@@DeathReviews Not really. Wright was performing standup in 1979, Hodgson was performing standup in 1981 and 1982. Wright was on the Tonight Show a year before Hodgson was on Letterman. They're contempories, and if anything Wright was before Hodgson. And yes, Steven Wright was always Steven Wright.
So many MST3K foreshadowing moments! 'Mystery Science Labr 2000'...those off the wall creations!...'Dr. Wu written on the Time Machine box... And best of all? The rare moments when Joel actually GRINS! Stellar stuff! Thank you, Don! :D
This is great. I remember seeing "this guy" on the show, but didn't realize it was Joel. These were the best years for Letterman's program. Thanks for sharing!
Definitely my kind of comedy. I've been a Mystery Science Theater 3000 fan for years and had totally forgotten his appearances on Letterman but I know 100% I watched them Everytime he was on because I have seen every Late Nite show. Watched it religiously. Thanks for posting. Very Cool!!!!!
Don , thanks for posting! I'm from St. Paul and I remember this. And 4 years later I was a Mpls comic on stage with Joel and all the people from MST3000. I tried to get Joel to take my oversized check book prop and do the joke "you never know when you might have to make a payment to a golf or bowling champion'' (that I had been doing for myself). I had lots of neat talks with him. He's a genius and quite serious off stage.
"Snake? Snake... Good one! ... Shut up. What?" FIVE appearances on Letterman. Surely he must have hosted SNL a few times. He'd be the most genius moments on SNL after Andy Kaufman. This guy is unbelieveable! I've seen plenty of MST3K, but this is the first I've seen any of Joel Hodgson's standup.
Joel is one of the greatest comedic geniuses of all time, such unique delivery and unlike anything I've ever seen. It's like you're half laughing because it's funny and half laughing out of awkwardness.
@boo boo He's talking out his ass. Every joke Joel did you could do today. Some people seem to mistake "not being a racist dick" with "being too sensitive". Context is everything, though, and in context nothing Joel did would be considered offensive.
Naive genius at its best. The more I watch these early appearances of Joel, the more I compare him favourably with the late British comedian Tommy Cooper. Fantastic find.
I remember seeing him a few times, on Late Night (including a couple of these), and figuring he had just sort of vanished, like some comics did. Gee - MST3K, et al. I had no idea.
I think that accordion-vacuum cleaner from the opening was from an early invention exchange. The clip of the Devil Dogs attacking the Satellite of Love was from one of the early episodes, too.
I love that comment "you have a very fertile mine" I knew he did this back in the day I have the time he was on SNL doing it recorded on a VHS. Good stuff but I would say he definitely found a home at mst3k
There are a few stand-ups I remember seeing for the first time that made a huge impact on me- Sam Kinison, Gilbert Gottfried, and Joel Hodgson among them. Thanks for this compendium Don. Have you considered a Fran Lebowitz collection?
"There's a whole chain of Funnybones?" "And there's a tunnel connecting them all." 😂 I remember these, I watched a lot of Late Night as a teen. I guess his Mystery Date bit I was looking for was only on SNL.
Did Dave ever interview Joel after his big break with MST3K? That would have been a great retrospective interview, considering he was a regular as a standup on Letterman.
So, his on-stage comic persona is Droopy? Seriously, that's the closest comparison I could come up with. Nobody else talks like that! (And, yes, I'm aware it's exaggerated and he's not quite that bad in real life!)
The 2nd Letterman appearance is when first learned of Joel, and then on Evening at the Improv :D. But the 5th appearance is the one where I lose it :D. Ever since that episode, I sing "Wild Thing" when I vacuum :P. The "dinosaur" kills me! "I'm back in time . . . okay, I'm back" >_
I love his delivery, like it's a chore, like he's disappointed in the jokes he feels he has to deliver. Joel is a great comic mind.
Yeah that seems to be his style haha. Reminiscent of Steven Wright
@@tharealmikezee3165 He was Steven Wright BEFORE Steven Wright was Steven Wright....
@@DeathReviews Not really. Wright was performing standup in 1979, Hodgson was performing standup in 1981 and 1982. Wright was on the Tonight Show a year before Hodgson was on Letterman. They're contempories, and if anything Wright was before Hodgson. And yes, Steven Wright was always Steven Wright.
Of course he gets his debut on Letterman. Thank you, Dave, for bringing Joel to TV.
So many MST3K foreshadowing moments! 'Mystery Science Labr 2000'...those off the wall creations!...'Dr. Wu written on the Time Machine box...
And best of all? The rare moments when Joel actually GRINS! Stellar stuff! Thank you, Don! :D
i can't believe i have never seen any of these performances.... and i thought i was a fan.
thanks Don!
You bet! I try to first check whether any of these appearances have been previously uploaded. I was surprised that evidently none of them have.
