lot of them didn't even know
what lunchmeat was.
546
00:26:00,942 --> 00:26:02,559
And I remember them saying,
547
00:26:02,610 --> 00:26:04,745
"What is that?
What is lunchmeat?"
548
00:26:04,829 --> 00:26:07,781
And I say, "It's that
square meat that's pressed."
549
00:26:07,866 --> 00:26:09,583
They'd be like...
550
00:26:09,668 --> 00:26:12,953
So there was a lot of class
issues like that.
551
00:26:13,038 --> 00:26:15,205
Why don't you stack them
sandwiches on a plate for me?
552
00:26:15,256 --> 00:26:17,407
I've got to go to Andy J.
and get some chips and soda
553
00:26:17,459 --> 00:26:18,959
and all kinds of other stuff.
554
00:26:19,044 --> 00:26:23,630
I see flat meat and I see bread
but I don't see no sandwiches.
555
00:26:23,715 --> 00:26:25,382
Oh, boing!
556
00:26:25,433 --> 00:26:29,252
Did you want me to make them
sandwiches?
557
00:26:29,304 --> 00:26:30,754
Oh, could you?
558
00:26:30,805 --> 00:26:32,022
Oh, are you kidding?
559
00:26:32,090 --> 00:26:34,024
I've been standing behind
a counter
560
00:26:34,092 --> 00:26:37,027
preparing food for people all
day and I will say right now
561
00:26:37,095 --> 00:26:39,262
there is nothing moree
I'd rather do than
562
00:26:39,314 --> 00:26:40,781
make sandwiches for you, Dan.
563
00:26:40,865 --> 00:26:42,983
Why then,
we're both in heaven.
564
00:26:43,068 --> 00:26:47,270
By the thirteenth episode,
Roseanne had won control
565
00:26:47,322 --> 00:26:48,739
of her show,
566
00:26:48,790 --> 00:26:51,041
a new vision of working-
class women and their families.
567
00:26:51,109 --> 00:26:52,543
BARR: The thing that was
different
568
00:26:52,610 --> 00:26:56,780
about the show was that it dealt
with class in America,
569
00:26:56,831 --> 00:26:59,583
class issues and women
and class,
570
00:26:59,634 --> 00:27:02,586
and women in their families
and working class families.
571
00:27:02,637 --> 00:27:05,005
None of that was ever on TV
before, really.
572
00:27:05,090 --> 00:27:06,640
Okay, tell Dwight to tell
Dad that --
573
00:27:06,725 --> 00:27:08,559
you're not writing this down
at all, are you?
574
00:27:08,626 --> 00:27:12,262
-Yes I am.
-Becky!
575
00:27:12,313 --> 00:27:14,431
All right.
576
00:27:14,482 --> 00:27:15,933
Okay, tell Dwight
577
00:27:15,984 --> 00:27:17,801
to tell dad that I got oveveime
tonight
578
00:27:17,852 --> 00:27:19,737
so he has to pick up dinner
for you kids.
579
00:27:19,804 --> 00:27:21,238
Great! Can we get
Chipper Chicken?
580
00:27:21,305 --> 00:27:25,075
You can get Happy Hamster
for all I care.
581
00:27:25,143 --> 00:27:27,477
The series tackled
a range of issues
582
00:27:27,529 --> 00:27:29,830
television had largely
neglected --
583
00:27:29,914 --> 00:27:32,616
unemployment, alcoholism,
domestic violence,
584
00:27:32,667 --> 00:27:35,152
teen pregnancy, and gay rights.
585
00:27:35,203 --> 00:27:37,838
One of the best ones that I like
the most
586
00:27:37,922 --> 00:27:41,658
for breaking through things was
where Darlene got her period.
587
00:27:41,709 --> 00:27:45,095
What are you throwing
all your stuff away for?
588
00:27:45,163 --> 00:27:47,297
These are girls' things,
Darlene.
589
00:27:47,348 --> 00:27:48,999
As long as a girl uses 'em.
590
00:27:49,050 --> 00:27:50,884
You love all this stuff.
591
00:27:50,969 --> 00:27:53,554
That's reason enough
to keep it.
592
00:27:53,638 --> 00:27:56,473
I'm probably going
to start throwing
593
00:27:56,524 --> 00:27:58,275
like a girl now anyway.
594
00:27:58,342 --> 00:28:00,727
Definitely. And,
since you got your period,
595
00:28:00,812 --> 00:28:03,147
you're going to be throwing
a lot farther.
596
00:28:05,349 --> 00:28:08,185
Roseanne topped the ratings
in its first year,
597
00:28:08,236 --> 00:28:10,788
and stayay popular
for all nine seasons,
598
00:28:10,855 --> 00:28:14,390
offering a unique perspective
on American life.
599
00:28:14,459 --> 00:28:17,077
You mean you don't want to spend
a delightful Sunday
600
00:28:17,162 --> 00:28:18,495
with mumsy and popsy?
601
00:28:18,546 --> 00:28:22,299
The two most boring people
on the face of the earth?
602
00:28:22,366 --> 00:28:24,301
Sunday around here is death.
603
00:28:24,368 --> 00:28:27,087
Will Dad have a third
cup of coffee? [Gasp!]
604
00:28:27,172 --> 00:28:29,807
Will mom get off the sofa
by noon?
605
00:28:29,874 --> 00:28:32,593
Will you get the hell out
of my house?
606
00:28:32,677 --> 00:28:34,311
I did what I came to do.
607
00:28:34,378 --> 00:28:37,981
I accomplished everything that
I wanted to accomplish
608
00:28:38,049 --> 00:28:39,399
with my comedy.
609
00:28:39,484 --> 00:28:43,437
I wanted to tear down some walls
and make some roads bigger
610
00:28:43,521 --> 00:28:45,939
and move the center left,
and I did.
611
00:28:47,909 --> 00:28:51,528
In Roseanne's final years,
another landmark family comedy
612
00:28:51,579 --> 00:28:53,280
was making its premiere,
613
00:28:53,364 --> 00:28:55,732
but the center of this
show wasn't a strong woman,
614
00:28:55,783 --> 00:28:58,585
it was a rather needy man --
615
00:28:58,670 --> 00:29:00,871
the lovable
but helpless Ray Barone.
