National Lampoon Television Show: Lemmings Dead in Concert

Just watched the TV version of the National Lampoon stage show, Lemmings, on YouTube. Disappointed to not see Chevy Chase perform his "Colorado" number. I'll also admit up front that many of the non-musical skits like a doctor sketch and another one featuring Chase and John Belushi ragging each other about certain drugs weren't that funny. But when John did his Joe Cocker impression, including his falling down bit before getting back up, that got me in stitches. There was also a pretty blond lady, I think her name is Rhonda Coullet, doing a funny Joni Mitchell-like number and a brunet one doing Joan Baez. Oh, and Christopher Guest was amusing both as Bob Dylan and James Taylor. And Chevy sure could bang those drums, couldn't he? Overall, this video production of Lemmings is worth a look for seeing how three future "SNL" stars were like before their stardom.

Parts of this video made me laugh as hard as I ever have. It's an extremely funny but also very harsh, dark parody of Woodstock, hippies, drug use, protests, and the pop culture of the time (late 60s-early 70s).

There are wonderful impersonations of a cynical Dylan, a bitter yet boring Joni Mitchell, the sanctimonious "bummer" Joan Baez, and many others. And virtually every member of the cast has some great moments, with John Belushi particularly excellent as the MC. Not everything works, but the things that do are incredible.

Plus, it is currently available for viewing on a major, legal streaming video site.

Yes the print is terrible, the audio worse. Yes it's obviously not the studio session the album came from. It's amateurish, silly at first glance, and almost obnoxious. That's the first 10 seconds. It's dark. Daaark. Vampiric, hyper-stoned lashing out at all of the hippie culture and icons. Now I know why those guys are so famous. It's the most straight-faced, vicious satire, delivered in dead-pan wasted modality. From the 'surgeons on acid' on, my jaw was on the floor... The music, sloppy and cruelly sycophantic, is awesome, for want of a better term. Belushi's "Bottom Of The Barrel?" Wow.

"Just dig yourself." "Where you're comin' from, man, no one wants to be!"

Back when National Lampoon made records (remember those?) and had a magazine, they did a parody of Woodstock called "Lemmings". In it are some of the names that went on to become famous in Saturday Night Live and films.

This video is a recording of the stage production of the album.

Lemmings (The festival of "sex, love and death") is aout a bunch of young folk getting together to listen to music and off themselves. It is very politically incorrect humor these days. (And probably was in the 70s as well.) Everyone gets skewered. The fans, the musicians, politics, as well as the culture of the 60s.

Highlights include a Motown version of the communist manifesto, The band "Megadeath" (probably where the other band got the idea), parodies of many of the artists who played at Woodstock (including one by John Belushi), and some great quotable bits.

"Long hair... Short hair... Whats the difference once the heads blown off!"

"Power to the correct people!"

"For the benifit of those who have just paid, the Woodshuck Festival of Peace, Love and Death is now a free concert. That does not mean you can do what you want. it means you have to do as your told."

If you can find the movie or the record, get into it. Its killer stuff!

I know I am probably dreaming, since National Lampoon is no longer the gold standard of comedy it once was. It was acquired, and then reacquired by shady unfunny "business men" and then they painfully flushed it down the toilet, with futile attempts to continue the Lampoon brand in its final years. I'm not even talking about the "Van Wilder" years. Which was a hot smelly can of Garbage so bad, even Oscar the Grouch would vacate the premises. No, "Van Wilder" as poor and pale of a comedic comparison it was to the early greats like the "Vacation" films and "Animal House"? "Van Wilder" was sheer genius, when held up to the awful straight to video titles that followed years to come after. So what happens with VHS only releases like this? One's that not only deserve a proper release? (On Blu-Ray) But also a ACTUAL proper release with all the cut songs intact! I'd love to see the Chevy Chase performed song, "Colorado". It was one of several songs that were cut from this, hard to find VHS only released Lampoon classic. The cut songs are on the album. But from my understanding they not only shot this heavily edited release. They shot several other varying performances of this star studded spoof of Woodstock. Release it already!