SCTV - The Happy Wanderers

Welcome to The Happy Wanderers Show! In this classic SCTV sketch, we've got a special guest in the house - former band member Lynch Minion! This episode is proudly sponsored by Schminke Travel and Record Company. 🎉
But that's not all, folks! The Bethel chapter of the Lutonium American Society invites you to the annual Rites of Spring Festival in Latonia. 🌸 There's a grandstand parade that's fun for both parents and kids alike. Don't miss out!
For just $5,500, you can hop on a round-trip charter to the Rites of Spring Festival in Bellevue Latonia. You'll receive a warm welcome at the airport and even witness a one-gun salute. 💰
While you enjoy the show, be sure to dig into some delicious homemade cabbage rolls and coffee. 😊
Our special guest takes us down memory lane, sharing their experiences in live television and expressing gratitude for returning to The Happy Wanderers. They mention their humble beginnings and send a special shoutout to Yash and Stan. But before we get to a song they're about to play, it's time for a quick commercial break. 🎵
Speaking of music, we're reminiscing with the longest record set, featuring favorites like "Nantz of Men Pants" and "Mama Cook the Cabbage Roll." 🎶
Feeling the groove? You can grab a once-in-a-lifetime record deal on television by ordering The Happy Wanderers album right now. 😃
And as we wrap things up, Mrs. View V Yachtski is here with her lovely cabbage and coffee until next week. Plus, a special shoutout to Lynne's Mini and the AL Sahara Restaurant in Melonville for the finest Middle Eastern cuisine. 🌯
Don't forget, folks, Belle not speaks speaking never mind, and hey, did you know Kevin's been in a movie before? Yeah, he sure has! Join us for a happy and hilarious episode you won't want to miss! 😄
Watch the full sketch here: • SCTV - The Happy Wande...
Stan Shmenge - Levy; Yosh Shmenge - Candy; Linsk Minyk - Moranis; audience, band - extras
Find us on Facebook!
/ secondcitytv
Follow us on Twitter:
/ secondcitytv

[@stevecathym3566]

Florence Jucker, the violinist in the Happy Wanderers band, passed away July 24 this past summer. She was an extremely talented performer, playing violin since she was 6 years old. She could play anything on that fiddle/violin and did. Performing with her younger sister Andrea, as the Hansen Sisters in the 1950's with notables as Guy Lombardo, George Burns, and at Expo 67. They did TV shows such as the Tommy Hunter show, and performed for the Canadian Armed Forces. After her sister left for the USA with her husband, Florence convinced her daughter Deb to play with her as the Hansen Singing Strings. That's Deb playing the acoustic guitar in the band here as well.

[@pyeriotsquad]

Good knowledge!

[@thane816]

oh, I thought this was a parody based on the Lawrence Welk Show

[@robkunkel8833]

… this was small town Lawrence Welk … there were scores of the such bands and even tv shows in the upper Midwest in the 20th century.

[@kookykenny]

Thanks so much for the info. Love her smile at the end of the show. Having a good polka time!!

[@LoisCandler]

❤awesome!

[@Rutoenfit]

Brilliant. What I liked about SCTV parodies is that they were ALWAYS good-natured.

[@SaraP.-mi8gg]

Really... always a pleasant hoot

[@DPaine-rg6iz]

Eugene Levy's facial expressions are just pure gold !

[@marshler1111]

His facial expressions in the skit "six gun justice" was hilarious.

[@clitsing6034]

the mole helps too

[@alecfoster5542]

His eyebrows alone should get an Emmy.

[@amandajstar]

He's my favourite on SCTV!

[@rbuk2112]

RIGHT

[@ericjamieson]

I have a lot of family in Northern Minnesota and spent a lot of time there, and if I didn't recognize the SCTV cast and you told me this was legitimately a local television show from Northern MN in the early 80s, I'd probably believe you.

[@johnbarnes6832]

I lived in Duluth during the early 70s, this is way too close to the reality of that time. In the local high school they were still telling Finlander jokes.

[@mjproebstle]

Ya, ya!

[@FloraWest]

This is almost a clone of "Chmielewski Fun Time" that was on in Duluth in the '70s for sure. This parody is amazing.