616
00:29:00,922 --> 00:29:02,539
Live from New York,
617
00:29:02,590 --> 00:29:04,591
it's Saturday night!
618
00:29:08,513 --> 00:29:11,765
In 1975, "Saturday Night Live"
premiered
619
00:29:11,850 --> 00:29:14,468
and that gave one
young teenager an idea.
620
00:29:14,552 --> 00:29:17,020
In the basement
of his local church,
621
00:29:17,088 --> 00:29:20,724
he and a few friends put on
their own sketch comedy show.
622
00:29:20,775 --> 00:29:23,393
The leader of this troupe
was Ray Romano.
623
00:29:23,444 --> 00:29:26,363
We wrote our own sketches, did
our own props, our own makeup.
624
00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:30,100
It was a success for us.
We heard laughs.
625
00:29:30,151 --> 00:29:33,820
That was really y ere
I got the bug.
626
00:29:33,905 --> 00:29:37,440
In his early 20s, Romano took
the next step,
627
00:29:37,492 --> 00:29:39,710
trying standup
at audition night
628
00:29:39,777 --> 00:29:41,378
at the Improv in New York.
629
00:29:41,445 --> 00:29:43,163
In the beginning of standup,
630
00:29:43,248 --> 00:29:45,549
it's the hardest thing
in the world
631
00:29:45,616 --> 00:29:48,001
because you are not good.
632
00:29:48,086 --> 00:29:51,421
His second attempt at standup
went so poorly,
633
00:29:51,472 --> 00:29:53,423
Ray Romano quit
comedy entirely.
634
00:29:53,474 --> 00:29:56,059
He studied accounting,
worked odd jobs,
635
00:29:56,127 --> 00:29:57,728
and watched sports,
636
00:29:57,795 --> 00:29:59,462
while still living
in his p pents' basement.
637
00:29:59,514 --> 00:30:01,765
It's Italian mother and all
of that.
638
00:30:01,816 --> 00:30:03,934
They're fine with you
living home.
639
00:30:03,985 --> 00:30:06,236
They're not trying
to push you away.
640
00:30:06,304 --> 00:30:09,139
Finally, two years after
bombing on stage,
641
00:30:09,190 --> 00:30:11,858
he worked up the nerve
to tryryt again.
642
00:30:11,943 --> 00:30:15,829
I was so depressed,
I got off the stage
643
00:30:15,914 --> 00:30:17,581
and I went home.
644
00:30:17,648 --> 00:30:21,084
To show you how
devastating it was to me,
645
00:30:21,152 --> 00:30:24,588
I went upstairs and I woke up
my mother and father and said,
646
00:30:24,655 --> 00:30:28,208
"Why'd you leave?"
647
00:30:28,293 --> 00:30:31,295
When you're new,
it's just flop, sweat
648
00:30:31,346 --> 00:30:34,431
and you speed up
and you forget things.
649
00:30:34,498 --> 00:30:38,719
Eventually, Ray Romano started
getting consistent laughs,
650
00:30:38,803 --> 00:30:41,638
but it took time to develop
his comic persona.
651
00:30:41,689 --> 00:30:45,008
I was doing material that I
would never do now.
652
00:30:45,059 --> 00:30:47,978
I was doing impressions,
weird, goofy impressions.
653
00:30:47,980 --> 00:30:49,813
I was putting hats on
and glasses.
654
00:30:49,864 --> 00:30:52,482
I was doing impressions,
They were getting crazy laughs,
655
00:30:52,533 --> 00:30:58,822
but as I grew, those things,
I evolved and I found my voice.
656
00:30:58,873 --> 00:31:01,458
After six years
of honing his act,
657
00:31:01,525 --> 00:31:05,028
Ray Romano began landing spots
on comedy specials.
658
00:31:05,079 --> 00:31:08,548
I have a three year-old daughter
and twin one year-old boys.
659
00:31:08,633 --> 00:31:10,217
That's the correct
response.
660
00:31:10,301 --> 00:31:11,534
Good, I'm glad.
661
00:31:11,586 --> 00:31:15,639
Normally, single people clap.
"Oh, twins. Yay."
662
00:31:15,706 --> 00:31:20,927
Parents are, "Oh, that could
have been us, oh, my god!"
663
00:31:21,012 --> 00:31:25,098
Standup comics who break
through on the marquee shows
664
00:31:25,183 --> 00:31:28,402
often land sitcoms,
but Ray Romano wasn't
665
00:31:28,486 --> 00:31:29,903
getting any calls.
666
00:31:29,988 --> 00:31:32,990
The weeks and months ticked by.
667
00:31:33,057 --> 00:31:35,525
Four years later,
still no sitcom.
668
00:31:35,576 --> 00:31:39,229
Then Ray made an appearance
on the David Letterman show.
669
00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,531
And no one really wants to talk
to you on the phone
670
00:31:41,582 --> 00:31:43,283
when you've
got kids running around.
671
00:31:43,368 --> 00:31:45,836
Every business call I try to
make, I screw up eventually.
672
00:31:45,903 --> 00:31:49,339
"Oh, yeah, the 15th is fine.
I just need to know --
673
00:31:49,407 --> 00:31:52,793
Where do you think you're going
with that cookie?!
674
00:31:52,877 --> 00:31:56,380
Put the cookie down!
675
00:31:56,431 --> 00:31:58,682
Not you. Sorry.
676
00:31:58,749 --> 00:32:01,718
Sorry. I didn't mean
to scare you.
677
00:32:01,769 --> 00:32:05,689
Oh, I didn't know you were
eating a cookie.
678
00:32:05,756 --> 00:32:07,691
Take it easy."
679
00:32:07,758 --> 00:32:08,859
Click.
680
00:32:08,926 --> 00:32:12,262
I had a really good set
on Letterman.
681
00:32:12,313 --> 00:32:15,148
And, afterwards,
682
00:32:15,233 --> 00:32:18,485
I just thought, "Well, here's
the next thing."
683
00:32:18,569 --> 00:32:21,905
Letterman's -- there it is,
producers, anybody.
684
00:32:21,956 --> 00:32:24,624
You know, I don'n'know what else
I can do.
685
00:32:24,709 --> 00:32:29,663
If people aren't going
to bite now, that's all right.
