Laugh Trax (1982– ) User Reviews

I worked on this show

[sgrdn3 · 9/10 · 20 February 2015]

This was one of the first shows I worked on in Hollywood. I was a production assistant and moved up to location scout, then production coordinator. Carolyn Raskin, who was a producer on the classic- "Laugh-In"series, was the Executive Producer.

Jim Fisher and Jim Staahl, writing and performing partners headed up a pretty strong wiring staff. It was Howie Mandel's first show --he "killed" on it and kept us laughing on-and off the set. Gail Mathius, from Saturday Night Live, was also on the show--she was awesome and another talent was Frank Welker, who could do amazing voices and did voice work on big movies as well (including Star Wars, I think).

I also booked the short films on the show and Cold Cows, by Frank Miller which is mentioned below was one of my favorites. It can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rW6XbgtNDHU

John Paragon and Soul Truck

[vinrec · 8/10 · 19 December 2011]

John Paragon was also a cast member, although he doesn't yet appear in the IMDb cast list.

A favorite segment was "Soul Truck", a ripoff of "Soul Train", a blackout segment framed with the ridiculous image of the entire cast, in costume, rolling along, dancing, in the back of an open-topped flatbed truck, with the signature line, over music, just as delivered in the Don Cornelius program: "Soooooooooouuuuuuuuul Truck!".

The show was syndicated, which accounts for the show's being seen all over the schedule.

I'm guessing some of these folks are Second City alumni. The series is a great example of some very clever, very funny work by folks, some of which (in the case of Frank Welker) who have been doing much creative work off-camera or, in the case of Howie Mandel and Gail Matthius, on other established programs.

Wish this one was on DVD! Very funny without being offensive.

Happily Remembered, But Undeservedly Short Lived

[blarp333 · 8/10 · 6 December 2023]

I was so sorry this show only made it through one season. It deserved more. Things I remember from the show that don't seem to be mentioned in the other reviews. The sometime low budget nature of the show made for the occasional odd setting. I remember Nicolette Larson singing on a dirt road. One time Jim Stahl was doing a fake funny music award bit. (again, standing on a dirt road somewhere). The winning song was "Disco Duck" by Rick Dees. To Jim's surprise, Rick Dees walks on to accept the award. A recurring bit was a 50s/60s style girl group called The Dinettes. It consisted of Lucy and Gail in 50s style dresses and Jim in drag. They would lip-sync songs like "Leader of the Pack" and "Foolish Little Girl". A couple of times they did a sketch that took place at "The Existential Cafe". Jim and Howie would be customers and Lucy was their waitress. Jim and Howie would frame their orders as deep, philosophical questions to which Lucy would always reply, "The bacon burger is really good." There was a sketch with Howie and Lucy as a couple splitting up and Howie just wasn't getting it, him asking if they could go have sex at one point. Fond memories. As others have said, I wish it was available on DVD.

Funny short lived sketch show

[RT Firefly · 20 June 2005]

I remember seeing Howie Mandel for the first time on this TV show that aired in the early 80's (I could not tell you what network). He played a shoe salesman in one sketch wearing a rubber glove on his head and a giant glove shaped bag on his side (is that from his act?) at any rate, it worked for me and, trust me, I am not exactly a Howie Mandel fan. I thought the few episodes I saw were hilarious. The show had shades of Monty Python and SCTV. I am not sure who inspired it, though I see SCTV alum Jim Staahl was a writer. I just remember laughing my ass off. For some strange reason, at least in North Carolina, it aired in the afternoon. If Jim Staahl does not look exactly like Ed Bagley Jr., than the latter was on the show too. Strange it showing at that time of day. It would air soon after the show 20 Minute Work Out, another gem from the early 80's that seemed to come from out of nowhere, and disappear into the same. I would be interested in knowing where this show came from and why it died so quickly. Also, who were the cast members not listed? Strange also how this is the only comment on the show. I googled Laugh Trax and got nothing. Why isn't there any info on this show. What is going on here? This page looks like an abandoned warehouse. Heelllooo! ... loooo … looooo … looooo Fwwwwp! (dart to neck) Merv?.... black out

Fantastic TV Show that was short lived

[ibrenner-rizzo · 10/10 · 9 November 2006]

