I've been curious about this for some time, and just realized that I now have the perfect resource to get responses from everywhere. Does anyone remember the fantastic (some bias here!) show "You Can't Do That on Television?" It began as a little comedy, much like Laugh-In, filmed here in Ottawa. It ran for ten seasons, and was picked up by Nickelodeon in the late eighties and I believe is still showing internationally through reruns. We got word during this time that it was suddenly noticed in Europe--England, France, and particularly Australia, where it apparently garnered something of a cult following amongst teens. Asia caught on, we heard, and I believe even parts of Russia. I've always wondered how far this little show from Ottawa really went. My dad was the token adult on the show, and played about a hundred different characters. Anyone laugh their heads off through the eighties and nineties at this great little production?

I remember it. My mom and Step-dad didn't have cable, so I didn't see it a lot, but I remember loving it when I'd stay with my biological father. Funny stuff. Do you have a picture of your dad from those days? I'll admit I don't remember an adult at all. But I didn't get to see it much...silly anti-TV parents...

have you ever heard the urban legend that Allanis Morisette (the singer) was on the show as a regular when young? Any idea if it's true?

I grew up in Texas and Colorado.

Alannis appeared for one season. You can see clips from the shows she was on through Youtube.

http://www.barthsburgery.com/ycdtotv/worst89/Pdvd_5507.jpg:

I think the official count was 112 different characters...
That's a lot of makeup!

Elye, I used to watch that show as a kid. I didn't quite understand what was going on, but I watched it semi-regularly. I think I was a little young to get it. I vaguely remember the one boy sitting or standing next to a bunch of cubes or boxes or shapes of some sort. That's about all I remember. And maybe something about a spider or slime or something??? Who knows... So the odd adult with the major five o-clock shadow was your father? How cool!

I loved this show! It was the first show to use slime, which is now Nick's trade mark. So your dad played the adult. My favorite role was when he played the stage manager. Tell him people do remember the show!

Vicki

I will absolutely tell him. The floor director was my favorite character, too. His name? Ross Ewage. ....Say it slowly, without a pause...
Geoff, I realized that link doesn't work...I'll post another...stay tuned...

http://www.ycdtotv.de/wlpg/yles_l01.htm

...Geez, sometimes you copy and paste, and it just doesn't work! That address should connect...If not, I know it works if you punch it into a google search...

http://www.barthsburgery.com/ycdtotv/worst89/Pdvd_5507.jpg

It should work now. The reason it didn't work before is because there was a colon after the link, but part of the link.

OMG!!!! Your dad was "Ross?" I loved YCDTOT. I watched it on Nickelodeon in Omaha, Nebraska when I was in elementary school. The kids at my school were always trying to re-enact the sketches during recess. Especially "it must be time for the opposites..." We even used grass and leaves on the playground to be the green slime.

Tell your dad his characters are much loved and remembered.

-Shannon, 30 years old (who now lives in Austin, Texas)

Bizarre...I clicked on your link, and it was a different page totally from the one I was on! Anyways, there's a great site if you go into google images and punch into the search "YCDTOT" or "Les Lye". Funny, funny stuff. I'll have to read everyone's responses to my dad. He's now legally blind, got Parkinson's...but still funny as hell!

OMG - As soon as I opened the thread, and saw the picture of your dad as Barth, I remembered all the great characters he played! Wow. That's really, really, really cool. Tell your dad for me, please, that I used to watch the show every chance I got. I loved Barth and his other characters. The skits with the firing line were hilarious. That show was the highlight of my summers, and I used to really, really wish that my parents would get cable so I could see it all the time, not just visiting my biological dad or friends house.

For anybody not familiar watch this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P59ZrnX4Zc

I lost count at 6 characters in 9 minutes of show.

Give your dad my thanks for many many laughs!
Geoff (31)

Emily,

What years did this air. I just saw Geoff's Youtube and I vaguely remember. I think some where between my childhood and my children's hood. I am in my lower 50's and my girls are arrive at their mid 20's.

But, never the less, all too cool. What wonderful memories for you and others here. From hence your humor comes. What a lucky girl. I had frumps in my gene pool.

They began taping it here in 1979, and it was produced until 1990. I think Nickelodeon picked it up in '81 or '82, and from there it went. I told my dad recently that a man I met who had moved here from New York told me that his BEST Halloween costume of all time, one that won him many prizes, was his Barth get-up. We really laughed at that one--you know you've done somethin' when people are dressing up like you!

I never watched it, but I do remember some kids used to watch and talk about the show.

I used to watch that show everyday after school on Nick! LOL Small world, huh? I was just talking to my daughter about it (she is 16) and she has even seen it. Thanks for the countless laughs!

I mentioned this thread to my wife last night. She was super excited. she said she and her brother used to watch it every day! She loved it.

G

Dear Elye,
OMG! Your father played Barth and Lance, two of the funniest characters on the show! Tell him thank you for being such a happy part of my childhood! I had no idea he had played that many characters throughout the series! I used to watch it when it aired on Nickelodeon. I also thought Raw Sewage (Ross Ewage) was hilarious!