686
00:32:29,747 --> 00:32:34,051
The next week,
the call came in.
687
00:32:34,118 --> 00:32:36,119
My wife came out
in the backyard,
688
00:32:36,170 --> 00:32:39,556
I was in the backyard, and said,
"It's the Letterman people."
689
00:32:39,623 --> 00:32:42,625
I pulled up my pants --
because it's in Queens,
690
00:32:42,677 --> 00:32:45,228
it's an alley way,
I'm relaxing.
691
00:32:45,296 --> 00:32:49,299
David Letterman's production
company offered a TV deal.
692
00:32:49,350 --> 00:32:50,800
Ray Romano
693
00:32:50,852 --> 00:32:52,736
was about to make
the transition
694
00:32:52,803 --> 00:32:54,237
from standup to
sitcom.
695
00:32:54,305 --> 00:32:56,940
We shuffle 'em here,
696
00:32:56,991 --> 00:33:00,110
twist him like this,
697
00:33:00,161 --> 00:33:06,500
give him a flippity floo,
and over here.
698
00:33:06,584 --> 00:33:08,702
We put him back over here.
699
00:33:08,786 --> 00:33:11,121
Keeping your eye
on him?
700
00:33:11,172 --> 00:33:13,090
Okay. Where's Gregory?
701
00:33:13,157 --> 00:33:15,459
Aha!
702
00:33:15,510 --> 00:33:17,928
C'mon, it's easy.
703
00:33:17,995 --> 00:33:21,664
Which one's Gregory?
704
00:33:21,716 --> 00:33:24,267
Okay, don't tell your mother
about this.
705
00:33:24,335 --> 00:33:26,052
Ray's sitcom character
706
00:33:26,137 --> 00:33:29,306
wasn't too far
from his standup persona.
707
00:33:29,357 --> 00:33:33,009
But co-creator Phil Rosenthal
added one extra dimension --
708
00:33:33,060 --> 00:33:36,796
hovering parents, played by
Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts.
709
00:33:36,814 --> 00:33:39,232
Had I not met Phil, I don't
think the show
710
00:33:39,317 --> 00:33:43,904
is as "parent heavy."
711
00:33:43,988 --> 00:33:47,958
And if that happens,
maybe we're not here.
712
00:33:48,025 --> 00:33:51,495
You're talking
to George Lopez for an hour,
713
00:33:51,546 --> 00:33:52,862
which is not a bad thing.
714
00:33:52,914 --> 00:33:57,033
Do you know that the fruit keeps
coming month after month?
715
00:33:57,084 --> 00:33:59,035
He's got us in some kind
of a cult.
716
00:33:59,086 --> 00:34:01,871
It's not a cult, Ma,
it's a club.
717
00:34:01,923 --> 00:34:04,841
What do you mean,
month after month?
718
00:34:04,892 --> 00:34:06,426
For how long?
719
00:34:09,397 --> 00:34:10,764
A year.
720
00:34:10,848 --> 00:34:13,016
My God, are you out of
your m m md?
721
00:34:13,067 --> 00:34:16,436
Sorry, I'm so sorry, Dad.
722
00:34:16,521 --> 00:34:20,740
They got me an acting coach
actually in the beginning.
723
00:34:20,825 --> 00:34:22,609
It was funny because they
told me,
724
00:34:22,693 --> 00:34:24,161
"Do you want an acting coach?"
725
00:34:24,228 --> 00:34:28,582
I went, "Well, I guess,"
you know.
726
00:34:28,666 --> 00:34:31,501
They were like, "Because people
are going to be
727
00:34:31,569 --> 00:34:33,036
talking back to you now.
728
00:34:33,087 --> 00:34:36,673
You're not just on stage waiting
for the laughs to die down."
729
00:34:36,740 --> 00:34:39,543
Because Ray Romano was largely
unknown,
730
00:34:39,594 --> 00:34:42,929
the first episodes faced
an unusual challenge --
731
00:34:43,014 --> 00:34:45,549
finding willing viewers
for the studud audience.
732
00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:48,101
They would get the audience
by paying them.
733
00:34:48,186 --> 00:34:51,354
They would go
to the elderly homes
734
00:34:51,422 --> 00:34:53,473
and they would --
I'm not kidding --
735
00:34:53,558 --> 00:34:56,026
and rehab centers,
and that was our audience.
736
00:34:56,093 --> 00:34:57,427
Yes.
737
00:34:57,478 --> 00:34:59,980
For Romano,
738
00:35:00,064 --> 00:35:01,781
the biggest challenge
of a sitcom was
739
00:35:01,866 --> 00:35:03,600
letting someone else
write his lines.
740
00:35:03,651 --> 00:35:06,570
it was hard for me to accept
that somebody else
741
00:35:06,621 --> 00:35:09,105
was going to write stuff
for me to say.
742
00:35:09,156 --> 00:35:12,626
It was hard for me...
743
00:35:12,710 --> 00:35:14,911
like, saying
somebody else's words
744
00:35:14,962 --> 00:35:18,448
and getting a laugh from it,
didn't feel like I earned it.
745
00:35:18,499 --> 00:35:20,083
"Everybody Loves Raymond"
746
00:35:20,134 --> 00:35:22,619
was a ratings success
from the start,
747
00:35:22,670 --> 00:35:25,171
but it wasn't until
the fourth episode
748
00:35:25,256 --> 00:35:28,141
that Ray Romano felt the show
started to gel.
749
00:35:28,226 --> 00:35:30,060
ROMANO: It was a show about IQ,
750
00:35:30,127 --> 00:35:35,315
and how I was really hoping
I had a higher IQ than my wife.
751
00:35:35,399 --> 00:35:40,403
my brother was giving an IQ
test to the parents and to us.
752
00:35:40,471 --> 00:35:42,572
I need you to take an IQ test.
753
00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:43,940
What?
754
00:35:43,991 --> 00:35:45,475
An IQ test.
755
00:35:45,526 --> 00:35:47,977
I'm taking
a criminal psychology class
756
00:35:48,029 --> 00:35:51,748
to make lieutenant and I have
to learn how to give an IQ test.
757
00:35:51,815 --> 00:35:58,288
Ah, I think he wants me to
steal third.
758
00:35:58,339 --> 00:36:04,127
It was just, I thought, at that
time, our funniest episode.
