1975: "The Credibility Gap" - Tom Snyder - UFOs - and CIA Poisons!

Harry Shearer, Michael McKean, and David L. Lander ("The Credibility Gap") hilariously send-up Tom Snyder's "Tomorrow Show" -- on the program itself. Aired October 2, 1975. From the Vortex Video Archive.

A few words of warning about this particular video. First, it is not "politically correct" by 2010 standards (or by 1975 standards, for that matter). Also, at a "critical" juncture of the "interview," the audio briefly drops out and to some observers there appears to be a video cut. These effects were apparently indeed part of the joke itself, and have been present since the original transmission several decades ago. In fact, it's likely that the "missing words" were simply silently mouthed at that point -- note the stage laughter that can be heard immediately following the gaps. The supposed video cut was probably just a routine switch between cameras combined with a distracting overmodulation of Shearer's microphone at that point.

Finally, this material was extracted from among some of the oldest tapes in the archive, and even after dousing this segment with a great deal of processing "CPU Juice," it begins abruptly and still is in fairly ragged shape as you'll see (especially near the beginning). Please be patient, it settles down considerably during the course of the presentation. But believe me, the original unprocessed source video makes the posted version look like near perfection by comparison.

More information about this segment: http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000771.html

Information regarding the techniques being used to recover these archival recordings: http://lauren.vortex.com/archive/000768.html

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• Tom
• Snyder
• Tomorrow
• Credibility
• Gap
• Harry
• Shearer
• Michael
• McKean
• David
• Lander
• UFO
• UFOs
• CIA
• poison
• comedy
• satire
• KMET

[Ramubay]

Lenny and Squiggy should have continued doing comedy together, they were hilarious together, especially doing music.

[lovebeads1967]

Great stuff! I wish I could find copies of their radio show on KFWB in Los Angeles. I used to listen to it every night!

[wiedep]

shearer does a much better tom than aykroyd...

[Counse]

I read about this show in Paul Provenza's book, "Satiristas!" Thanks for uploading - this was great.

[The1456894thBeatle]

"Dennis Weaver, sharks"

[reluctantpopstar]

Awesome that you're rescuing this old stuff. NBC may not even have a copy of this, but I believe that the early 1970's is when they started actually saving programs on videotape instead of taping over them or throwing away the tapes.

[Kennedy640]

I am SO....in love with Michael McKean!

[gatekeeper1006]

I don't know if I'm ashamed or proud to say I saw this live in 1975.

I guess it gives away my age....... man !!!!!! doesn't time fly :)

Thanks for sharing this vintage video

[thoolson]

@rapauli hahaha ...

[rapauli]

Now I see where the voices in my head originated!