A Fine Export of Canadian Comedy

Our neighbors to the North have given so much to us they gave us this wildly raucous comedy troupe from Ontario, Canada The Kids in The Hall. The troupe was presented to the world through Saturday Night Live Creator Lorne Michaels who is also from Canada with their own half hour comedy show appropriately titled “The Kids in The Hall”. From day one nothing has been a taboo in their comedy and nothing has ever been off limits. I like that because if they think they can go for it and get away and do anything to push the envelope then they will sure try.

The series was first debuted on Canadian Broadcasting Channel then when the show arrived in The United States of America it aired late at night on HBO and elsewhere before finally finding a home on North American Network Comedy Central and that is where I would officially come to discover the show.

Now because Canada is a Common Well of Great Britain their comedy material is mixed with Canadian and British sensibilities.

Also upon doing research for this article I learned that Comedy Central like The Kids in the Hall was initially founded in England and brought to the States like the show and the troupe from Canada. If I may say so that after watching hours of Comedy Central it certainly explains a lot about the network.

The troupe is made up of each Scott Thompson, Kevin Mac Donald, Mark Mckinney, Bruce Mac Cullaugh, and Dave Foley each are as twisted and dark in humor as the other. When I first saw this show I didn’t know what I was watching but I couldn’t look away. I knew it was funny bits. The five of them do bits where they dress in drag and they look like average ladies which is the point because they do a lot of routines where they dress like average housewives.

The Kids In The Hall was known for doing a lot of office humor and an example is Cathy and Kathie two caffeine addicted secretaries . Also meeting with boss, interacting with co workers, and anything that goes on at the office.

Other memorable characters are two from the same troupe member Mark McKinney. One was an oversexed Chicken lady played by Mark McKinney and the other being the neurotic guy who crushes peoples heads with his thumb and finger two of my favorite characters.

Being gay in real life Scott Thompson played an eccentric gay bar owner named buddy who would tell stories of his wild and fabulous life and then somehow sneak digs and insults into what he was saying. Buddy Cole was certainly fabulous without question.

Scott Thompson would do parody and satire as well as the entire troupe of the Royal Family. For instance when Scott would be Queen Elizabeth it was done down to the nose from how she would look, dress, act, and even how she would speak.

Dave Foley is the sarcastic straight man of the troupe, he is great! When he plays mothers and average housewives he delivers when he calls the son “Bob!” it’s like he’s drawing from his own mother which is where all the inspiration comes from for the housewives characters that the troupe does. The show only was on for 5 seasons but rest assured they came back for a reboot as well as reunion stage shows of their hit routines. You can forget Kevin Mac Donald he is like the member who brings a nativity childlike innocence to this troupe but with him looks are deceiving.