759
00:36:04,178 --> 00:36:07,264
I want you to know I think
I might have
760
00:36:07,331 --> 00:36:09,633
made a mistake
with your test result.
761
00:36:09,684 --> 00:36:11,301
Jumbled 'em.
762
00:36:11,352 --> 00:36:13,336
What do you mean?
763
00:36:13,387 --> 00:36:16,473
Well, actually, Raymond,
you were the one who scored
764
00:36:16,524 --> 00:36:18,141
one standard deviation higher
than Debra.
765
00:36:18,192 --> 00:36:19,976
What?
766
00:36:22,363 --> 00:36:24,314
Good night!
767
00:36:28,569 --> 00:36:31,321
And we just hit things and we
hit our stride.
768
00:36:31,372 --> 00:36:34,207
And it was at that moment
where I just thought,
769
00:36:34,292 --> 00:36:35,325
this might work.
770
00:36:35,376 --> 00:36:40,130
Well, now it's a happy marriage.
771
00:36:48,656 --> 00:36:50,590
There was another one where Phil
772
00:36:50,675 --> 00:36:53,393
wanted me to kiss Peter Boyle
on the head
773
00:36:53,477 --> 00:36:55,812
and I had a hard time with it.
774
00:36:55,879 --> 00:36:58,181
I go, "I don't
think he would do that."
775
00:37:00,935 --> 00:37:03,019
To his credit, he made me do it
776
00:37:03,070 --> 00:37:04,604
and it was a great moment.
777
00:37:04,689 --> 00:37:09,275
Romano played Ray Barone
for nine seasons.
778
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,495
When the series wrapped, he was
ready for a new challenge.
779
00:37:12,580 --> 00:37:16,899
Under every comedian
there's a lot of angst in there.
780
00:37:16,951 --> 00:37:19,068
There's a lot of stuff he's
working out.
781
00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:22,205
So why not work it out through
drama also?
782
00:37:22,256 --> 00:37:23,707
Get to kiss a few women.
783
00:37:23,758 --> 00:37:26,459
You go around all mopey, talking
about getting back with Sonya.
784
00:37:26,544 --> 00:37:29,129
Look, if you want any chance
of saving your marriage --
785
00:37:29,213 --> 00:37:32,081
There is no chance.
There's no chance, okay?
786
00:37:32,133 --> 00:37:35,518
I talked to her today and asked
if we should see other people,
787
00:37:35,586 --> 00:37:36,970
she said, "Yes," okay?
788
00:37:39,807 --> 00:37:42,592
You guys, you know, you guys are
always telling me to move on.
789
00:37:42,643 --> 00:37:44,944
I'm moving on, so there's
nothing you can do.
790
00:37:45,029 --> 00:37:46,312
We're seeing other people,
791
00:37:46,397 --> 00:37:48,314
so I can do whatever
the hell I want.
792
00:37:48,399 --> 00:37:52,869
Ray Romano has won accolades
for his dramatic roles,
793
00:37:52,936 --> 00:37:56,105
but like his peers, he can't
resist the opportunity
794
00:37:56,157 --> 00:37:58,441
to return to his roots,
to stand alone
795
00:37:58,492 --> 00:38:01,077
in front of an audience
and make them laugh.
796
00:38:01,128 --> 00:38:06,383
There is a rush to it
that is fulfilling
797
00:38:06,450 --> 00:38:08,301
and a little bit addictive.
798
00:38:08,386 --> 00:38:12,172
And...
799
00:38:12,256 --> 00:38:15,091
for me, it's either that
or hookers.
800
00:38:17,228 --> 00:38:18,762
The husband and wife duo
801
00:38:18,813 --> 00:38:21,314
at the core
of "Everybody Loves Raymond"
802
00:38:21,399 --> 00:38:23,900
was an echo of the very first
TV sitcom
803
00:38:23,967 --> 00:38:26,986
based on a standup act,
the husband and wife team
804
00:38:27,071 --> 00:38:29,272
of George Burns
and Gracie Allen.
805
00:38:29,323 --> 00:38:31,157
I wouldn't let this get out
of the house
806
00:38:31,242 --> 00:38:32,909
because you're gonna
be laughed at.
807
00:38:32,976 --> 00:38:34,160
Aah, let 'em laugh.
808
00:38:34,245 --> 00:38:36,579
They laugh at all
intelligent women.
809
00:38:36,647 --> 00:38:38,164
They even
laughed at Joan of Arc,
810
00:38:38,249 --> 00:38:40,200
but she went right ahead
and built it.
811
00:38:44,171 --> 00:38:46,155
Built, built what?
812
00:38:46,207 --> 00:38:48,625
The Ark.
813
00:38:48,676 --> 00:38:50,827
The Ark was built by a man.
814
00:38:50,878 --> 00:38:53,463
The person who built the Ark
was a woman.
815
00:38:53,514 --> 00:38:54,881
Noah.
816
00:38:54,965 --> 00:38:58,101
How could I know her?
She's been dead for years.
817
00:38:58,168 --> 00:39:02,939
Like George Burns, Jack Benny
translated his standup routine
818
00:39:03,006 --> 00:39:05,174
to television in the 1950s.
819
00:39:05,226 --> 00:39:08,478
He would just go, "Well..."
and d 'd be screaming.
820
00:39:08,529 --> 00:39:11,197
Well, on the page,
that's not a joke.
821
00:39:11,282 --> 00:39:14,901
But it was a way he delivered
everything and his timing.
822
00:39:14,985 --> 00:39:16,619
Well, while you're thinking,
do you mind
823
00:39:16,687 --> 00:39:18,404
if I look over the clauses
in the contract?
824
00:39:18,489 --> 00:39:21,040
Let's see, well, here.
825
00:39:21,125 --> 00:39:22,375
Thank you.
826
00:39:22,460 --> 00:39:24,160
There it is, right there.
827
00:39:28,582 --> 00:39:31,200
Hmm.
828
00:39:31,252 --> 00:39:33,753
BOY: Hmm.
829
00:39:35,222 --> 00:39:39,092
Jack Benny was
a standup comedian.
830
00:39:39,176 --> 00:39:43,730
George Burns was a standup
comedian.
