Night Stand

This show is too funny. It's a shame they didn't make any more episodes of it, because it was hands down the very best talk show ever. Whenever Dick would make fun of a character by accident and say "no people, no" was just classic. And guest appearances by Jerry Springer were pure gold.

The 90's brought us a lot of good things and it also brought shows like "Jerry Springer" which is what "Night Stand" is all about making fun of. Whereas "Jerry Springer" was partially scripted and it was all a set-up, "Night Stand" was nothing but a scripted sit com done in the style of trash TV.

Every week the host, Dick Dietrick, or "Dickie" as he was known, would have some characters on the stage to reveal some shocking aspect of their lives to a friend, relative or co-worker, then there would be a surprise guest, a fight might break out and Dickie would give his closing statements on the whole thing.

But it was played straight and that was the genius of it. Dickie would say something innocent to the crowd that could be taken in a different way only to go, "noooo... not like that" when the hooting and hollering would start. Or he'd say when the surprise guest showed up, "oh! I hope there's not going to be a fight, " which invariably there always was.

It was a show that made fun of trash TV and what the TV landscape had become. Too bad it only lasted two seasons and this was before the Jerry Springer show actually came clean and admitted their show was a setup. I would have loved to see Dickie react to that.

I loved "Night Stand with Dick Dietrich".

From the cheesy-yet-sincere plaintiffs to the despicable-yet-lovable defendants, it's a remarkable insight into this slice of media mayhem.

And if ever there was a more jovially-sleazy host, I have yet to see them.

It's really the sincerity and the ability to pick out the most interesting and amusing elements of the genre that tickles me.

I really DO believe that Dick wants to know about whether an audience member has been involved with one of the guests.

I've been looking for an archive of the show? Has anyone found one, or made one? I'm very interested in finding one.

Please tell me how I can persuade the copyright owner to distribute a DVD compilation. I'd love to see it again.

Thanks.

I loved this show. I found it when it ran on E TV. It made fun of all the stupid "confrontational talk" shows that stations around the country were running at all hours of the day. No topic was out of bounds. They made fun of the whole talk show industry, sex, white trash people, rappers, Baywatch, religion. Everything and anything. Tim Stack was incredible as Dick Dietrick. The legendary Rodney Dangerfield even made appearances on this show.

How do we get this show on DVD? Every TV show ever run on TV seems to have a DVD set except this one. If I would have known that it would end too soon and never be available again, I would have recorded it every night.

Let us consider: 'Friends', one of the unfunniest, blandest "comedies", and I use that term loosely here, ever to grace the small screen, is a huge hit. 'Night Stand Starring Dick Dietrick' is hands down the funniest show in the history of television and barely lasted a season. In fact, this show (a satire of Jerry Springer/ Ricki Lake sleaz-oid talk shows) was so dead-on perfect, middle america probably thought it WAS a sleaz-oid talk show and the jokes sailed right on over their heads. Watching this show with my dad, is the only time I can remember the two of us laughing out loud together until South Park came along. I'm telling you, this show was so funny I almost died suffocating myself laughing so hard.