The Best of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In [DVD]

Younger audiences may not "get" a lot of the jokes, but for those of us who lived those days it really brings back the memories. Love the cameo appearances, especially Richard Nixon... and John Wayne outside the studio telling them that he absolutely will NOT appear on the show. Love all the confusion about whether or not a "sweet bippy" is something that should be bleeped, and the studio's final decision to forbid the use of the word on the show. Sock it to me!

Good lord there are just too many people complaining about the fact that "Laugh-In" was "topical" on this site (as if that was a bad thing). The same folks probably hoo-hah with laughter when "The Simpsons" parody "American Idol" (how do you think that'll hold up on the topicality scale in 30-plus years kiddies?) So let's get this straight: "Laugh-In" is, was and always will be a priceless and epochal combination of humor "ripped from the headlines" (of its time) and the last gasp of vaudeville.That's right - vaudeville. Because while the editing in "Laugh-In" is straight out of the French New Wave, the rythm of the humor is pure Borscht Belt. No joke is too low, no cow is too sacred, and that's why this is a priceless buy for any of you kids out there in TV land. "Laugh-In" was to its tumultuous era what Michael Moore is to ours: a forum that was willing to take aim and name names. It was funny and it was courageous, and it deserves to be celebrated for all the brilliant humor it still possesses.For those who decry the shows "dated" references, let me just say: Listen, punk, go buy yourself a history book. "Laugh-In" is inviting you to reflect upon the most significant era of modern American history (the 60s, which defined the America of today as surely as the Civil War did the America of the 1880s), and if you're too lazy to Google what they mean when they say "Mai Lai" on the show, you shouldn't be writing reviews on Amazon in the first place.So thank you, Mr. Agnew, and we'll see you soon, in beautiful downtown Burbank...

I'd always heard about Laugh-In, but had never seen it (I was born in 1966). I went ahead and bought this set, on the strength of the positive reviews.In a nutshell? It's an interesting cultural experience - to see what people were talking about, laughing about. It's more political that I'd expected, and there are some very stylish elements. The packaging is also fun!Having said that, I never need to see another episode of Laugh-In. I have never heard such bad jokes on a show, or seen such relentlessly terrible slapstick. Sure, they offer disclaimers about how bad the jokes are, but it doesn't help. Fabulous comedic talents wasted in 7-second skits.And to read the liner notes and see the interviews, this was the Cadillac of shows at the time. Were people really that dumb?

I honestly don't remember if I began watching Laugh-In from the first show back when it started on t.v., but watching this DVD brought back all the memories. The show seemed to me to get better as it went on, I guess it took a while to figure out what worked as humor. Some of the skits were a little nutty, and there was some political humor that even now eludes me, but overall, this show was hysterical and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Goldie Hawn, Henry Gibson, Lily Tomlin, Artie Johnson, Dave Madden, Ruth Buzzy, JoAnn Worley, Judy Carne, Alan Sues, Gary Owens and the rest of the cast, all the special guests, and of course Dan Rowan and Dick Martin presented a laugh fest I looked forward to every week in my youth, and I very much appreciated to opportunity to enjoy it again, and now whenever I want, plus I can share it both with those who used to watch and those who've never had the chance. Thanks for the laughs, Laugh-In!

This was what I was looking for. A taste of what the show was and an opportunity to enjoy some of the best episodes. I only wish that the whole thing was available. The interviews and extras are not quite what they could have been but the disc satisfies anyway. Some of the material is dated and it doesn't matter. The 2nd volume is more of the same. I acquired both and have enjoyed them over and over.

The contents of this package rates five stars, but what drags it down to three is that Rhino created a fancy package and short-changed the public on the amount of episodes they put in the package. I mean SIX episodes in a three-DVD set for [that amount]? Come on Rhino! You could easily have put 12 episodes in this set. After all, there were 144 episodes of Laugh-In. At 12 episodes a set, it would takes years to release them all on DVD. Now it's going to take twice as long.Aside from all that, the episodes are great and the picture and sound are crisp and clear. The interviews aren't bad either.So Rhino, enjoy your Fickle Finger of Fate. I'll be thinking twice before I shell out {good money]for six more episodes of Laugh-In.

How nice to watch this, remembering how much we all laughed when this was brand new, and to laugh all over again. The political jabs, social issues, etc., really have not change much, just insert new names. Amazing how far our country has come since this came out, and yet how much we have stayed the same in all these years. Perhaps this should be presented again, with today's world issues. Wonder how much America would laugh.

This show is as insanely provocative now, as it was when I first saw it over 35 years ago. My only complaint is the number of episodes offered on the set of three DVD's. Compared to other T V shows being offered, the price for this set is prettty spendy.

Enjoyable for only those who are familiar with the original show , like us .It is ideal for those who have a short time for watching ,because you can interrupt without loss off understanding after any individual scene .

Love it! Good memories.