831
00:39:43,814 --> 00:39:48,718
But their television shows
became
832
00:39:48,769 --> 00:39:51,271
just extensions of
their radio shows.
833
00:39:51,355 --> 00:39:57,160
Standups were largely absent
from TV sitcoms in the 1960s,
834
00:39:57,227 --> 00:40:00,062
but in the 1970s,
the idea got a reboot
835
00:40:00,114 --> 00:40:03,917
when an established comic was
offered his own TV sitcom,
836
00:40:04,001 --> 00:40:06,703
a comedian who first stepped
on stage
837
00:40:06,754 --> 00:40:10,924
more than a decade earlier
in Chicago.
838
00:40:13,594 --> 00:40:16,095
In the 1950s,
a Chicago accountant
839
00:40:16,180 --> 00:40:18,598
began to dream of
something more.
840
00:40:18,682 --> 00:40:21,134
Next to his adding machine
and ledger book,
841
00:40:21,218 --> 00:40:24,253
he kept a notebook, where he'd
jot down funny thoughts.
842
00:40:24,305 --> 00:40:26,523
The accountant's name
was Bob Newhart.
843
00:40:26,590 --> 00:40:28,558
I wasn't thinking of stand-upp
or anything,
844
00:40:28,609 --> 00:40:30,693
I'd just get these ideas
and write them down.
845
00:40:30,761 --> 00:40:33,863
Bob quit accounting
to pursue comedy,
846
00:40:33,931 --> 00:40:36,199
but things weren't happening.
847
00:40:36,266 --> 00:40:37,567
Years passed.
848
00:40:37,618 --> 00:40:40,537
I was thinking to myself,
"You have really screwed up,
849
00:40:40,604 --> 00:40:43,156
you really have,
you've screwed up your life."
850
00:40:43,240 --> 00:40:45,608
Eventually a record company
agreed
851
00:40:45,659 --> 00:40:47,994
to record some of Bob's
routines,
852
00:40:48,078 --> 00:40:49,963
but even that was a challenge.
853
00:40:50,047 --> 00:40:53,750
They said, "Okay, we'll record
you at your next night club."
854
00:40:53,801 --> 00:40:55,802
And I said, "Well,
see, we have a problem there.
855
00:40:55,886 --> 00:40:57,670
I've never played
in a night club."
856
00:40:57,755 --> 00:41:00,890
When "The Button-Down Mind
of Bob Newhart" was released,
857
00:41:00,958 --> 00:41:03,760
it instantly shot to the top
the charts,
858
00:41:03,811 --> 00:41:07,180
knocking Elvis Presley out
of the number one position.
859
00:41:07,264 --> 00:41:09,799
NEWHART: "Now, what's the first
thing we're going to do
860
00:41:09,850 --> 00:41:11,351
before we pull out into traffic?
861
00:41:11,435 --> 00:41:15,405
What did Mr. Adams do before he
let you pull out into traffic?
862
00:41:15,472 --> 00:41:19,375
Well, I mean besides praying,
let's say."
863
00:41:19,443 --> 00:41:23,446
It was thrust upon me and I
wasn't really ready for it.
864
00:41:23,514 --> 00:41:31,421
So I had to learn my craft as I
was appearing
865
00:41:31,488 --> 00:41:34,090
in front of 3,000, 4,000,
5,000 people.
866
00:41:34,158 --> 00:41:40,013
Uh, looking back
on the Mutiny...
867
00:41:42,132 --> 00:41:45,351
I think a lot of
the trouble there stemmed
868
00:41:45,436 --> 00:41:47,670
from the fact that you men
weren't coming to me
869
00:41:47,721 --> 00:41:49,055
with your problems.
870
00:41:49,139 --> 00:41:52,225
Uh, as I explained to you before
we started out,
871
00:41:52,309 --> 00:41:55,695
the door to my office
is always open.
872
00:41:55,779 --> 00:41:59,482
Uh, I think you know why it's
always open.
873
00:41:59,533 --> 00:42:01,183
Uh, that was stolen...
874
00:42:01,235 --> 00:42:03,987
[Laughter]
875
00:42:04,038 --> 00:42:06,789
When Newhart was offered
a sitcom in 1972,
876
00:42:06,857 --> 00:42:06,906
the producers wanted a setting
877
00:42:08,742 --> 00:42:11,995
that would maximize Bob's
t ability to "listen funny."ng
878
00:42:12,046 --> 00:42:16,231
The first idea -- make him
a psychiatrist.
879
00:42:16,233 --> 00:42:20,053
And I felt, well, I don't know,
psychiatrists kind of deal
880
00:42:20,137 --> 00:42:22,221
with seriously disturbed peoplpl
881
00:42:22,306 --> 00:42:24,841
and much as I would
personally like
882
00:42:24,892 --> 00:42:26,476
to get humor out of it,
883
00:42:26,543 --> 00:42:29,896
I didn't think it was right
for television.
884
00:42:29,980 --> 00:42:32,548
So the character was made
a psychologist,
885
00:42:32,599 --> 00:42:34,851
which still gave Bob plenty
of room
886
00:42:34,902 --> 00:42:36,986
to react to
unusual characters.
887
00:42:37,054 --> 00:42:38,488
NEWHART: One time,
888
00:42:38,555 --> 00:42:42,525
Jack Riley created that
great character Mr. Carlin,
889
00:42:42,576 --> 00:42:45,328
and I was having a conversation
with him.
890
00:42:45,395 --> 00:42:47,363
I said, "How did last week go?"
891
00:42:47,414 --> 00:42:50,199
I only had one problem
this week.
892
00:42:50,250 --> 00:42:53,202
Well, why don't you tell
me about it?
893
00:42:53,253 --> 00:42:56,539
He said, "Saturday, I was
possessed by the devil."
894
00:42:56,590 --> 00:43:00,910
Yesterday morning,
I was possessed by the devil.
895
00:43:00,961 --> 00:43:04,080
And of course, being
a a ychologist, I would say,
896
00:43:04,131 --> 00:43:07,383
"Well, do you want to go
with that, Mr. Carlin?"
897
00:43:07,434 --> 00:43:10,553
I'm glad we wrestled that
exorcism thing
898
00:43:10,604 --> 00:43:12,421
out t r you, Mr. Carlin.
899
00:43:12,473 --> 00:43:16,258
It was cold in there.