This is great. I remember seeing "this guy" on the show, but didn't realize it was Joel. These were the best years for Letterman's program. Thanks for sharing!
This man went on to do great things. GREAT things.
Like Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Love him.
No one gives credit to the first 2999 mst
I had no idea Joel appeared on Letterman. Thanks for posting this!
thanks for posting this wheel of time 😁
Joel is my ABSOLUTE FAV MST3K personality/host of ALL TIME
MST3K original series is THE BEST!
Definitely my kind of comedy. I've been a Mystery Science Theater 3000 fan for years and had totally forgotten his appearances on Letterman but I know 100% I watched them Everytime he was on because I have seen every Late Nite show. Watched it religiously. Thanks for posting. Very Cool!!!!!
Hodgson is F'n fantastic. Really needed this tonight.
Don , thanks for posting! I'm from St. Paul and I remember this. And 4 years later I was a Mpls comic on stage with Joel and all the people from MST3000. I tried to get Joel to take my oversized check book prop and do the joke "you never know when you might have to make a payment to a golf or bowling champion'' (that I had been doing for myself). I had lots of neat talks with him. He's a genius and quite serious off stage.
That check joke is funny.
In spite of common belief, Joel ALWAYS had that sleepy eye look.
Emo Phillips on klonopin
Sweet, sleepy Joelie. 🥰😘🥰🤗
The origins of the "invention exchange".
awesome! always great to find more from the MST-verse!!!!
"Snake? Snake... Good one! ... Shut up. What?"
FIVE appearances on Letterman. Surely he must have hosted SNL a few times. He'd be the most genius moments on SNL after Andy Kaufman. This guy is unbelieveable!
I've seen plenty of MST3K, but this is the first I've seen any of Joel Hodgson's standup.
He guested on SNL, but he never hosted the show.
@@dongiller Would love to see any clips of these SNL moments--Top Tier! 👏👏👏
@@random22026 Not my domain, and, besides, Broadway Video would block it.
@@dongiller No worries--YT has a bunch on SNL's channel.
Watching these makes me sleepy imagining I'm watching TV past my bedtime.
"Mystery Science Lab 2000", eh Joel? :)
Joel is one of the greatest comedic geniuses of all time, such unique delivery and unlike anything I've ever seen. It's like you're half laughing because it's funny and half laughing out of awkwardness.
You see you cant recreate this vibe and when it played it was a moment in time...had to be there. Late nite Letterman show was so out there
Thank you
Thanks for uploading this! Pretty dang funny, I must say...though you probably couldn't get away with some of these jokes nowadays.
@boo boo He's talking out his ass. Every joke Joel did you could do today. Some people seem to mistake "not being a racist dick" with "being too sensitive". Context is everything, though, and in context nothing Joel did would be considered offensive.
True, but this is a snapshot into an earlier time so just enjoy the Gizmocrat.
GENIUS.
Thank you for uploading this :)
Naive genius at its best. The more I watch these early appearances of Joel, the more I compare him favourably with the late British comedian Tommy Cooper.
Fantastic find.
We worship Joel! MST3K forever!!!!
His deadpan delivery is so good!
A genius, a true renaissance man. In embryonic phase.
I love this guy but I can't figure out how he got on this show hahaha. 23:33 Mystery Science Lab 2000
Joel is awesome
23:21 Foreshadowing...
i dig the dinner jacket. wore that same thing to my high school graduation.
I remember seeing him a few times, on Late Night (including a couple of these), and figuring he had just sort of vanished, like some comics did. Gee - MST3K, et al. I had no idea.
One of the danny heads was used on Tom Servo later
Yes :)
In Episode 610, "The Violent Years." A Mike episode.
I was about 2 weeks old when he made his first appearance. Wish I'd known so I could watch.
This series of videos is now my religion.
I saw him live just before 'MSTK3000' went on the air. Gifted comic.
Hey, it's an early version of the accordion vacuum from the MST3K opening credits!
I think that accordion-vacuum cleaner from the opening was from an early invention exchange. The clip of the Devil Dogs attacking the Satellite of Love was from one of the early episodes, too.
MY GOSH! HE'S SO CUTE! Must....wuffle....fluffy....Joelie....hair!
2:20 seems like the MST3K spirit was there from the start
I love that comment "you have a very fertile mine" I knew he did this back in the day I have the time he was on SNL doing it recorded on a VHS. Good stuff but I would say he definitely found a home at mst3k
I wonder what his career would have panned out like if MST3K hadn't happened. His act was so unique!
Just a total trip. 🥰
Even then, he was comicing with the props
Love the card catapult.
Seeds of the Invention Exchange. Long live MST3K and much love to Joel.
Joel workshopping Mystery Science Theater for all to see the genius...
