The CBC is reporting that longstanding sketch comedy show The Royal Canadian Air Farce is going off the air after 35 years.
To which I say: why in god’s name didn’t this happen sooner?
Air Farce was not funny. It was the opposite of funny. It’s like it was some kind of mistaken import from a parallel universe where boring was hilarious and hot snow fell up. Every time I flipped by it, I actually felt myself becoming less funny, as though a funny vortex had suddenly opened up in my living room.
To be fair, as a radio show Air Farce had its moments. But after one of the least successful transitions to television in broadcasting, the show went from mildly amusing to thoroughly unendurable. The political impersonations were terrible. The writing was bad. The delivery stilted and irritating. Even the canned laughter didn’t sound convinced.
Air Farce is emblematic of the problems with Canadian TV in general and the CBC in particular. Like a lot of Canadian TV, Air Farce was just an inferior product. There are hundreds of very funny Canadians. Why don’t they have shows? Something with some bite, a little edge? A Kids in the Hall for the 21st century? Air Farce was pedestrian, safe and totally uninteresting. Ditto for a lot of original Canadian programming, especially the claptrap appearing on the CBC.
Speaking of the CBC, Air Farce also illustrates an illness at the mother corp: unfounded and baffling loyalty to the wrong horse. No matter how bad you are, no matter how inferior the show you put out is, the CBC has got your back. It’s like the mafia. Once you’re in, you’re in for life. This explains why Air Farce survived three and a half decades, why Shelagh Rogers STILL has a radio show, and Jian Ghomeshi in general.
Yeah. So, farewell Air Farce. Hopefully something good will replace you…but I’m not holding my breath.
I’m writing to say good riddance, but also that my last 3 or 4 comments on your site have never shown up. Where are they going?
The only reason they gave Jian a show is because he used to be the King of Spain.
“hot snow fell up” Hilarious.
Has it occured to anyone that today is the First of April? This sounds like a couple of pranks Quirks and Quarks has pulled over the years — or the one where Sheila Copps announced the Peace Tower was getting a digital clock.
By the way, the laughter isn’t canned either — there really is a live audience and they aren’t actors. I was in the audience once, back in 1995.
okay, first, hey! you’re linked off of the CBC site!
second – i was just having this conversation with a friend. i liked them on radio, have never liked them on television. they’re way less edgy on television. i wonder if it’s been dumbed down for a television audience, but yes, it is distinctly unfunny these days.
having said all that, i clicked on the story because i was on the cbc website looking for what april fool’s day jokes i could find, and this piece stood out to me as a possible.
There is a distinct possibility that this is an April Fool’s joke, albeit a tragically misguided one. But I stand by my comments…it deserves to go off the air.
BAwahah!
I know that I said that I was going to stop being mean about him, but:
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
(I’m still mad at you though)
The political impersonations were terrible. The writing was bad. The delivery stilted and irritating. Even the canned laughter didn’t sound convinced.
You forgot the musical sketches. Those just made me shudder with horror, every single time.
Oooh. Good point. I think those were actually banned by the Geneva Conventions.
Can I add a “hear hear” about Ghomeshi and a “enough already” for George Stromboulopoulos? The whole “20 something John Stewart who slept on a couch last night” thing is grating.
I got a laugh out of the “You Don’t Bring Me Bagels Anymore” duet between Arafat and Netanyahu, but that was ten years ago.
I saw Jian at a fundraiser on Saturday night. I encouraged our table to talk obnoxiously throughout his remarks. I think he got the point.
I dont expect this to be put on this site,but im tired of being politally correct.The only reason this great show is being cancelled after so long is because the so called canadian content cbc want to appeal to minorities.I am tired of seeing classic shows derailed because minority interests clash with canadian interests.Yet another tradition stolen from us
[...] Simply stunning. Speaking of which, check out this comment I got today on my Air Farce post: Nat [...]