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Robert Smigel on the "TV Funhouse" animated sketch “Conspiracy Theory Rock!” (as a parody of Schoolhouse Rock) which poked fun at GE (NBC’s parent company); on getting notes back about the sketch from Standards & Practices; on the sketch airing on SNL as NBC president Bob Wright happened to be watching and his reaction to the sketch; on this sketch never re-airing; on SNL assistant director Robert Caminiti letting Smigel know the sketch had been pulled; on Lorne Michaels' continued support for Smigel's sketches despite the backlash; on J.J. Sedelmaier coming back to animate the "Conspiracy Theory Rock" sketch and getting original artists who had worked on Schoolhouse Rock to animate the piece
(Show - Saturday Night Live)
07:14
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Saturday Night Live
Robert Smigel on his involvement with the 25th anniversary special of Saturday Night Live in 1999; on the animated sketch "Life of a Catchphrase" he created for "TV Funhouse" that aired during this special; on another "TV Funhouse" sketch he wrote for the special which aired later on the "X Presidents" episode; on his penchant for making fun of SNL producer Lorne Michaels and his deep affection for Lorne; on the special celebrity audience that was present for the anniversary show
(Show - Saturday Night Live)
11:48
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Saturday Night Live
Robert Smigel on how the Peanuts' A Charlie Brown Christmas specials were important to him as a child; on his parody of the Peanuts for his "TV Funhouse" animated sketch on Saturday Night Live, and on how it surprised him when the audience responded to the ending of the sketch with such genuine emotion (he thought it would be poignant, but still garner a “sad laugh”); on the device for the sketch based on the Peanuts kids waving their arms around "Charlie Brown’s" Christmas tree and magically transforming it in seconds in the original Peanuts special
(Show - Charlie Brown Specials)
04:36
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Charlie Brown Specials
Robert Smigel on the Saturday TV Funhouse animated series he created; on pitching the show to Fox and then Comedy Central; on the show’s host Doug Dale; on the Anipals puppets; on Dino Stamatopoulos' idea for a cat couple giving birth to live kittens on the show
(Show - TV Funhouse)
09:33
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: TV Funhouse
Robert Smigel on the origin of the Night of Too Many Stars television specials, a fundraiser for autism, and on Paul Rudd's appearance on the special
(Show - Night of Too Many Stars)
12:56
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Night of Too Many Stars
Robert Smigel on the Night of Too Many Stars special featuring Katy Perry and Jodi DiPiazza singing “Firework” and how that moment encapsulated what he was trying to do with the specials -- to help kids with autism feel connected to the world around them
(Show - Night of Too Many Stars)
05:36
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Night of Too Many Stars
Robert Smigel on his show Jack and Triumph featuring Jack McBrayer with "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog"
(Show - Jack and Triumph)
04:50
Interview: Robert Smigel Show: Jack and Triumph
Robert Smigel on wanting to be a comedian since he was three years old, and on his early influences being comedians like Red Skelton, and television shows like Mister Ed and Saturday Night Live, but on deciding to become dentist like his father because he didn't think it was possible to have a career as a comedian
(Topic - Creative Influences and Inspiration)
06:01
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: Creative Influences and Inspiration
Robert Smigel on Dan Crowley inviting him back to Chicago and Second City and eventually joining his comedy group (All You Can Eat) as Dan's replacement, and on Al Franken and Tom Davis, original writers from Saturday Night Live, coming to Chicago to see a show he had created, "All You Can Eat and the Temple of Doom"
(Topic - First Big Break)
09:19
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: First Big Break
Robert Smigel on the "modern" type of "so bad it's good" comedy he was interested in early in his career; catching the comedy bug after performing and winning a comedy stand-up contest at NYU; "I was stung, I was infected"; on getting to perform at the Comic Strip in New York City; on his closing bit as Ronald Reagan (foreshadowing a later TV Funhouse sketch "The X Presidents"); on getting more gigs after that; on being a fan of comedy that "tore everything down and made fun of itself"; on being introduced to The Second City by Tim Kazurinsky
(Topic - First Big Break)
15:14
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: First Big Break
Robert Smigel on wanting to be a comedian since he was three years old, and on his early influences being comedians like Red Skelton, and television shows like Mister Ed and Saturday Night Live, but on deciding to become dentist like his father because he didn't think it was possible to have a career as a comedian
(Topic - Pivotal Career Moments)
06:01
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: Pivotal Career Moments
Robert Smigel on Dan Crowley inviting him back to Chicago and Second City and eventually joining his comedy group (All You Can Eat) as Dan's replacement, and on Al Franken and Tom Davis, original writers from Saturday Night Live, coming to Chicago to see a show he had created, "All You Can Eat and the Temple of Doom"
(Topic - Pivotal Career Moments)
09:19
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: Pivotal Career Moments
Robert Smigel on the "modern" type of "so bad it's good" comedy he was interested in early in his career; catching the comedy bug after performing and winning a comedy stand-up contest at NYU; "I was stung, I was infected"; on getting to perform at the Comic Strip in New York City; on his closing bit as Ronald Reagan (foreshadowing a later TV Funhouse sketch "The X Presidents"); on getting more gigs after that; on being a fan of comedy that "tore everything down and made fun of itself"; on being introduced to The Second City by Tim Kazurinsky
(Topic - Pivotal Career Moments)
15:14
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: Pivotal Career Moments
Robert Smigel on the first show of Saturday Night Live he was hired to write for; on a sketch he wrote for Madonna when she hosted Saturday Night Live in 1985 where she portrayed a Spanish variety show hostess; on his recollections of that show; on what he learned about writing a successful sketch for the show; on what it meant to him to be part of SNL- a show he grew up watching; on being a comedy nerd coming to the show and feeling he was not fitting in
(Topic - First Big Break)
05:41
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: First Big Break
Robert Smigel on the first show of Saturday Night Live he was hired to write for; on a sketch he wrote for Madonna when she hosted Saturday Night Live in 1985 where she portrayed a Spanish variety show hostess; on his recollections of that show; on what he learned about writing a successful sketch for the show; on what it meant to him to be part of SNL- a show he grew up watching; on being a comedy nerd coming to the show and feeling he was not fitting in
(Topic - Pivotal Career Moments)
05:41
Interview: Robert Smigel Topic: Pivotal Career Moments