You Don't Know Dick: The Comedy Mind of Richard M. Nixon

Shearer as Nixon for the 40th anniversary of the resignation

You Don't Know Dick: The Comedy Mind of Richard M. Nixon

Comedy Central

August 1994

Satire

VHS
B-

Shearer's offbeat way to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Nixon resignation is to analyze tapes of the soon-to-be ex-President from shortly before his resignation speech.  The second half, where Shearer's old colleagues Lander and McKean (yes, Squiggy and Lenny), appear on an infomercial, with Shearer as "Rich" Nixon, is better.

Mark Russell Looks at Campaign '76

Mark Russell Looks at Campaign '76
PBS
1988
Satire
VHS
C+

A retrospective on the specials of Russell's first election year, with a 1988 introduction by Russell.  The TV reception was bad that night, so the videotape fades in and out, but what remains isn't that funny.  There's some irony, from the vantage point of  '17 even more than '88, about hearing names like Reagan and Dole, Carter and Mondale, but "Mo" Udall is no longer much of a name-check.

D.C. Follies: Reagan Tries to Wipe Out National Debt with TV Home Shopping Show

D.C. Follies: Reagan Tries to Wipe Out National Debt with TV Home Shopping Show
Syndicated
December 8, 1987
Satire
VHS
B-

Although three more episodes aired before the year closed out, this episode focuses on everyone's New Year's resolutions, with Reagan's attempt to wipe out the national debt creating moments not unlike the Fred Willard 1979 movie Americathon.  Ed Asner is the live guest star, mistaken for Gorbachev.

D.C. Follies: Nixon Gives Fred Financial Advice...and He Loses His Shirt

D.C. Follies: Nixon Gives Fred Financial Advice...and He Loses His Shirt
Syndicated
November 3, 1987
Satire
VHS
C+

Just in case you thought we were done with the bizarre world of the Krofft Brothers, we now look at a show somewhat inspired by Spitting Image, the British puppet show that satirized politics and pop culture.  DCF isn't especially funny (and wasn't really at the time), but it's interesting in a time-capsule sort of way.  The premise is that Fred Willard, playing "Fred," owns the titular bar, which is a hang-out for politicians, sports figures, entertainers, etc.  The puppetry (design, movement, and voicework, including by Joe Alaskey, who could be seen at the time on Out of This World) are quite good, but the puppets aren't given very good material.

Bob Dolan Smith and E. Jeffrey Smith wrote this episode where, yes, Nixon gives Fred bad financial advice.  Robert Klein is the live-action guest, as Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's new representative.  This is one of thirteen episodes Rick Locke directed.