R. Rated

R. Rated consisted of four, half-hour, alternative, variety, television shows, which aired in 1999, on Fridays at midnight in Chicago on WFLD Fox 32, and featured film and video shorts from sketch comedy troupes, theatre companies, musicians, stand-up comics and other independent film and video makers.

History

"R. Rated" was created, executive produced and hosted by stand-up comic Richard O’Donnell, billed simply as “R.” (hence the title of the show). O'Donnell co-directed it with Peter Neville and Edward Seaton.citation |periodical=Chicago Sun Times, pg 53, TV & Radio |date=August 4, 1999 |title=Ch. 32 Comedy Show keeps the talent local |first=Robert |last=Feder] Short form video works from the ID, Ectomorph, and The Annoyance Theater Productions featured Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), Mick Napier (Second City), and Stephnie Weir (Mad TV). Former Second City and Saturday Night Live alumni Tim Kazurinsky offered a Willy Laszlo directed short about the most unusual home invader while O’Donnell appeared in an array of impromptu “man on the street interviews” and monologues amidst spectacular bumpers and teasers created by Steve Wood. Musical acts included The Swinging Love Hammers, Kleen Ex-Girl Wonder, and The Gathering Field.

O’Donnell requested Fox to keep the show out of prime time so that his contributors like Mick Napier of the infamous Annoyance Theatre, could have greater late-night artistic freedom without black-bar and sound bleep censorship. O'Donnell also hoped his new TV comedy series would earn greater recognition for a wide array of Chicago talent.citation |periodical=Chicago Tribune, Friday, page 1, section 5 Tempo |date=August 13, 1999 |title=R. O’Donnell hopes his new comedy series will shift spotlight to Chicago |first=Allan |last=Johnson]

A fifth show was produced but never aired, in spite of high ratings that outpaced competing shows in the same time slot including the "Late, Late Show With Craig Kilborn" on Chicago's Channel 2 and "Mancow TV" on Channel 26. "R. Rated" drew an average 2.9 rating out of 7 shares in its time slot, tying with Ch. 7 and Ch. 50 programming. Executives at Fox 32 awarded "R. Rated" with another 26 weeks of broadcastingcitation |periodical=Screen, Pg 12 – Newsreel |date=September, 1999 |title=Ch. 32 gives ‘R. Rated’ series another 26 weeks |first=Carl |last=Kazlowski] , but the variety show unexpectedly lost its primary sponsor.

"R. Rated" (only available through bootlegs on DVD) remains an extraordinary and rare collection of Chicago’s variety and comedic talent on the rise in the late 1990’s.

References