If Laugh-In were a show today...

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 8:38pm

...who would you cast?

Since many of the original troop came from Broadway and/or theatre backgrounds... who would you put in it from today's crop?

(Yes, this was inspired by Dick Martin's passing, and YES, it's because I'm watching my Best-Of DVDs for Laugh-In right now, since I'm in the mood.)

My first choices?

Kristin Chenoweth
Jackie Hoffman
Danny Burstein
Beth Leavel
Christopher Fitzgerald

Who else?

Who would be the hosts?

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 8:42pm

I can't think of anyone to add, but I bet money it'd be on cable.

I still need to get those DVDs.

[Mamie]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 8:53pm

I can see Sutton Foster and David Hyde Pierce on there.

[thatgirl712]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 8:56pm

I'd agree with your choices!

[thatgirl712]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 8:57pm

I like your choices too, Mamie!

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 9:22pm

Husk, the DVDs are GREAT! Well worth buying.

...and there's this red-headed gal on the second box set that looks AND sounds exactly like Kristin Chenoweth. Same face, same voice, same timing... but she's got red hair.

...and that's what got me thinking about a modern Laugh-In.

If it touched on all the politics of today, PLUS featured singing and dancing, with guest stars from music, movies, famous authors (Truman Capote was just on the episode I was watching!), sports, etc., I think it might work.

They would NEVER run it prime time though. It would be on late night, and compete with SNL or Mad TV.

*sigh*

My choices for hosts? I'm thinking Jimmy Kimmel for some reason. Plus...

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 9:30pm

Mary Birdsong
Leslie Kritzer
Mary Testa
Brooks Ashmanskas

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 9:47pm

Jo Anne Worley could still do it.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 10:13pm

JoAnne can do anything.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 10:28pm

It would never get on the air or if it did it would be cancelled almost immediately for low rating as it 80's revival was.

It was a product of its time & premiered when it did perfectly. It would never work today. For one thing, too many people would be offended. Ditto for All In The Family.

Updated On: 5/25/08 at 10:28 PM

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 10:52pm

did anyone EVER see the 77 version? are there any pics anywhere of it?

[Corine2]

Posted: 5/25/08 at 10:54pm

Jared Bradshaw
Jennifer Simard
Michael West
Valerie Fagan
Carly Jibson
Jackie Hoffman
Mary Testa

Guest stars to change weekly.
Harvey Fierstein
Carol Channing
Christine Pedi
Chenoweth


Updated On: 5/25/08 at 10:54 PM

[LaurenB]

Posted: 5/26/08 at 2:32am

Somehow I can imagine Jackie Mason in the Nixon role, saying the modern day equivalent of "sock it to me".