[@FloraWest]

@@johnbarnes6832 Same! And this is "Chmielewski Fun Time" 100%.

[@11C1P]

Yeah, I grew up in N.D. & northern Minn & this was about like most of the weddings I remember going to in the 70's & 80's as a kid.

[@coldslutsonfire]

My parents could never tell the difference between this and Laurence Welk.

[@mpmajer]

+coldslutsonfire The difference is this has no geritol commercial. LOL

[@fjccommish]

Welk was a pretender. This was the real thing.

[@petsplantshome]

exceptional comment bro.

[@mikentx57]

There was a difference????

[@TheAnubis57]

The moment I saw this I thought Lawrence Welk Show too

[@mikemike8623]

SCTV has to be the most successful television show in Canadian history think of all the people on the show who went on to have careers and are household names throughout the world

[@Mike___Honcho]

" when the name is schmenge, you know you've got something ! " so true.

[@maryvalentine9090]

😂😂😂👏🏼👏🏼

[@mikepjersey]

Random fact. The first song is called the Happy Wanderer and was in Schindlers List during the party scene.

[@anghusmorgenholz1060]

Rick Moranis is a truly beautiful human. To be a father and leave Hollywood for his children is the act of a man. It shouldn't be such a big deal. But that is the world we live in.

[@egreenbery]

We'd like to thank Mrs. Vilvy Yatzke for the cabbage rolls and coffee.

[@schtuga]

I don't know how she does it every week.

[@robertduncombe7684]

Mmmmm mmmmm good!

[@larrymccue8097]

This group were outstanding. Nothing is as original and funny as SCTV. I think of different episodes and smile periodically.

[@panchoverde5078]

Tim and Eric are waving hello

[@daddy2jake]

Few people know how influential they were in the music scene. They were good friends with the Five Neat Guys and Billy Saul Hurok.

[@scottydu81]

I still hum “she doooooes it, she doooooes it, the whole town says she does it!”

[@DonnyHooterHoot]

Poor Billy Saul, he blow'd up REAL good!

[@mikebarbacovi9851]

The growth mole on Candy’s forehead was classic costuming. Levy is pure genius as well. God I miss this show.

[@msthang5366]

Mike Barbacovi I knew the guy in pink looked familiar

[@jasonjcr_cars819]

I miss it too! It was pure genius!

[@willdenny6953]

Yes ,yes I miss it too. Funny as hell.

[@richsackett3423]

"Silky Green Suspenders" is a modern classic.

[@imafunkyman]

John Candy and Eugene Levy = comedic geniuses

[@davidsigalow7349]

They had great chemistry; the Schmengies and Dr. Tongue & Bruno were impossibly funny.

[@TheRealVideoMurder]

Living in a small Saskatchewan town this is so real it hurts

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

Growing up in Wisconsin polka used to be a big thing. Now, due to all the forced multicultural diversity we lost our German and eastern European heritage. It's sad.

[@LadyMarushka]

@@dickJohnsonpeter Remember it can be revived. It’s just an accordion polka away!

[@brianmouland209]

Used to be a polka show called The Cottonpickers on TV in the 1970s in Saskatchewan

[@clawsoon]

@@dickJohnsonpeter Multiculturalism was invented by Ukrainians. Ukrainian-Canadians from the prairie provinces, specifically. At one point they were even trying to get Ukrainian recognized as an official "regional language" in Canada. They didn't get their language proposals through, but they got most of their other stuff through, transforming the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism - originally meant to be only two cultures, English and French - into official policies of bilingualism and multiculturalism.

[@sydneymads5220]

​@@dickJohnsonpeterhow did they force you to not partake in polka?

[@steelers6titles]

Linsk starts jamming on the Monkees' "Last Train To Clarksville". Must have been a big hit in Leutonia.

[@kimmy1984]

Shmenge/LaRue production. Johnny has his hands in everything.

[@fjccommish]

Just enough to get his beak wet.

[@ronmoore5431]

Was Johnny La Rue the Shemgie management? ?? This is why they where so famous. Mellonville has never been the same..We love you Shemgie 's....you are POlka kings.