He's actually a lot funnier than i expected him to be. Those Asian glasses were fucking genius 😂
Greetings from the not too distant future
Mr Quarterback! Most dangerous toy of the late 70s!
As someone who effectively came late to MST3K, it's so fun to see where so much of it really all started
Yes, the early letter-man days had plenty of regular interesting people. Which made the show much more enjoyable.
"Danny O'Danny"
Zaphod Beeblebrox, surely? :D
"I guess we ALL got about 5 minutes" ... 🤣🤣
I had no idea
your great joel...love ya
There are a few stand-ups I remember seeing for the first time that made a huge impact on me- Sam Kinison, Gilbert Gottfried, and Joel Hodgson among them. Thanks for this compendium Don. Have you considered a Fran Lebowitz collection?
You're not the first to request it. It's in the In box.
Fantastic news. Love her. Thanks!
"There's a whole chain of Funnybones?" "And there's a tunnel connecting them all." 😂 I remember these, I watched a lot of Late Night as a teen. I guess his Mystery Date bit I was looking for was only on SNL.
9:03
That canary on a rocket sled was pretty funny.
Joel was so cute!
Oh, yes!
MST3K is still by far the most intelligently funny show ever created.
Did Dave ever interview Joel after his big break with MST3K? That would have been a great retrospective interview, considering he was a regular as a standup on Letterman.
Nope; this is all there is.
Anybody know the toy he uses to throw the deck of cards? Wanna get one.
In the not too distant future...
Wow first time I’ve seen his early standup..I actually laughed out loud…that was hilarious
He’s like Chris Issaks cousin Miles from the mid west
Joel was hilarious! So this is where Carrot Top got his career!
%he accordian with the vaccuum bit would later be used as a cleaning supply on the SOL in the MST3K intros.
this guy has got to be Carrot Top's hero
bloodyhellghost no just who he ripped off
Doesn't Joel pre-seed Carrot by at least 10 years???
Pre-seed? It’s precede brother
His name is Doctor Henry Killinger, and this is his Magic Murder Bag.
11:45 is a good time to be watching on mobile!
he used the extended arm gag on mst3k
Young Joel looks like Clay Aiken had a kid with Martin Short..... Lol
"how much time do I have left" after one joke might be the best joke I have ever heard
Even back then he was referring to crappy movies.
There's an earlier clip on Letterman where he shows something with just a 'hint' of the future Gypsy.
If you’re referring to Joel, this collection consists of all of his appearances on Dave. Maybe you’re thinking of SNL?
Well INVENTION EXCHANGE
Suck on that, Carrot Top.
"Can I get a ride home?" Hahahahaha
Soon after this his bosses shot him into space
Joel Hodgson pulling a ventriloquism black face gag!? He's edgy
I wonder if this guy likes movies
So... he was trying to out-Andy Andy Kaufman?
Or trying to out Emo Emo Philips?
Roy Green - ?....but Kaufman wasn’t a ‘prop comic’... the two are pretty different stylistically
This is great but the host of the show is talking to Joel as if joel was "special"
At the time both were new. Joel was obviously good enough to qualify for repeat appearances and Dave knew that he too was new enough to not be a snob.
Letterman did that a lot. It does get wince-y looking back, but it was something you took as part of the show then.
"The host of the show." That's David Letterman.
Pretty sure Dave is just playing along.
I feel like French Stewart has had a lot of Joel's mannerisms.
So, his on-stage comic persona is Droopy?
Seriously, that's the closest comparison I could come up with.
Nobody else talks like that!
(And, yes, I'm aware it's exaggerated and he's not quite that bad in real life!)
Now, that I've seen more footage, even his facial expression is like Droopy's!
He has a similar personality on MST3K
The asian-eye glasses: There was no PC in the 80's.
It's interesting because Joel has always been pretty openly social democrat or at least centrist liberal.
An affectionate tribute to the horrible lip-sync action in Japanese Godzilla movies. The man knows his stuff! 🤣🤣
Oh boy this guy is a baby boomer. Those toys are from our era!
can someone pretend to be joel and do his act, like beatlemania? I want to see that live.
this guy would have fun in the psych unit making crafts + belts and stuff. (Yea I been there lol)
Hilarious! But seriously, was Joel STONED during his whole routine?! 😲
It was just his act.
Oh right like he's never smoked pot lol he grew up in the 70s I'm js lol
Silly prop gags.
Comment on internet.
And you either didn't watch it all, or you wouldn't know real comedy if it slapped you in the face.
Joel & MST3K classic!
The 2nd Letterman appearance is when first learned of Joel, and then on Evening at the Improv :D. But the 5th appearance is the one where I lose it :D. Ever since that episode, I sing "Wild Thing" when I vacuum :P. The "dinosaur" kills me!
"I'm back in time . . . okay, I'm back" >_
I really enjoyed your profile