900
00:43:16,310 --> 00:43:19,261
From the beginning,
Newhart was insistent
901
00:43:19,313 --> 00:43:22,398
his sitcom character not have
any children,
902
00:43:22,449 --> 00:43:25,068
but the producers pushed back,
creating a script
903
00:43:25,119 --> 00:43:26,536
where Bob becomes a father.
904
00:43:26,603 --> 00:43:28,988
And I said, "I read the script,"
and he said,
905
00:43:29,073 --> 00:43:30,406
"Oh, how did you like it?"
906
00:43:30,457 --> 00:43:31,991
And I said, "It's very funny."
907
00:43:32,076 --> 00:43:34,660
He said, "Oh, we weren't sure
you were going to like it."
908
00:43:34,745 --> 00:43:38,131
I said, "No, there are
a lot of good jokes."
909
00:43:38,215 --> 00:43:42,218
I said, "Who are you going to
get to play Bob?"
910
00:43:42,285 --> 00:43:43,836
He said, "Okay."
911
00:43:43,921 --> 00:43:47,340
Newhart was equally strident
in protecting
912
00:43:47,424 --> 00:43:49,008
his unique speaking cadence,
913
00:43:49,093 --> 00:43:51,094
when producer Lorenzo Music
asked Bob
914
00:43:51,145 --> 00:43:53,129
to pick up
the pace of his dialogue.
915
00:43:53,180 --> 00:43:54,630
NEWHART: He said,
916
00:43:54,681 --> 00:43:59,235
"Bob, could you run some
of the speeches together?
917
00:43:59,302 --> 00:44:02,572
Because
the show is running long."
918
00:44:02,639 --> 00:44:06,025
And I said, "Lorenzo, this
stammer has gotten me a home
919
00:44:06,110 --> 00:44:09,195
in Beverly Hills, and I'm not
about to change it."
920
00:44:09,279 --> 00:44:12,165
W-What can I do for you?
921
00:44:12,249 --> 00:44:15,317
Uh, M-Mr. Johnson, smiling
and whistling while you work
922
00:44:15,369 --> 00:44:16,919
doesn't seem to be a problem
923
00:44:16,987 --> 00:44:20,590
you should
see a psychologist about.
924
00:44:20,657 --> 00:44:22,875
You drive a hearse?
925
00:44:24,661 --> 00:44:27,997
That's the way I talk.
It's not like an affectation.
926
00:44:28,048 --> 00:44:30,433
It isn't something I created
for the character.
927
00:44:30,500 --> 00:44:31,834
That's the way I talk.
928
00:44:31,885 --> 00:44:35,271
"The Bob Newhart Show" ended
in 1978,
929
00:44:35,338 --> 00:44:40,226
but four years later,
Bob returned with a new sitcom.
930
00:44:40,310 --> 00:44:44,730
The setting was different,
but the formula was the same:
931
00:44:44,815 --> 00:44:47,316
Bob reacting to a range of
oddball characters.
932
00:44:47,367 --> 00:44:48,684
What are you confused about?
933
00:44:48,735 --> 00:44:51,704
Love and lust.
934
00:45:01,632 --> 00:45:03,416
See if I have a dictionary.
935
00:45:06,170 --> 00:45:08,471
He was funniest when he was
reacting.
936
00:45:08,538 --> 00:45:11,841
Whatever you did was
funnier if Bob was in the scene.
937
00:45:11,892 --> 00:45:17,313
Do you know what it's like
to feel wild desire?
938
00:45:17,380 --> 00:45:19,715
Boiling passion?
939
00:45:19,766 --> 00:45:22,902
To want carnal knowledge
of a total stranger?
940
00:45:24,905 --> 00:45:28,357
S-Sort, sort of, sort of.
941
00:45:28,408 --> 00:45:31,861
For Newhart,
the studio audience
942
00:45:31,912 --> 00:45:34,247
was key to each episode's
succccs,
943
00:45:34,331 --> 00:45:37,950
a partner of sorts in making
decisions about what's funny.
944
00:45:38,035 --> 00:45:41,370
The writing was better
and the actors were better
945
00:45:41,421 --> 00:45:43,372
because of the live audience.
946
00:45:43,423 --> 00:45:47,376
And the first time we used
947
00:45:47,427 --> 00:45:49,045
Larry, Darryl, and Darryl...
948
00:45:49,096 --> 00:45:51,848
Hi, I'm Larry.
This is my brother, Darryl.
949
00:45:51,915 --> 00:45:54,267
That's my other brother,
Darryl.
950
00:45:59,923 --> 00:46:01,257
How ya doin'?
951
00:46:01,308 --> 00:46:06,195
"I threw my back out last week
crawling under houses."
952
00:46:06,263 --> 00:46:09,598
I throw'd my back out last week
crawlin' under a house.
953
00:46:09,650 --> 00:46:11,651
Sounds like a tough job.
954
00:46:11,735 --> 00:46:15,905
He said, "It wasn't work,
I enjoy crawling under houses."
955
00:46:15,956 --> 00:46:18,157
[Chuckles]
So...
956
00:46:18,242 --> 00:46:20,543
It wasn't a job, I just like
crawling under houses.
957
00:46:24,665 --> 00:46:26,749
And then when they leave,
they get another 20 seconds.
958
00:46:26,800 --> 00:46:30,786
I wish there was some way of
making this up to you.
959
00:46:30,837 --> 00:46:33,306
Dick, there was that dead
possum out by the well.
960
00:46:33,390 --> 00:46:34,724
We'll take it!
961
00:46:34,791 --> 00:46:36,959
Darryl! Darryl!
962
00:46:37,010 --> 00:46:40,930
[Audience applauds]
963
00:46:44,268 --> 00:46:46,686
Without a live audience,
we wouldn't have known that.
964
00:46:46,770 --> 00:46:48,521
Because immediately after
the show,
965
00:46:48,605 --> 00:46:50,072
I went to the writers and said,
966
00:46:50,140 --> 00:46:52,909
"You know, let's write another
script with these guys in it.
967
00:46:52,976 --> 00:46:54,577
The audience loved them."