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

Count Floyd's 3-D House of Johnny's Hands, In Everything.

[@56squadron]

Especially his gerbils....

[@eg4449]

A very clever reference! Awesome

[@davidsigalow7349]

In the early 1990s, we showed these sketches to her ailing father, who grew up in RI, another bastion of polka bands. He thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. RIP to Big Al and to John Candy.

[@JapanDan144]

Hi, I'm Yosh Shmenge. And I'm Stan SHMENGE!

[@briansimerl4014]

John Candy on skits..."you know what this skit needs? More polka!"

[@michaelolz]

The whole approach to this sketch is genius. They just did an impression of an old fashioned polka band dance show. That’s it! And it’s funny! It doesn’t try too hard and it works.

[@sulladrum]

Comedy genius. Candy was so amazing.

[@yer_old_pal_Jerky]

And Eugene for Pete's sake! They're both genius in this. It isn't even hardly a parody! It's a loving tribute to a very real, oft-neglected culture... and yet, it works!

[@UnclePengy]

I loved how they could never pronounce their last name the same.

[@cwaldo7957]

30 years later I still say "cabbage rolls and coffee mmm mmm good" when I hear polka music, and no one understands.

[@weswolever7477]

Same here

[@Lumbar87]

Yup - me, too, all these years later!

[@BegoneJonah]

We've been watching Lola Heatherington's Especially Special Christmas Special every season for more than three decades: "Baby, baby, my heart's breaking/Boo hoo hoo."

[@katherinehunter9526]

Me too. LOL. Most people don't get it. But when they do, we are instant friends. May John be resting in Peace. It was 25 years ago today that John Candy passed away from a massive heart attack while filming on set in Mexico. He will live on forever in all characters he created on SCTV and all the rolls he had film's. He was only 44 when he passed. I'll never forget, I was driving when the news came over the radio, I burst into tears and had to pull over. RIP Johnny LaRue. Dr. Tongue and Yosh Schimge. 03.04.19. KEH

[@AdamasMst]

I would :-)

[@MovieJon]

I love the audience/extras. They seem so sweet!

[@FloraWest]

I vaguely remember them saying the...Ukrainian? extras all had a genuinely good time.

[@wb9034]

SCTV was so ahead of it's time. I LOVED that show

[@garybeauchamp3623]

It was superb, always funny, but never mean spirited. My late brother and I used to talk about all the SCTV skits and laugh and laugh. When I see them I think of him. To me, it was way better than SNL.

[@renoraider9817]

I think those guys were way funnier than the SNL cast. I used to watch SCTV all the time.

[@Maaaatttttt]

Seems perfect in that time. It wouldn't work now and people wouldn't appreciate it

[@reenougle]

One of my favorite skits. I love the Shmenges!! Long live Leutonia!

[@thedungeondelver]

The "audience members" in this are such good sports. :)

[@fabriziodorazio511]

The Good old days of growing up with SCTV

[@geoffreythomas1452]

SCTV has the advantage over SNL because they didn't have to react to the week's pop culture news, and be beholden to it. This stuff is a bit dated, but it's still universal, evergreen humor.

[@evieraotacon]

John Candy and Eugene Levy's performances will always be gold. Miss those days.

[@billyrock8305]

Other than the Beatles and ABBA, probably the best musical group in history.

[@keefmeister77]

Probably all the members of the audience danced, drank coffee, ate cabbage rolls and left after having a wonderful time without ever suspecting a thing.

[@Donnie64inPa]

I loved this show! My buddy and I would go to the bars talking like Stan and yosh smenge and confuse a lot of people.

[@AlexColberg]

I could go for some cabbage rolls and coffee right about now.

[@arikcarlo]

Me too..but I'd want to be accompanied by the Schmenge Brothers. They give a unique taste to it. :)))

[@cabbagerollsandcoffee]

I guess the janitor would be busy then

[@jamesanthony8438]

Mmm... Mmm... Good!

[@Dejahthoris22]

Dan S. Me too! Don’t forget the polka!!

[@Torgo1969]

@@Dejahthoris22 I'm happy to say that SE Michigan USA has lots of Polish stores that sell cabbage rolls. My grandpa used to make them and call them pigeons.

