Bizarre

The sketches on this show were edgy for it's time. I saw most of the series when it aired on syndicated TV. They would bleep out the obscene words with a loud "honk" car horn sound which made it even funnier! The Bigot Family sketches always cracked me up. Even though it was a "racey" sketch it always ended with Byner as the Irishman saying "but we still love each other". Another one of my faves was the McDrive-thrus. Every show had a different one like: McJoke- in-the-Box, McSex-in-the-Box, & McCheech & McChong-in-the-Box. Super Dave was also great. He was like a human Mr. Bill. This needs to be out on DVD...soon!

Ah, it brings me back! I watched Bizarre on broadcast television between 1980 an 1983, my last years of high school. Eastern Quebec in those years was far away from cable, oh my! It was on black and white TV and it wasn't even a Quebec broadcast but some New Brunswick channel (CHSJ ?), that the antenna only received to 90%. I think we only got 3 channels back then anyway! Super Dave's antics always had me howling.

But I remember these 2 particular skits that counted as my first ever time laughing to tears (except at my teachers of course). They were both of the puppet show nature... for some reason, maybe cuz I was a young girl, maybe cuz my hometown was quite "liberal" I don't even remember topless babes, hmmm... But anyway, the 2 skits:

A simple down turned hand dressed as superman, with the 2 "peace fingers" as legs, flying around in front a black curtain, I don't know why, in print it sounds so lame, but the way it was done was just a riot. It was a really good spoof of Superman, which had to be one of my first satirical laughs, weeeee

The other was a puppet fly on a stick, bumping into a light bulb, in front of a black curtain, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, going bzzzzz bump, bzzzzz bump, bzzzzzz bump, bzzzzz bump. You know, in that same exact annoying way as when you're trying to quietly read a book at night with your ceiling light on and some dumb fly just don't get the message that it's pointless to fly to the darned light bulb.

They both made me cry, I loved the show entirely, as much as Benny Hill!

The hilarious sketch comedy show "Bizarre" is now available on DVD, completely uncensored and uncut. Each DVD contains 10 episodes hand-picked by the producers and packaged so that each sketch or episode can be watched separately. I have already watched both DVDs and they are great! I hope they release more volumes in the future. John Byner is great, as is the rest of the ensemble cast. Nudity and profanity abound!! It took awhile, but am certainly glad the show is now available. It can be purchased on amazon.ca Does anyone remember any other memorable sketches? I would be interested to hear anyone's remembrances of the show. To my knowledge, 50 episodes were recorded over the 5 year run of the show. It could be more though!

In our super-silly p.c. dreamworld of 2003, it's just great to go back to an era where one didn't have to bite one's tongue and/or stifle a laugh at classic comedy, where the genuine foibles of various ethnic groups and "lifestyle" choices were open to examination and, yes, even ridicule.

Only two other commentators here, one a Canadian who predictably trashes a program produced on his own soil, and an American who loved it (like me...although a Canuck).

John Byner was a GENIUS!!!!

I wish I knew where to get a hold of this great sketch show hosted by the great John Byner. I remember watching this is a kid or at least trying to watch it, since it contained nudity, and was on late at night on HBO or Showtime, can't remember which channel. It was way ahead of it's time as far as having the finger on the pulse of what people liked in skits. It lampooned and spoofed commercials and TV shows like no other, which includes Saturday Night Live (which I also love). I think there was a sense of naughtiness that "Bizarre" reveled in that I liked. I don't think it's available on video, but I wish someone could find it on video and make it available. I think it would sell well! This show captured quite a lot during it's 30 minute running time and of course since this was pay cable, had no commercials to ruin the flow. If anyone knows anything about the original, uncut, unedited versions of this show and if they exist for purchase, please let me know! If I recall correctly, this show was also the launching pad for Super Dave Osborne (Albert Brooks real life brother) and I recall Howie Mandel appearing on it early in his career. It made sense since Mandel is

from Toronto and that is where "Bizarre" was taped. I could go on and on about what I recall from the show, but I think everyone gets the general idea. I fear that this show will remain a curio and remain in a time capsule somewhere. Someone resurrect "Bizarre"!