SCTV - Canadian Gaffes & Practical Amusements

Dougall Currie and guests discuss the practical jokes they play on unsuspecting victims. Starring Eugene Levy, Joe Flaherty, Andrea Martin, and Martin Short.

[@sirtalkalotdoolittle]

Eugene looks like he's ready to command a squadron of Spitfires over the Channel.

[@paulsarnik8506]

You mean cabbage crates over The Briney!😮. 🤓😎✌🏼

[@Michael-wc8xl]

The disappearing audience makes the whole joke work.

[@bareknuckles2u]

The real star here for me is Andrea Martin. She captures that self-absorbed pompous upper class pampered inner-circle stage actor royalty persona...ok, that was a lot in there, and I'm not sure how to articulate it. But she nailed it! Everyone else was fab as well!

[@theevilascotcompany9255]

Truly, a veteran presence at the Shaw Festival and at Stratford to be sure. 😂

[@sdnikko8960]

"Thonk you"

[@wdtaut5650]

A comic genius. Every skit she was in, every personality was spot on. Her routines with Dave Thomas were gold.

[@vestibulate]

@@wdtaut5650 That's right, Edna.

[@richardball5491]

The Canadian government at the time required "Canadian content". This was SCTV's "revenge".

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

They still ask for it.

[@brianallen2358]

CANCON is something to be grateful for. This is so on the nose.

[@hankkingsley2976]

no that was Bob and Doug

[@hankkingsley2976]

y'all have come a long way to Letterkenny and schitts Creek

[@stevek6518]

@@hankkingsley2976 Hey now

[@DNobes]

RIP JOE...he shone in every sketch!!!

[@fridaythe13thpartx]

Growing up in Canada I can honestly say they nailed it!Brilliant!Always loved SCTV!😘🥰

[@42awww]

The whole parody of the CBC is one of the funniest things I have ever seen!

[@harrycooper5231]

And the parody of White Christian Canadians was even funnier!

[@jeffmelchior8573]

This skit totally nails CBC shows like Front Page Challenge. Self-congratulating Canadian “celebrities” wanking each other verbally but very politely.

[@jimgoebel5348]

This is the most Monty Pythonesque of all the SCTV bits.

[@derekgiesbrecht-xp5yc]

Totally reminded me of something they would do, they loved to poke fun at pomposity

[@kaisaid1]

Eugene Levy sounds like Jim Backus 😁.

[@kevinfitzgerald1010]

Backus's voice with Hillerman's delivery. Good call by you both.

[@trinnis42]

"Lovie"

[@alecfoster4413]

@@trinnis42 Ginger or Marianne? I'll take "Lovie"!

[@atwoodca]

Was thinking the same.

[@klmullins65]

"I say, be a good chap and mix us up a couple of Old Faaashioneds"

[@TheAlicia1195]

The entire set and clothes are all grey. Awe SCTV, you magnificent bastards!

[@Lexman509]

They are so Canadian that they have hockey sticks out on the front porch.

[@AnnaLVajda]

Well if you let the kids bring them in the house they knock stuff over with them.

[@EarthboundX]

Could also be British as well.

[@timothywoods6331]

Gotta love all the Gords on the closing credits!!

[@yomeroca]

And Ians. And a couple of Fionas. Even the token Chinese guy is called Gord Yiu.

[@mvarick1]

This is still my favourite SCTV skit. There is so much going on. And it is a long joke. Bravo!

[@karmakat77]

Eugene Levy is magical!

[@React2This]

“That reminds me of a similar incident with Raymond Massey.”

[@carolhart8696]

Is Raymond Massey Canadian?

[@senorsardonico6153]

@@carolhart8696 Yep. His brother Vincent was Governor General of Canada.

[@brownsugar2456]

You Canadians are quite the pranksters! 🇨🇦

[@jstodalk]

Most brilliant take down of the CBC Laurentian crowd from Quebec and Ontario ever.

[@chrisnelmes7180]

This is eerily similar to most made in Canada tv material in the 60s thru 80s. Very boring folks congratulating each other and themselves for being boring .Extremely cheap sets,filled mostly with chairs and decorated with as many shades of grey as you could get at Home Hardware.

[@chrisrhone441]

Till the 80’s? Still going on now …

[@penguin44ca]

Yes I believe that was the joke

[@matthewpaterson6435]

10:26 "I hope you're satisfied Phillip, you've driven out the entire audience with your tastelessness." "That's bullshit Dougall and you know it!" Lmao!

