CHEVY CHASE AND FRIENDS (TV)
Summary
This comedy special features host Chevy Chase and several of his stand-up comedian "friends." The program opens with a parody of a "day in the life" documentary, in which Chase grudgingly allows an early-bird cameraman to follow him around in his home as he prepares for a busy day, though the camera soon picks up several unsavory elements of Chase's life, including his multiple wives and hard-partying habits.
Later, at the Comedy Store club in Los Angeles, Chase introduces several comedians, starting with Bill Kirchenbauer, who performs a series of oddball impressions of inanimate objects, presents a ventriloquism act with his very low-budget "dummy," and offers a thirty-second version of his favorite film, "The Wizard of Oz."
Next, Chase puts his physical comedy skills to use as he imitates a blind comedian attempting to navigate the stage, and then introduces Irv Burton. Burton's routine includes his impression of a coffee advertisement starring Aretha Franklin, memories of his childhood with his strict and highly observant mother, and his version of a Godzilla-King Kong showdown.
Chase then performs a routine depicting a late-night phone call from his highly unreliable laundryman. Next, Denny Johnston takes the stage and touches upon such topics as ways to prank hapless drivers, many people's unfounded nervousness around policemen, and his impressions of Jack Nicholson as a children's TV host, Ricky Nelson as a Hamburger Helper spokesman, John Denver's next wildly-successful single and Jimmy Stewart's rendition of "Blackbird."
The final comedian, Richard Belzer, then performs a routine in which he discusses his recent trip to a Jewish wedding, at which the live band played an unsatisfying Rolling Stones medley, his own impressions of Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan, his views on smoking and drugs, his preference for "natural" and unaffected news anchors, his own impression of Nicholson, and the strange commonalities between individuals who claim to have seen flying saucers. The program ends as Chase prepares to sign the release for the show and haggles with the director for his salary and other bonuses.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: November 30, 1999
- RUNNING TIME: 1:13:38
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:04040
- GENRE: Comedy/Variety
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy/Variety; Stand-up comedy
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1978
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael J. Fuchs … Executive Producer
- Marty Callner … Producer, Director, Writer
- Flip Connell … Associate Producer
- Chevy Chase … Writer
- Chevy Chase … Host, Performer
- Richard Belzer … Cast, Director's Voice
- Genny Newman … Cast, Chevy's "Wife"
- Wesley Ann Pfenning … Cast, Chevy's "Wife"
- Catherine Scott … Cast, Chevy's "Wife"
- Beth Specht … Cast, Chevy's "Wife"
- Bill Kirchenbauer … Performer
- Irv Burton … Performer
- Denny Johnston … Performer
- Richard Belzer … Performer
- John Denver
- Bob Dylan
- Aretha Franklin
- Mick Jagger
- Ricky Nelson
- Jack Nicholson
- Jimmy Stewart