I remember this one skit on there. Your dad was playing Lance, the father (husband of Valerie). He was talking to one of the kids. His son asked him what he was doing. He said he was eating peas with honey because they stay on the fork that way, but it tasted terrible.

Sincerely,
NoGlugirl
P.S. I remember Vanessa, Alistair, Adam, Alanis, Doug, Christine, Lisa, Knighta (sp?), Ross, Lance, Barth, and Valerie.

Wow! What a fan! The kids on the show were so fabulous...I got to know some of them, as we were all around the same age. Don't forget Moose (Christine), the curly-haired firecracker who often carried the show. I loved Lance, as well...like all of the characters my dad portrayed, he was the embodiment of the truly politically incorrect individual: a drunken, idiotic, slovenly father. Hilarious!

Dear Elye,
Moose was my favorite! Christine McGlade I think was her full name. I enjoyed her performance a lot! Plus, do you remember the skit Adam used to do about Moses? That was priceless! There was an Indian girl on there as well. She had an unusual name. I think her name was Rekha? Also, let's not forget the locker jokes! Who could forget those?

I think everyone knows someone like Lance! That is why everyone related to him so well! Valerie reminded me a lot of my grandmother with her rubber gloves! My grandmother could not wait for you to finish eating so she could Windex the table, and sweep under you!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

...And how about that Hispanic (VERY politically incorrect) firing squad commander. "Ready...Aim..." and then, inevitably, as he's sinking to the ground, "Dat's waun...sneaky...keed"! So funny. Dad had some of the BEST quotable lines in all of TV, IMHO!

Dear Elye,
ROFLMAO! Oh yeah! The firing squad commander! A lot of actors would kill to have the lines your father had in that show! I do not know if I could choose a favorite. There were so many great skits! I found a site that shows everyone on the show and where they are now. I am anxious to look people up!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

I loved the locker jokes, too.

I also liked the bus driver. And the "who do ya think's in the burgers" punchline at Barth's. Moose was awesome. I read a whole thing about Christine McGladle back in May. She got a wild haircut and had to wear wigs to keep up her signature hair-do. They had different wigs for slime/water sketches and dry sketches since the slime would have ruined a good wig.

I also liked the detention sketches. I might have said that already.

Snake-eyes, that insane bus driver...
They also got an extra fifty bucks each time they were slimed, to compensate for the clean-up time btwn. scenes. My dad claims he was only slimed once, but got watered many times. The far lesser of two evils...

Dear zarfkitty,
The locker jokes were fun! I found a great site about the cast members. I was glad that Moose is producing now. Her hair is now red. She looks good with it, too!

Barth's line was great! You always knew it would come eventually, and would wait for it! I read that Adam ended up writing for the show later. He began on the show by writing in and saying he could do a better job than the kids they had on there! Detention was funny, too. It would be nice if someone began airing it again.

Dear Elye,
I think they deserved the monetary compensation! Getting slimed was probably kind of nasty! It really was such a novel and genius concept. Everytime anyone says "I don't know". They get slimed. Anytime they said water, it was deluge time!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

"Daaaa' I heard that!"

Dear Elye,
ROTFLMAO! That would be a Barth quote, I believe? They would be talking about how dangerous the burgers were. He would come up from behind the counter and have his spatula. It was so funny! Then, the children would find out "who" was in the burgers shortly after!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

Holy crap! I used to watch this show on Y-TV with my grandpa when I was like 6! All I remember is buckets of green slime and millions of skits revolving around "you have to eat your lima beans". Hehe...thanks for the memories! Very cool about your dad!!!

Dear Doll,
The show was definitely a happy part of my young years, too! I remember one skit with Valerie (the mom). She completely embarrassed one of the boys. He had a friend over, and his mother made a cake. Valerie said it was to celebrate the anniversary of when he was potty trained. They began eating the cake. Then, she announced that under it was his potty from when he was a child! Parents can be embarrassing, but these kids seemed to have it worse than the rest of us!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

Abby Hagyard was Valerie....a great comedy actress. Did you know that Ruth Buzzi (all you veteran Laugh-in fans) appeared on a season of shows? Now THERE was a funny lady.

Dear Elye,
Abby was great! Her characters were the perfect match to your dad's! They complemented each other so well! Ruth Buzzi was a favorite of mine on Laugh In! I loved that show! I wish they would put it back on, too!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl

I remember going in to watch rehersals of the show, and when Ruth was here taping, she's have everybody in hysterics. There would often be many takes, just because of Ruth keeping everybody from their straight faces. I wonder what she is doing now...I never see her anymore. She's younger than my dad, but perhaps she could be old enough to be retired.

Dear Elye,
I do not know what she is doing lately, either. I did see her in an interview some time back. She is actually not homely like some of the characters she often played. I loved her on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, too. I wish I could afford to buy those!

Sincerely,
NoGluGirl