[@funnyfokker25]

"Now that's what I call an A number one toot!: Classic!

[@felicity4711]

Eugene Levy looks quite dashing and handsome as Dougal Curry

[@giovanna722]

Nothing like stuffy 60's style Canadian T.V. Watched plenty of it when I was young :(

[@naturalobserver6130]

Well as an American, I thought razzle dazzle was pretty good.

[@AccurateCrabLegs]

The noise at 9:00 startled me! I spilled hot tea all over my laptop!

[@landsurfer66]

Canadian comedy gold. I never missed an episode.

[@gabekarp3008]

that little smile after the second fart-- levy is genius

[@davidlindsay2436]

So much talent in one place!

[@lendirk902]

That was the CBC to a tee!

[@latifahgordeeva6198]

This made me laugh so hard when I first saw it.

[@alukuhito]

It's funny because it's true. The first practical amusement is something that I, as a Canadian, used to do as a child in my neighbourhood. We called it "Nicky Nicky Nine-Doors".

[@tedmichaels1951]

I do miss this show even after all these years.

[@rexmundi3108]

They never knew this humble show would spawn an industry of "prank" shows. Quite amusing, and I knew Pierre Burton.

[@devondibley5717]

Eugene Levy using his eyes to the comedy max!

[@plauditecives]

Absolutely captured the early low-budget days of the CBC.

[@jimwoodman8158]

I agree 100%. It seems ridiculous today, but this perfectly captures the feel of the CBC I remember from my childhood. BTW, I really miss SCTV

[@hebber1961]

CBC has different garbage now. But we get to pay more for it!

[@SirReal1958]

I'm sure if he gave it enough effort, Joe Flaherty could have found a much larger bow tie to wear.

[@quantumcat6998]

😁🤣

[@timrob62]

@@quantumcat6998 That would have been a job for Juul Haalmeyer!

[@kb3ojg461]

I would genuinely watch exactly this show.

[@lenhindle1108]

The funniest fart joke of all time...bravo Dougal It absolutely emptied the audience.

[@mhos6940]

This is one of thier best!👍

[@carolhart8696]

As a Canadian baby boomer, I really enjoy satire on canadianism. And Canadians (especially these Canadians), did it best.

[@hebber1961]

It was more directed at the pretentious "elite" and those in media. I didn't meet anyone who spoke like this in real life.

[@diamonddog13]

2 Canadians and 2 Americans

[@cynthiar7350]

I adore Eugene Levy & his dry humor!

[@mvarick1]

Greatest fart joke. The set-up is equally impressive.

[@rikkijames723]

only SCTV could pull off a skit like that. hilarious.

[@creekwoodjoe1607]

Eyebrows look like live wiggling woolly bear caterpillars. Lol

[@mariac.9055]

I’m laughing so hard my stomach muscles hurt !

[@johndef5075]

Its great for the abs😂

[@lgcybernetics]

Brilliant! Thanks for posting

[@quantumcat6998]

You're welcome! 😎

[@thecardinalcritique]

The audience just keeps getting smaller, 🤣🤣 I love it

[@Rutoenfit]

You're a God! Have wanted to see this again for years.

[@quantumcat6998]

Lol, you're welcome! 😁

[@lenhindle1108]

Doing a parody of comedy was meta before meta was meta...brilliant 😂

[@CreightonRabs]

So this is the "Canadian Version" of TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes? This might be the most Canadian thing ever.

[@RebuttalRecords]

Pure comedic genius.

[@XtremiTeez]

Eugene Levy channeling Thurston Howell III.

[@maryannkiepczynski6102]

Is it just me or could Martin Short pass for Robin Gibb in this clip? #Stayin’Alive

[@valerieratner972]

Martin Short’s character is very similar to the SNL skit when he played the royal OBGYN recently He’s too funny Yes to Robin Gibb lookalike

[@abundantYOUniverse]

Harumph! I for one do not appreciate your habberdashery, tomfoolery, and yes, general horse play.

[@dirtydave2691]

Absolutely scandalous. I will be posting a most strongly worded letter to the CBC for this outrageous behavior.

[@robertmatthews2009]

Habbardashery? Yes, they are all wearing clothes.

[@klyanadkmorr]

Indeed the childish fadleral and shenanigans! Shameful!

[@abundantYOUniverse]

@@klyanadkmorr Falderal thats the word!