968
00:46:56,330 --> 00:46:58,998
The most prominent standup
of the television era
969
00:46:59,082 --> 00:47:01,500
also created the most popular
sitcom
970
00:47:01,585 --> 00:47:04,320
of TV's first half-century --
Bill Cosby.
971
00:47:04,371 --> 00:47:10,293
He had comedic power and energy
and skill
972
00:47:10,344 --> 00:47:14,997
in such huge quantities
973
00:47:15,048 --> 00:47:18,167
that he kind of blew
everybody else away.
974
00:47:18,218 --> 00:47:21,187
Cosby started in standup
in the 1960s,
975
00:47:21,271 --> 00:47:23,105
but his breakthrough came
976
00:47:23,173 --> 00:47:26,309
when his first comedy album
was released.
977
00:47:26,360 --> 00:47:27,643
It just struck a nerve.
978
00:47:27,694 --> 00:47:30,529
It was observational,
relatable humor.
979
00:47:30,614 --> 00:47:32,114
It was about family.
980
00:47:32,182 --> 00:47:34,567
COSBY: There is no pain in
the world greater
981
00:47:34,651 --> 00:47:37,453
than the pain a man gets when he
goes out on a date,
982
00:47:37,520 --> 00:47:40,022
plants his date down in the seat
in the movie,
983
00:47:40,073 --> 00:47:43,326
puts his arm around the chair
in the movie and leaves it there
984
00:47:43,377 --> 00:47:46,245
for two and a half hours.
985
00:47:46,330 --> 00:47:47,913
The blood from his fingertips
986
00:47:47,998 --> 00:47:49,999
drains to the center
of his chest.
987
00:47:50,050 --> 00:47:51,367
"What are you doing?"
988
00:47:51,468 --> 00:47:54,086
"I'm trying to save my wrist,
what do you think?"
989
00:47:54,171 --> 00:47:58,374
It was kind of an epiphany
of, "Wow!
990
00:47:58,425 --> 00:48:01,844
This is so --"
991
00:48:01,895 --> 00:48:04,380
I connected with something
so much,
992
00:48:04,431 --> 00:48:06,399
and it made me laugh so much.
993
00:48:06,483 --> 00:48:08,934
I remember we would just listen
to it all the time.
994
00:48:09,019 --> 00:48:13,072
Yeah, he was kind of, I guess,
if I had to pick a person
995
00:48:13,156 --> 00:48:14,407
who inspired me to do stand-up,
996
00:48:14,491 --> 00:48:16,409
it would be him and listening
to that album.
997
00:48:18,328 --> 00:48:22,731
Bill Cosby's first try at
a sitcom lasted just two years.
998
00:48:22,783 --> 00:48:25,534
More than a decade later,
he'd try again,
999
00:48:25,585 --> 00:48:29,071
this time creating one of
the biggest hits of all time,
1000
00:48:29,122 --> 00:48:30,739
"The Cosby Show."
1001
00:48:30,741 --> 00:48:33,542
Now, get your utensils,
alright?
1002
00:48:33,593 --> 00:48:37,880
Alright...
1003
00:48:37,931 --> 00:48:40,883
you see, what we've got...
1004
00:48:44,087 --> 00:48:45,805
Dad!
1005
00:48:45,889 --> 00:48:49,141
Carve, not hack.
1006
00:48:49,226 --> 00:48:51,593
Cosby changed, he changed
everything to me.
1007
00:48:51,645 --> 00:48:53,946
Number one, he
was a really funny guy
1008
00:48:54,031 --> 00:48:56,816
that I'd seen ----I Spy" on up
in his career --
1009
00:48:56,900 --> 00:48:59,402
all of the sudden,
he played a great dad.
1010
00:48:59,453 --> 00:49:03,322
Vanessa, come here.
1011
00:49:03,407 --> 00:49:06,608
Come here!
1012
00:49:06,660 --> 00:49:08,878
Here! Here! Here!
1013
00:49:11,331 --> 00:49:13,883
See, there is there.
This is here.
1014
00:49:13,950 --> 00:49:15,117
Come here.
1015
00:49:15,168 --> 00:49:17,169
Dad, Denise pushed us
out of the bathroom
1016
00:49:17,254 --> 00:49:19,004
and so the shampoo's
in Rudy's eyes
1017
00:49:19,089 --> 00:49:21,507
and she won't let me rinse it
off like Mom said to
1018
00:49:21,591 --> 00:49:23,509
and now Rudy might
be blinded for life.
1019
00:49:23,593 --> 00:49:26,395
If she is, can we get a dog?
1020
00:49:28,298 --> 00:49:31,183
Number one, he was funny,
he was subtle,
1021
00:49:31,268 --> 00:49:33,986
and if you noticed, I think
Cosby was
1022
00:49:34,071 --> 00:49:35,771
giving everybody else
the comedy.
1023
00:49:35,822 --> 00:49:39,075
Boys come by the house
and I bark.
1024
00:49:39,142 --> 00:49:41,944
Pretty soon, boys
come by and they say,
1025
00:49:41,995 --> 00:49:44,813
"Old Yeller lives up there."
1026
00:49:44,865 --> 00:49:48,033
All I'm saying is that some
good o os come by
1027
00:49:48,118 --> 00:49:49,919
and some bad ones come by.
1028
00:49:49,986 --> 00:49:53,038
That's who I am, Old Yeller.
That's my job.
1029
00:49:53,123 --> 00:49:56,926
Cliff, you know at
the end of that movie...
1030
00:49:56,993 --> 00:49:59,261
they shot Old Yeller.
1031
00:50:03,550 --> 00:50:06,769
As with all of his work,
Cosby was trying to do more
1032
00:50:06,836 --> 00:50:08,387
than just entertain,
1033
00:50:08,472 --> 00:50:11,339
he wanted his sitcom
to make a difference.
1034
00:50:11,341 --> 00:50:14,059
COSBY: To make a TV series
and make stories
1035
00:50:14,144 --> 00:50:16,845
from your monologues,
1036
00:50:16,897 --> 00:50:19,398
but these things would --
1037
00:50:19,483 --> 00:50:22,701
the adjustment would be to
consciously
1038
00:50:22,786 --> 00:50:25,738
raise the awareness
of the viewer.
1039
00:50:25,822 --> 00:50:28,240
In other words, what you're
writing, what you're writing,
1040
00:50:28,325 --> 00:50:29,909
and what you're saying.