[@michaelklein5242]

I have something of a real affection for these two. There was a real charm to the characters and you didn't quite laugh at them, but with them.

[@cubangal1]

from Edmonton with love......SCTV!!!!watching Home Alone and had to see more of John Candy....miss you John....one of the very best comedians ever!!!!

[@craigbusick9676]

Nice.You can never go wrong with cabbage rolls and coffee.My late mother was from Grande Prairie ✌❤

[@msthang5366]

“Uncle Buck” is one of my all time favorite movie.

[@darkangelmichael6148]

Actually, Eugene and John were very gifted musicians in their own right.

[@pjchmiel]

LOL at the grainy b/w 100-year old footage from various random countries of the "Rites of Spring festival." I have come back to this sketch many times over the years, thank you.

[@elisaastorino2881]

I know! In the shot of the Leutonian Chamber of Commerce, the official shaking hands is probably the archduke who was assassinated, sparking WWI.

[@TheSkipper1921]

Up here in the Northeast of all places, we had a show like this till about 2000 or so. It was a radio program every Sunday Morning. My wife used to get the kids up for Church in the A.M. by turning all the radios in the house up to eleven, and then hitting the power button. I'll tell you what? Nothing gets teens and Pre-Teens out of bed faster than Frankie Yankovic played at reveille volume when you're dealing with kids that usually listen to Kurt Cobain Marilyn Manson and Sniff Doggy-Doo or whatever his name is.......

[@albertmusco]

Locked down during the 2020 pandemic , I needed something to cheer up my day !

[@karen81986]

Albert Musco me too. At least they make me laugh. Lol

[@steelers6titles]

I grew up in Western Pennsylvania. I live in Northeastern Ohio, not too far from Cleveland. This is dead-on, as far as REAL polka shows are concerned.

[@RS-yd2bp]

Lol...all my Slovenian family in Cleveland used to go to dances like that every weekend. The same polka, same costumes, always cabbage rolls ... lol

[@FloraWest]

Northern Minnesota here-this is like a clone. It's just perfect.

[@kbennett2587]

I know it's for a joke, but this hit me in the feels. I almost was expecting roll out the barrel or the Pennsylvania polka.

[@jsmeenge]

Back in the 80’s people used to always ask me at work if I’d seen the Shmenge brothers, took me a while to find it before the KZbin days. Now I can catch up on all the hilarity of my “almost” namesake!

[@ericbeaulieu4843]

You never sneeze at good coffee and cabbage rolls ,God Bless the Shmenges !

[@bigimskiweisenheimer8325]

They were always on the cutting edge, pushing the boundaries. The Schmengies were the best stage presence in all of entertainment.

[@John_McDonnell]

To this day, I credit New Wave Schmenge with the success of modern alternative rock.

[@hansjuker8296]

Seeing them young makes me feel young.

[@zenmeister1959]

"And the coffee was nothing to sneeze at either"!!

[@lencarter1460]

“ and I get a lot of requests in the different restaurants I play” LOL!!!!!!!!! I grew up a good Hungarian boy, and I can’t watch this without thinking how incredibly accurate this parody is. Whether it’s Polish polka, Hungarian Czardash, etc., etc…. anybody who grew up in an Eastern European household totally gets this!

[@mckessa17]

If your Dutch your not going to get it.

[@RWildekrav66]

This just proves that you don’t need foul or abusive language to be really funny .

[@brianmouland209]

Or politics

[@BeeHatGuy]

This isn't funny tho

[@origamiandcats6873]

This is exactly the kind of thing that was on broadcast TV when I lived in Toronto as a child.

[@AHouseDivided1998]

Their Schmenge Christmas Special is still the best one to me.

[@johnclavis]

Imagine a world in which John Candy lived and Mrs. Vilbiaczlzki, who provided both the cabbage rolls and the coffee, had died

[@pinkalgebra]

I don't know what these guys were thinking when they thought this might make a funny skit but thank God they did. I hope those suits didn't cost too much.