[@theevilascotcompany9255]

@@abundantYOUniverse Okay old bean, while I too share in your moral outrage at the sheer audacity of this segment, there is no need for such guttural language, especially the "f-word" of all things.

[@paulsarnik8506]

Never knew "Door Bell Ditch" had a proper name🤷🏼‍♂️ We just called it "Ringing Doorbells". 🤓😎✌🏼

[@soakingbook]

I would love to see some clips of the Canadian TV shows they are parodying.

[@WatchMaga]

They’re really parodying a whole ensemble of Canadian programming. No any one particular show.

[@theevilascotcompany9255]

This sketch is about Canadian mass media in general, combining the deliberately boring and pedantic nature of the content with the incessant need to copy American concepts but draining the very life out of them by overthinking it. The best singular example of a show like this though would be Front Page Challenge.

[@PhilBagels]

Most amusingly droll and absurdly whimsical.

[@torgman]

I'm impressed with Dougall's hair.

[@stevecathym3566]

This looks to be pretty early in the SCTV era. I'm not sure about that, but Martin here is channeling his future "Ed Grimley" character for sure.

[@quantumcat6998]

Lol, actually this is from Season 6, the last season. But he did do an Ed Grimley sketch in this particular episode, called 'Ed Grimley's Celebrity Fairie Tayles'.

[@billtooke6642]

Later. It's a spoof of TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes on NBC with Dick Clark & Ed McMahon which started in like 1982

[@bads1000]

Ah, yes. This is the television we grew up on in Ontario.

[@bads1000]

Front Page Challenge

[@alukuhito]

This, or what it's parodying, or both?

[@sandydaneliuk6086]

That stage is comically large

[@GM-cf6jv]

I give this 5 toots😂

[@colinwilson4609]

We're so boring!

[@t.b.g.504]

This is how Anglo Canadians spoke before 'Hosermania' set in. Also, Eugene Levy sounds seemingly like Thurston Howell III here.

[@adrock4737]

Who is Eugene Levy channeling here? All I can think of is Thurston Howell from Gilligan's Island.

[@teddyhawkins6256]

Fletcher Markle

[@klondikebelridge1996]

I didn't expect the fart.

[@RSEFX]

very Monty Python-like!---and that's a good thing, m'thinks.

[@ericzarahn9343]

I am surprised by how well Levy was able to portray an Anglo. Quite amazing given the circumstances.

[@daxxonjabiru428]

"Thonk-you, Dougall ..."

[@ericbeaulieu4843]

THis is soo Canadian.

[@mightypotato]

Still better than JFL Gags.

[@thefuturemrs.billhader5767]

Holy smokes. Levy looks just like my grandfather from Kitchener. It would be groovy if he was a cousin.

[@felicity4711]

Dig those accents. “Thonk you Dougal.” “Gelding the lely!”

[@thomashumphrey7395]

So Canadian. lol

[@2plesters]

I was hiding!

[@cdprince768]

Martin Short discovers Jiminy Glick.

[@stevek6518]

Very Monty Pythonesque

[@dynkle]

Elliot Friedman stole his act

[@Argonaut121]

A lot of Monty Python here. Though it does capture just how boring Canada was back then.

[@marmaly]

Martin Short steals this one. Foreshadowing Austin Powers.

[@joeblevins1061]

Hey SCTV experts: There's a sketch in which these same characters appear on a talk show to discuss their plans to break into the American TV market. The host (also played by Levy) berates them for being so stupid and tells them they're a bunch of no-talent nobodies who will never be famous in America. He plays clips to prove how bad their shows are. Does anyone know the sketch I mean?

[@dlo111]

Practical amusement! Hahaha

[@crissgerwing1704]

Knock a door ginger and a Bee Gee!!!

[@ToxicCityOfficial]

Lmao

[@princeofcupspoc9073]

It's interesting that the "stuffy" pretentious set are represented as Anglophiles.

[@gmaqwert]

Is Eugene Levy doing a take off on an actual person?

[@Neville60001]

Possibly; I'm not sure who it is.

[@markanthony3275]

That the first prank is so exasperatingly boring makes it funny.

[@rodneyriddnauer1789]

Vic 2:36

[@davidrichardson8855]

Back when Canada was funny- on purpose.

[@cameronpickard7456]

lame as it gets typical canadian telivision,but phillip marks IS devilishly handsome