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Woody Allen: Television Days

Started by tomwatson · 11 months ago

Years before regaling us with stories about his affair with a married woman at the age of fourteen, and his redemption courtesy of an English monk named Father Joe, Tony Hendra wrote Going Too Far, which may be the definitive book dedicated to Baby Boomer humor (if not the only book dedicate ... Continue reading »

6 comments

  • James Keepnews

    1 year ago

    Though not without interest as a first-hand account of how life was lived at the Lampoon "on the ground," Hendra's _Going Too Far_ does just that -- unfortunately, too far in the direction of self-importance, settlings scores with P. J. O'Rourke and a wholesale abuse of what might have been a useful term in "Boomer Humor," but for its wholesale abuse in this tome. At its peak, National Lampoon was probably the single greatest, and surely funniest, instance of satire this nation has ever seen. Little wonder they kvetched over NatLamp-lite as practiced by the fledgling SNL, which poached Michael O'Donoghue, Belushi, etc. from NatLamp's ranks. The definitive tale of its rise and the spectacular fall not all the Tim Mathesons and Gilbert Gottfrieds (!!) in the world could halt remains untold.
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  • Tom Watson

    1 year ago

    David - thanks for the piece. Yeah, imagine Woody Allen, TV star! I enjoyed the history lesson - and the one-liners too.
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  • David Bushman

    1 year ago

    James, I appreciate and respect your insight into Hendra's "Going Too Far." His agenda aside -- and I don't think anyone could ever accuse Hendra of NOT having one -- I still think there is a lot of intelligent history and commentary, and that the book is worth reading.
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  • David Miller

    1 year ago

    David,

    Great to stumble across your references to Woody Allen. I have been trying to track down the I've Got a Secret episode which featured Woody singing to a poodle. The first guest with a secret that night was the father of a former classmate. I know that GSN holds the rights to I've Got a secret. Any idea if I could get a copy of a portion of that kinescope featuring that first contestant.
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  • David Bushman

    1 year ago

    Type your comment here.
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  • David Bushman

    1 year ago

    David, thanks for your comment. E-mail me at dbushman@paleycenter.org and I could make a suggestion about how to get a copy.
    reply
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