[@WytZox1]

Perhaps it was a Lawrence Welk parody! ☺

[@Maaaatttttt]

They were thinking this is funny and it was

[@abefroman7393]

Mrs Yatchki really outdid herself tonight with her delicious homemade cabbage rolls and coffee….😂

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

When you have cabbage rolls and coffee, you know you got something!

[@davidstuart401]

Few people remember when both Stan and Yosh won the gold medal for Lutonia in the Polka Olympics.

[@arikcarlo]

Really?? I feel so stupid :)))

[@AZOffRoadster]

SCTV and Fernwood 2 Night/America 2 Night, always hard to find on local broadcast stations at the time. Good stuff.

[@gregdolecki8530]

This is inspired by several real-life polka bands. They did their homework.

[@esmeesme7666]

May John Candy be making people in heaven laugh and dance!!

[@michaelbarclay1327]

And, now, old people dancing is a RUSH concert; RIP Neil.

[@edsmith1054]

sctv over snl ? yes

[@BethyKable]

ed smith No Way

[@jacktrppr1]

Why do people always feel the need to pit things against each other? They both were good. There.

[@discobikerAndRosie]

Ever see "Big City Comedy" with John Candy? Good stuff!

[@rick110111]

💯👍👍👍

[@10toMidnight]

So innocent and fun. I sure miss those days...

[@brianmouland209]

No Wokeness

[@bobdobalina838]

Schmengi travel "you got to be a shmengi to make an offer like that!" Laughed out loud at that one

[@c.s.mcleod7383]

@@ithecastic "When the name is Schmenge.....you know you've got something."Funniest line!

[@blueravin2352]

The Shmengi Brothers Yosh And Stan.. Love these Characters Cabbage rolls and coffee LOL simple delights, the accents, moles and the Accordion and Polka music..Just loved these Parodies Comedy Gold once again!!! John Candy and Eugene Levy Developed these characters and man are they timeless!!🤣🤣🤣😂😆😅

[@p47thunderbolt68]

Most talented group of people ever ! All the SCTV . My humble opinion.

[@edmonddantes3640]

There's a Polka show on RFD TV that's exactly like this, right down to the majority senior crowd. A gentle poke to bring a grin.

[@Razz5k]

Molly B lol

[@brianmouland209]

Filmed at Casino Regina

[@SteveSmith-cy3xp]

My wife and I went to the Rights of Spring Festival years ago. Many happy memories.

[@steelers6titles]

The best parody ("All You Need Is Cash", "This Is Spinal Tap"), is only a couple of steps from reality.

[@mahoneg]

When I was growing up in Scranton PA - This kind of show was on local TV! Early Sat night I remember. - The first time I saw this years and years ago I fell off my chair. -- Polka Dance shows...

[@rowdyyeets4532]

The unibrows and moles were a nice touch. 🤣🤣🤣 We were kids when this came out. I never forgot about it. Hilarious.

[@rodroller6634]

SNL, Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, SCTV. The Mount Rushmore of sketch comedy. This bit always reminded me of watching Lawerence Welk at my grandparents.

[@sirtalkalotdoolittle]

How did they get video of my wedding?

[@eclecticx]

SCTV was an awesome show with incredibly talented, funny people.

[@davebrock4463]

Fuckin hell, I just shed a damn tear. I miss John Candy. 😢

[@bluegrassfan8426]

Long live SCTV !!!! The best show EVER.

[@yishaqdavid2029]

Its actually very hard to act like a very bad actor and make it look like real bad acting. Thats why this is so funny. Many people are just too stupid to understand how talented they are.

[@Lewis9709]

Exactly. SNL would've hammed it up too much, and it wouldn't be nearly as funny. SCTV was comedy gold every week.

[@paulnadratowski3942]

Lewis 970 true. SCTV was to best. I remember staying up late to see it. It was on 12:30 to 2:00am

[@Lewis9709]

+Martina Gail Between the Schmenge's and Linsk Minyk, they probably shared every lutononian blue haired groupie in melonville.

[@bugradio]

Yes! I was just thinking that during the Travel Ad. I'm like "damn, they're both so good, I almost believe they are those guys!"

[@Dahstin]

Exactly who was doing the acting?

