R. Rated
| R. Rated | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Variety/sketch |
| Created by | R. O'Donnell |
| Directed by | Edward Seaton R. O'Donnell |
| Creative directors | Steve Wood Peter Neville |
| Starring | R. O'Donnell Ectomorph Videos from the ID Mick Napier and the Annoyance Theater Peter Neville |
| No. of episodes | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | R. O'Donnell |
| Producer | Vicki Potts |
| Production location | Chicago |
| Editor | Edward Seaton |
| Running time | 24 min |
| Production companies | R. Prod VPA Prod |
| Original release | |
| Network | WFLD, Fox, Chicago |
R. Rated is an American comedy variety TV show consisting of five, half-hour episodes which aired in August 1999, Fridays at midnight on WFLD Fox 32, and featured film and video shorts from sketch comedy troupes, theater 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 Edward Seaton.[1] Short form video works from the ID, Ectomorph (Darren Bodeker, Bart Heird and Jim Kopsian), and the Annoyance Theater Productions featured Rachel Dratch (Saturday Night Live), Mick Napier (The Second City), and Stephnie Weir (MADtv). 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 and Peter Neville. Wood used graphics while Neville used live subjects such as New Age Vaudeville member Bobby McGuire. Musical acts included The Swinging Love Hammers, Kleen Ex-Girl Wonder, and The Gathering Field.
Production
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. Regarded as very Chicago-centric, R. Rated was "...exactly what creator R. O'Donnell set out for: a fun, inventive half-hour showcasing Chicago talent."[2]
O'Donnell also hoped his new TV comedy series would earn greater recognition for a wide array of Chicago talent.[3]
DVD
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 broadcasting,[4][5] 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 1990s.
References
- ^ Feder, Robert (August 4, 1999), "Ch. 32 Comedy Show keeps the talent local", Chicago Sun Times, pg 53, TV & Radio
- ^ Winters, Ben (August 27, 1999). "This Week's Action: R. Rated". New City - Chicago.
- ^ Johnson, Allan (August 13, 1999), "R. O'Donnell hopes his new comedy series will shift spotlight to Chicago", Chicago Tribune, Friday, page 1, section 5 Tempo
- ^ Johnson, Allan (October 7, 1999). "RU Ready For More?". Chicago Tribune.
- ^ Kazlowski, Carl (September 1999), "Ch. 32 gives 'R. Rated' series another 26 weeks", Screen, Pg 12 – Newsreel