MADtv

This article is about the Fox sketch comedy TV series. For the Greek music channel, see MAD TV (music TV).

MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series based on the popular humor magazine, Mad. First broadcast on October 14, 1995, the successful show is the FOX Network's only late night program. The one-hour show airs Saturday nights on Fox and is in syndication on Comedy Central. It was created by Fax Bahr and Adam Small, who wrote for In Living Color and are also responsible for Gary and Mike and Blue Collar TV, and is produced by Quincy Jones.

Contents

1 Format
2 ''MADtv'' Cast

2.1 Current Cast
2.2 Repertory players
2.3 Featured players
2.4 Notable tenures

3 History of MADTV

3.1 Original MADtv Cast
3.2 Historical Synopsis

3.2.0.1 MADtv Era Breakdown
3.2.0.2 MADtv Season Breakdown

4 Popular recurring characters and sketches
5 Trivia
6 External links

Format

The format of MADtv is a mixture of scenes shot live for a studio audience, and pre-taped short films—both place a heavy emphasis on pop culture parody. Skits and sketches are performed in a manner similar to other variety shows. In the early days animated shorts of Don Martin classics and Spy vs Spy would be shown between sketches. Strangely enough, besides the occasional appearances of Alfred E. Neuman in the opening credits, Spy vs Spy would be the only direct connection between the magazine and the TV series.

MADtv spoofs other shows, such as the long-running game show The Price is Right, with actors playing Bob Barker and the late Rod Roddy, and it also takes on other celebrities, like Wayne Brady, Kenny Rogers and John Madden. One recurring skit is the show-within-a-show called Real **********ing Talk with Dollar Bill Montgomery, which is a spoof of other forum-style shows such as Hardball with Chris Matthews and Real Time with Bill Maher. Maher made a cameo appearance on a 10th-season episode, opposite cast lead Aries Spears. Real **********ing Talk is known for its excessive use of (censored) foul language.

Comparisons with NBC's Saturday Night Live are inevitable, given the two shows' similar formats and close airtimes on Saturday night (MADtv runs from 11:00 p.m. to midnight, while SNL runs from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., both Eastern time).

MADtv Cast

The current MADtv cast. (Top Row, Left to Right) Frank Caliendo, Michael McDonald, Arden Myrin and Keegan-Michael Key. (Middle Row) , Crista Flanagan, Ike Barinholtz, Frank Caeti, Jordan Peele and Nicole Randall Johnson (Bottom Row) Daniele Gaither, Bobby Lee and Nicole Parker (seated).

Current Cast

For the eleventh season of MADtv, there are thirteen cast members (eleven repertory players and two featured players. The following is a list of the current repertory and featured members of the cast.

Repertory players

Ike Barinholtz (2002 – Present)
Frank Caliendo (2001 – 2006)
Crista Flanagan (2004 – Present)
Daniele Gaither (2003 – 2006)
Keegan-Michael Key (2003 – Present)
Bobby Lee (2001 – Present)
Michael McDonald (1998 – Present)
Arden Myrin (2005 – Present)
Nicole Parker (2003 – Present)
Jordan Peele (2003 – Present)

Featured players

Frank Caeti (2005 – Present)
Nicole Randall Johnson (2005 – Present)

For a full list of past and present cast, see MADtv Complete Cast List.

Notable tenures

Although the MADtv cast has changed quite often over the seasons, some performers have had long tenures with the show. Few have broken the seven-year barrier. Among the longest serving repertory players are:

Cast Member First Cast Appearance Last Cast Appearance Total Seasons
Debra Wilson October 14, 1995 May 17, 2003 8
Aries Spears September 20, 1997 May 21, 2005 8
Michael McDonald September 12, 1998 May 20, 2006 8

Cast Member	First Cast Appearance	Last Cast Appearance	Total Seasons
Debra Wilson	October 14, 1995	May 17, 2003	8
Aries Spears	September 20, 1997	May 21, 2005	8
Michael McDonald	September 12, 1998	May 20, 2006	8

History of MADTV

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Original MADtv Cast

Like the Not Ready for Prime Time players of Saturday Night Live, or the original cast of SCTV, the original cast of MADtv was a mixture of seasoned performers and newcomers to comedy. However, unlike the aforementioned casts, the MADtv performers were all under 33 years old when the show premiered on October 14, 1995. Thus, the MADtv cast had more of a willingness to explore very racy and controversial skits that appealed to younger generations as opposed to its more established counterparts. The first MADtv cast consisted of nine racially/gender diverse performers. The original cast of MADtv were as follows:

Featuring

Craig Anton

Historical Synopsis

The following are a series of links to pages which shall give a detailed account of the history of MADtv.

MADtv Era Breakdown

For a historical overview with a detail analysis of each era of MADtv (cast members, sketches, animation, etc.) please see one of the following links below:

*1995 – 2000

*2000 – 2005

*2005 – Present

MADtv Season Breakdown

For a detailed analysis of each individual season of MADtv (cast members, sketches, animation, etc.) please see one of the following links:

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Popular recurring characters and sketches

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Trivia

Michael Hitchcock, perhaps most famous for his role as Hamilton Swan in the movie Best in Show, has made many uncredited appearances on the show, most notably as game show announcer Simeon Thyson in the recurring sketch The Lillian Verner Game Show.
Unlike Saturday Night Live, the show is not live.
Bryan Callen was added to the original cast at the last minute, replacing Craig Anton as the eighth cast member. This explains why Anton appears in the opening sketch and Bryan does not. Anton remained on the show as a featured player for three years.
Daniele Gaither made an appearance on Season 2 as Dolemite Girl #1 on episode #202.
The man yelling "MADtv! MADtv!" during Alex Borstein and Will Sasso's red carpet interviews at the Billboard Music Awards in Season 5, episode #512, is actually Alex's husband Jackson Douglas.
Episode #701's closing was re-filmed with Mo Collins at a later tape date, paying tribute to September 11th.
Josh Meyers' brother, Seth Meyers, is a cast member on MADtv's competition, Saturday Night Live.
In episode #812, Josh Meyers became the Spishak spokesperson. The role was previously played by Pat Kilbane.
Frank Caliendo is a self-taught dancer.
Paul Vogt has a twin brother, Peter Allen Vogt.
For an unknown reason, cast member Jordan Peele did not appear in the first four episodes from Season 10, though he's credited as a regular member of the show.
Mary Scheer left the show to attend motherhood. Currently, she voices all female characters on Spike TV's cult hit MXC.
In a skit where Ms. Swan gets her eyes checked, she reads "Live From New York! It's Saturday Night", an opening phrase of SNL. The doctor told her that it's the wrong show.
As of the eleventh season, Aries Spears, Debra Wilson and Michael McDonald share the record for being cast members the longest at eight seasons each.
Jeff Richards is the only actor to have been on MADtv and Saturday Night Live.
Pamela Anderson was a special guest on the 250th episode.
Ms. Swan was based on a combination of Alex Borstein's actual grandmother and Björk.
Michael McDonald has been in the show for the past 7 years being the longest running actor on the show.
According to TV Guide Spot, the animated program Family Guy was intended to be a sketch for MadTV
Crista Flanagan is currently involved with an internet podcast series called Hope is Emo. The podcast was created by Beatbox Giant Productions, the same team responsible for the hit podcast series Ask A Ninja.

External links

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