[@rebeccapicard2612]

Just rewatching these vuhdeos (to quote Gerry Todd) is amazing!

[@alphabeets]

Rick Moranis’ songs are cut out of this copy. Such a shame.

[@bryanweist2621]

I remember them being the opening act at shea stadium for the Beatles

[@ez4me2sa]

😂

[@blachubear]

Man I missed John Candy.

[@steelers6titles]

"Haluske"--cabbage rolls--"pigs in a blanket". Ground beef (and pork?) filling, cabbage wrap, thin tomato sauce. Served with mashed potatoes.

[@hell0hkitty]

cabbage rolls and coffee. i'm in.

[@ygstuff4898]

This is so familiar as social references to central Canadian Ukrainian culture. haha!

[@thaddeusmcgrath]

I have The Happy Wanderers on LP for home and also for my LTD on 8-track as well.

[@seinsmeld13]

+thaddeus mcgrath Great reply................I almost cried but laughed instead until I fell to sleep. You should quite your day job an become a comedian.

[@crabbyoldgamer3028]

+david dykeman Or you could do both. They serve cabbage rolls and coffee at the comedy clubs.

[@michaelbarclay5016]

So much funnier than SNL ever was.

[@davidsigalow7349]

It always was; nobody bothered to tell them. The amazing cast of personalities will live forever: the Schmengies, Johnny LaRue, Ed Grimley, Dr. Tongue & Bruno, Earl Camembert, Count Floyd, Tommy Shanks, Edith Prickley, Lola Heatherton, Bob & Doug...every one a gem

[@ludditeneaderthal]

Of course. SNL skimmed off the low end of SC. SCTV got the top. The material wasn't in any way "edgy" on SCTV, it was satire of everyday drivel that was perfectly common. Every area had their schmenge bros, their count Floyd, etc. It was theater of the absurd based on local TV. It's a brilliant concept, but also one that only fit a very small temporal window. Low budget TV poking fun at low budget TV.

[@futuristica1710]

There always has to be “that person” who says this in the comments…

[@herzogsbuick]

breaking the 180 degree rule: when stan and yosh are sitting down, "talking to the people", they're shot separately and cut between in a way that makes you think stan is on the left, and yosh is on the right. then, they do that last wide shot where you can see them both and they're back to back in the middle on the opposite side you thought they were. i dunno how many people notice that or whose idea it was, but that was absolutely fantastic work. thank you.

[@jkent6526]

Absolute Classic. SCTV blew SNL away. Not even close.

[@jamesanthony8438]

I really wish someone would make "The Happy Wanderers" and the "Leutonian American Society" polka outfits, then appear in the dance crowd of one of the episodes of the "Mollie B Polka Party." That would be awesome. I keep watching, but it hasn't happened, yet. =)

[@ziggymars5606]

The boys didn’t mention one of their timeless classics..”Don’t put that sausage in your mouth Mrs Neidermyer”

[@joeminella5315]

SCTV was the best!

[@kimokeokeahi8526]

"You've got to be a Shmenge to make an offer like that!"

[@Speedo6677]

Hilarious! This show was great. I always liked it better than SNL. It was so random! I love how they whited out Levy's eyebrows and blackened how tooth for this. And the coffee was nothing to sneeze at, either!! Good bless the Schmenges!

[@yomomma2054]

I really liked the one when Schmenge borthers did a tribute to John Williams.

[@tdelamont]

I've been looking for that one, but I think copyright laws are keeping it out of circulation.

[@knarf_on_a_bike]

Star Wars polka. I remember that. LOL!

[@jimirayo]

I still think of that from time to time. I was hoping it was in this clip. The little segue between each tune still makes me laugh. Haha!

[@CriticalListener]

God bless Mrs. Vilviatchky and her delicious cabbage rolls and coffee!

[@williamsweeney6499]

A work of Art. This is outstanding on so many levels.

[@steeloned]

Two of the funniest men ever. Schmenge forever!!

[@BushcraftingBogan]

If I'm not mistaken, the song "Sugar Mountain" was written by Neil Young after he attended a Rites of Spring festival in Lutonia.

[@Imintune...]

Loved they're tribute to John Williams special. Magic. 😂