Tag Archives: Comedy

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The Bootleg Files: Stick Around

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BOOTLEG FILES 803: “Stick Around” (1977 TV pilot starring Andy Kaufman).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Mostly likely due to rights clearance issues.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Probably not.

During the mid-1970s, Andy Kaufman began to percolate across television in a number of guest appearances on popular programs ranging from Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” to “The Midnight Special” to the premiere episode of “Saturday Night Live.” He was also a regular on Dick Van Dyke’s short-lived 1976 variety show “Van Dyke and Company,” where he used his Foreign Man persona for a running gag of coming out in the middle of a skit and interrupting it with sincere bafflement over what was transpiring on-stage.
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The Bootleg Files: A Bob Hope Special (15 Of My Leading Ladies)

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BOOTLEG FILES 802: “A Bob Hope Comedy Special (15 of My Leading Ladies).”

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Mostly likely due to rights clearance issues.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Probably not.

On September 28, 1966, Bob Hope hosted his first comedy special of the fall television season with a stellar cast – the ski-nosed funnyman recruited 15 actresses who starred opposite him during his film career.
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The Rapid Rise of Martin and Lewis

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In celebration of the 75th anniversary year of the teaming of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (and conversely, the 65th anniversary of their split), this episode of “The Online Movie Show” takes a look at how the zany comedy duo became overnight sensations. Richard S. Greene, author of “Marketing Mayhem!: Selling Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis to Post-War America,” is the episode’s guest.

The episode can be heard here.

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The Bootleg Files: Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall

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BOOTLEG FILES 801: “Julie & Carol at Carnegie Hall” (1962 TV special starring Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Mostly likely due to music rights issues.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Probably not.

In 1962, Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett were on the cusp of superstardom. Andrews had back-to-back Broadway triumphs with “My Fair Lady” and “Camelot” while Burnett had gained fame from her standout comedy performances in the Broadway musical “Once Upon a Mattress” and on Garry Moore’s television variety show. Surprisingly, there was initial reluctance from CBS to move forward with a proposed TV special starring the two women – the network felt that Andrews was not that well known to the wider American public while simultaneously arguing that Burnett was too familiar from Moore’s weekly show.
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The Bootleg Files: Nirvana

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BOOTLEG FILES 800: “Nirvana” (re-edited version of the 1951 Laurel and Hardy feature “Atoll K”).

LAST SEEN: Available for private request screenings.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A bit of a copyright issue.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Probably not.

Before I begin this week’s column, I want to pause and point out that this is the 800th entry in The Bootleg Files series that began in September 2003 on Film Threat before becoming part of Cinema Crazed in February 2017. My goodness, I cannot believe that there have been 800 entries in this weekly column! I need to give my deepest and sincerest thanks to Felix Vasquez Jr., publisher and editor at Cinema Crazed, for providing The Bootleg Files with a loving home, and I need to thank the readers of this long, long, long-running series for checking in with me every Friday – I’ve ton too much writing in the course of my career, but this is the achievement that has been the true labor of love. Okay, enough gushing – on with the show!
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Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

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After the surprise success of “Sonic the Hedgehog” it’s fun to see our blue hero get his due after so many years. While the series isn’t quite perfect, once it hits its highs, it’s fun, funny, and filled with some well directed action. For the follow up the natural progression is the introduction of Sonic’s famed video game sidekick Tails, along with their classic video game nemesis Knuckles. While “Sonic 2” is a great follow up, it has a severe problem with its human characters.

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