1041
00:50:29,993 --> 00:50:33,695
Cosby's decision to present
an affluent black family
1042
00:50:33,747 --> 00:50:35,631
was criticized by some who
nted to see
1043
00:50:35,698 --> 00:50:37,500
a more typical setting.
1044
00:50:37,551 --> 00:50:40,085
But the critics were vastly
outnumbered by the audience,
1045
00:50:40,170 --> 00:50:41,370
who made the show
1046
00:50:41,421 --> 00:50:42,871
number one for years.
1047
00:50:42,923 --> 00:50:44,306
Do you know what I think
a zerbut is?
1048
00:50:44,374 --> 00:50:45,841
I just remembered.
1049
00:50:45,892 --> 00:50:47,593
A zerbut is this.
1050
00:50:47,677 --> 00:50:49,428
[Blowing raspberries]
1051
00:50:49,513 --> 00:50:50,646
That's a zerbut! Yeah!
1052
00:50:50,713 --> 00:50:51,647
[Blows raspberry]
1053
00:50:51,714 --> 00:50:54,350
Right! I zerbut you.
1054
00:50:54,401 --> 00:50:55,768
[Raspberry]
1055
00:50:55,852 --> 00:50:56,852
I zerbut you!
1056
00:50:56,903 --> 00:50:58,237
[Raspberry]
1057
00:51:03,893 --> 00:51:06,779
Standup comedy isn't a job,
it's a life.
1058
00:51:06,863 --> 00:51:10,499
While many comics are most
famous for their sitcoms,
1059
00:51:10,567 --> 00:51:14,069
in the end they always return
to the place they started,
1060
00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:18,958
in front of an audience, alone,
in search of one more laugh.
1061
00:51:19,042 --> 00:51:22,511
You don't really think about,
"why do I do this?"
1062
00:51:22,579 --> 00:51:24,630
It's just, this is what I do.
1063
00:51:24,714 --> 00:51:28,083
It's like fish,
I'm going to swim, you know.
1064
00:51:28,134 --> 00:51:29,251
[Chuckles]
1065
00:51:29,302 --> 00:51:31,136
It's literally working
without a wire,
1066
00:51:31,221 --> 00:51:32,421
that's what I feel like.
1067
00:51:32,472 --> 00:51:34,440
You're up on the high wire
and this and that.
1068
00:51:34,524 --> 00:51:37,142
You don't have a band to cut to,
you don't have any other --
1069
00:51:37,227 --> 00:51:38,444
no one else to help you out.
1070
00:51:38,528 --> 00:51:40,863
So it's a very
independent art.
1071
00:51:40,930 --> 00:51:43,765
That's why I say, that one night
at the Sands,
1072
00:51:43,817 --> 00:51:46,952
I became a stand-up comic,
because I said to myself,
1073
00:51:47,037 --> 00:51:49,989
"It doesn't matter
what happens, I'll handle it."
1074
00:51:50,073 --> 00:51:53,325
The thing that's most gratifying
or touching, whatever,
1075
00:51:53,410 --> 00:51:56,078
is a lot of people do come up
to me and say,
1076
00:51:56,129 --> 00:51:58,280
"You were my mom,
you raised me."
1077
00:51:58,331 --> 00:52:01,283
I thank God for standup comedy
1078
00:52:01,334 --> 00:52:06,121
because it kind of set me
on my path, you know?
1079
00:52:06,172 --> 00:52:10,426
Actually, I found something
that I was passionate about.
1080
00:52:12,512 --> 00:52:19,468
They are the pioneers
of television.
1081
00:52:19,536 --> 00:52:22,071
Next time on
"Pioneers of Television"...
1082
00:52:22,138 --> 00:52:26,008
The drama of it is intense,
life-and-death stuff.
1083
00:52:26,076 --> 00:52:29,078
This world of medicine has been
such a rich area.
1084
00:52:29,145 --> 00:52:31,713
The show is really
about flawed heroes.
1085
00:52:31,715 --> 00:52:34,116
It was the biggest innovation
in medical shows
1086
00:52:34,184 --> 00:52:35,284
that I had ever seen.
1087
00:52:35,352 --> 00:52:36,752
I just happened to be in it.
1088
00:52:36,820 --> 00:52:38,754
"Groundbreaking" --
people say that word a lot,
1089
00:52:38,822 --> 00:52:40,723
but this really was
groundbreaking television.
1090
00:54:50,987 --> 00:54:53,489
contributions
to your PBS station
1091
00:54:53,556 --> 00:54:55,324
from viewers like you.
1092
00:54:56,092 --> 00:54:58,227
They played the doctors and
nurses we watched every week.
1093
00:54:58,294 --> 00:55:03,265
It's hard to get a laugh
at 8:00 on T Tsday
1094
00:55:03,333 --> 00:55:05,934
'cause that's when
the show is.
1095
00:55:06,002 --> 00:55:08,670
That's what's hard.
1096
00:55:08,738 --> 00:55:11,840
A lot of people say funny things
all the time
1097
00:55:11,908 --> 00:55:13,942
and get big laughs.
1098
00:55:14,010 --> 00:55:16,178
Everyone has gotten a laugh.
1099
00:55:16,246 --> 00:55:17,746
Almost.
1100
00:55:17,814 --> 00:55:19,014
You know, and...
1101
00:55:19,082 --> 00:55:22,418
Socially, wherever.
1102
00:55:22,485 --> 00:55:25,087
The hard part is doing it
at a time and place
1103
00:55:25,155 --> 00:55:27,022
of someone else's choosing.
1104
00:55:27,090 --> 00:55:28,357
That's the profession,
1105
00:55:28,425 --> 00:55:32,461
and thth takes many,
many, many years.
1106
00:55:32,529 --> 00:55:36,331
For more insider features
about your favorite TV stars,
1107
00:55:36,399 --> 00:55:38,333
stories you won't hear
anywhere else,
1108
00:55:38,401 --> 00:55:40,836
visit pbs.org.
1109
00:55:40,904 --> 00:55:44,273
To order this program,
visit us online
1110
00:55:44,340 --> 00:55:45,974
at shopPBS.org
1111
00:55:46,042 --> 00:55:45,974
or call us
at 1-800-PLAY-PBS.