Too Funny To Fail

The best part of the documentary was learning about the Carrell/Colbert origin. I had no idea how far back those two went.

I watched the first couple of broadcasts live on ABC and I just don't remember them being that funny. I'm sure that it'll be better for me now, since I know who Carrell, Colbert, and Louis CK are.

I don't remember anyone seeing Carrell and Colbert on The Daily Show and saying, "Those are the guys from Dana Carvey!".

Granted I was pretty young but until this doc I had no idea they were on the show. Hell, Carrell was in the only sketch I remembered from the show, he and Dana’s reverse pranks.

But yeah big frickup on Dana’s part not going with HBO.

I think what hurt the show, and goes unmentioned, is that Mr Show premiered on HBO that fall. So then ABC trots out its alternative-comedy sketch show as a midseason replacement, only its helmed by an "establishment" guy in Dana Carvey. I remember at the time thinking that Dana Carvey Show was just a watered down version of Mr Show (not that I didn't love Grandma the Clown, the bleakest sketch in network TV history).

So not only did the show alienate all of the "squares" watching network TV, the comedy cool kids stayed away in favor of their new heroes, Bob and David.

I remember laughing my arse off at the first episode