Out of Control

I have more of a faded and fond nostalgic memory of this show. I recall it being the more entertaining shows to watch on Nickelodeon when the network was quite young itself. Remembering Dave Coullier's catch phrase and gestures to "Cut It Out" to Diz's overly expressive hyped-out Cyndi Lauper style and personae always makes me smile. I wish this show was on DVD just so I can see what has been locked away in my memories of childhood t.v.

Not everyone my age remembers this show but those who do always seem to have enjoyed it. It may have appealed to an 8-13 year old age-group on the "network for kids", but you're reading a comment from someone who was mearly 4 when this show first aired in 1984. Maybe that's why I can only think of bits and pieces of that crazy and fun show. (Was it part farce comedy talk show with Dave Coullier as a skinny tie wearing host as well as part sketch comedy?) Regardless, I do remember those outrageous press-on nails, radically dyed hair, pre-1990s Courtney Love mussed up 80s punk make-up, and 1950s style multi-colored tulle dress that Diz wore all the while she failed in standing still and talking calmly in her stand-up. Personally I always thought she was the "Out Of Control" representative on Out Of Control. As for the rest of it, I wish I could describe in as much detail. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining show for the era that I certainly enjoyed as a kid from the 80s.

This show was on during Nickelodeon's good days in the 80's. It featured Dave Coulier, now mostly well known from Joey Gladstone on "Full House" and host of "America's Funniest People". It was basically a news show except filled with goofy segments and quirky characters. Sure it had a crappy set and graphic abilities, but it was Dave back when he was funny and Nickelodeon when it was quality. There was also station manager Diz, who had hair and makeup like Cyndi Lauper, and her calling card was a high whistle-pitched scream. Some of the skits on the show were "It's Probably True" dealing with oddities around America, "How Not to Do Things", "Adult Education" (not porno, it's where kids are the teachers) and "Moments in Inventions". Diz also had a segment but I forget what it was called. All I remember is her animated face doing that scream; EEIIIIEEE EEIIIIEEE!

It may not have been the best show, but at least Nick was being creative and original instead of pumping out the garbage it is now. And of course, "CUT IT OUT"!

This show is one of several reasons why I watched Nickelodeon when I was a kid. I used to laugh my head off regularly whenever it was on. My favorite segment was "How NOT To Do Things". One particular episode took place at a bowling alley. The guy forgot to let go of the ball and was pulled down the lane, his fingers still in the holes, I might add. That was hilarious! My fiancee liked this show, too, and one bit she remembers is the "Hurry-Up", which, for some reason, didn't ring a bell for me. I wish this show were still on!

While it may not be as well remembered by my generation as "You Can't Do That on Television," "Out of Control" was just as big a part of Nick's "Golden Age" of programming. While it would be a few years until I was of age to stay up late enough to learn that the opening spot light on the curtain, and Dave's intro was a spoof on "The Tonight Show," it didn't matter. This show was simply downright fun!

I'll never forget an episode where Dave goes to a japanese restaurant and learns all about sushi. Now being 24, sushi has become a phenomenon within my lifetime, and so at the time this show was on it was still very much a foreign concept to alot of people, and especially me! I'm sure everyone remembers what a stink was made in "The Breakfast Club" over having sushi for lunch. To make a long story short-when I finally DID try sushi, all I could think of was this show and how I finally did something that seemed so cool and, well "Out of Control!"

For people who seem surprised at how awful Nickelodeon has become, and how shows like this are long gone-just consider the source. Nick was created by MTV, which at the time was also hip, original, and above all entertaining. Now neither one is even a shadow of it's former self.

At least we still have memories of a great show like "Out of Control!"

I grew up in the 80s, and "Out Of Control" was definitely one of my favorite shows as a child. The cast worked so well together, and the writing was great. It was just such a wacky, fun show to watch. There were a lot of skits, lots of in-between animation not unlike "Monty Python's Flying Circus", weekly segments, tours of restaurants and factories, and a few crazy one-time characters. Even as an adult, I still laugh when I think back about some of the jokes they did.

The main set was made to look like a TV studio. Dave Coulier (who used his real name for his character, and would years later wind up in the show "Full House") was usually seen sitting at his desk like a late show host. His repeated catch phrase was "Cut. It. OUT!". Hern Burferd (Marty Shiff) was the on-the-street, hard-nose news reporter. He always wore a gray hat, sometimes with an attached card that read "PRESS", but he'd occasionally wear other verbs instead ("PULL", "PUSH", etc.). By the way, there's a great 2001 interview with Schiff somewhere online.

Diz was a character of pure madness, and definitely my favorite. Always looking punked-out with outrageous 80s clothes and too much make-up, she was the loudest character in every sense. One of her signatures was her high-pitched whistle-scream. The other main characters, Waldo and Angela, were not featured as prominently as the others, but were part of the show none the less. Angela "Scoop" Quigley(sp?) was another reporter, and Waldo was the studio's handyman and inventor (and like "Where's Waldo?" and the Waldo character of the then-popular Van Halen Video "Hot For Teacher", Waldo had thick geeky glasses). There was also HaHa, the speaking computer and joke machine of the show.

Even though it's been almost 20 years since I've seen it, I have SO many vivid memories of this show. But the frequent sketches included:

• The "Hurry Up" machine, which would speed up time itself. In each show they'd read a fictional letter from a child, requesting a "Hurry Up" to get some boring activity over with ASAP (getting a hair cut, doing chores, being in school, etc.) With a flick of the switch, they'd show clips of these events in fast-motion.

• "It's Probably True", where they'd usually go to some crazy landmark, visit some world-record breaker, etc.

• "How [Not] To Do Things". As the name implies, these were instructional documentaries with extremely bad advice.

• "Twisted Fairy Tales", where Diz would recite, as fast as she could, some classic fairy tale but with her own twist to the story.

• The show would usually end with "Let's Eat", where they'd visit an eccentric restaurant or food-related factory. At the end, Dave would present the owner with a gold "Let's Eat" trophy, complete with mechanically chattering teeth attatched to the top.

Some of the one-time guests I remember were Fred Newman, the author of "Mouth Sounds" who holds a sound-making contest with Dave, and stand-up comedian Bruce Baum who claimed to collect artifacts of the great stars. (He has a deflated inner tube which he tries to pass off as Rocky Balboa's belt, and a dirty white gardening glove as being the glove of Michael Jackson.)

I know I'm not the only child of the 80s who religiously tuned into this show. Surprisingly, I think only 26 episodes were made. Surely they can cram this on to a couple of DVDs. C'mon Nick, give us a DVD!