I remember this TV show from 1982 and it was hysterical. I can't remember exactly what night it was on, either Friday or Saturday night but I made sure that I didn't go anywhere until I watched the show. The first time I ever saw Howie Mandel was on this show playing chicken man with his rubber glove on his head. I was in tears with the humor behind that. I also remember Jim Staahl playing refrigerator man, that was one of the funniest skits that I can remember on the show. What happened ? One minute it was on the air and the next minute it was gone. I couldn't believe that it was that short lived. Hey Jim Staahl, this was your TV show and you need to know that your fans would love this show on DVD, the entire season in one package. I have friends who never saw this show but I have mentioned it a thousand times especially when I see Howie Mandel on TV. Please make all your fans extremely happy by putting this show on DVD. I would buy quite a few for my friends and family. If I loved this show that much, I know they will too. We need to bring back the good old shows that brings out the best in us and that would be Laugh Trax.

Great forgotten show

[jimraper · 10/10 · 21 September 2018]

Incredibly funny show, Mr. Fridge, Howie Mandel, Haircut 100. What more could you want?

Syndicated show??

[maxexcel · 10/10 · 31 May 2006]

I remember this show but have never seen much about it anywhere else. It used to be on early Saturday nights on a local TV station out of Milwaukee, WI. (WVTV Channel 18 was the station I think.) I was in college at the time and we always waited to go out for the evening until Laugh Trax was over, which wasn't too hard since I think it was on at 6 or 6:30PM and over by 7 or 7:30PM.

Great show! It was in the same vein as SNL or Fridays, but was more "cutting edge" I think. Howie Mandel was fresh off of his HBO Young Comedians show and there seemed to be a great chemistry between the regulars. There was a lot of laughter by the actors where there shouldn't have been. they looked like they were having fun doing the show. There didn't seem to be more than a dozen or two episodes though. :-(

Fun show

[ermyntrude · 19 October 2005]

Fun show, wish it had run longer. Syndicated, and so ran in various time slots around the country (early evenings on one of the San Francisco Bay area stations when I saw it). Mostly sketch comedy, a bit like SNL or SCTV. Voice wizard/impressionist Frank Welker was my favorite of the regular cast. Howie Mandel was also in "St. Elsewhere" at the same time, so I remember a couple jokes in the dialog about that. Current pop stars/groups would appear as guests; Haircut 100, Toni Basil, and Laura Brannigan, to name a few. Also the occasional independent short film (?) - although all I can recall was one called "Cold Cows".

Laugh Trax... One of the great little shows of the early eighties...

[BilligerVogel · 22 July 2005]

If you liked "Kids in the Hall" you'd probably like this. It had irreverent humor while refraining from vulgarity. It reminded me of Ernie Kovaks mixed with National Lampoon. Used to came on late at night in my area, 12:30 or so. I wish I could remember half the skits from that show, but alas it was too long ago for my feeble memory! One I do remember was the now-PC-unfriendly "My Boyfriend's Black" segment based on the old sixties "My Boyfriend's Back" song, while Jim Stahl & co did what was essentially a 1950s video for it. And Howie Mandel was just a scream in those days. It made a half-hour seem like fifteen minutes. Shame it's gone really. Wish someone would put it on DVD.

And to the reviewer before me, thanks, I was starting to think maybe I had dreamed it all...

laugh track

[dholder59 · 18 April 2006]

In the early 80's this show came on in NC on Saturdays after the 20 minute workout. My husband and used to try to tape some of the skits and when I say tape I mean audio. Our favorite was Jim Staahl doing "Billy Rock". His impression of Billy Graham was right on the mark and to this day we still remember a skit that he talked about going up the river to prison because of taping "Joanie loves Chachi." It was hysterical and we can still quote it after all these years. Another skit was about Genenral Hospital and the overacting of Tony Geary and how people on soaps sit around and eat cafeteria food. It was such a great show with the shades of SNL and the great cast. I would love to be able to see these great gags again. Please put these shows on DVD. Thanks

Laugh Trax - Oh so funny!!!

[CindyLH · 12 April 2006]

I loved this show! It was the first time I ever saw Howie Mandel, too. My friend and I couldn't wait to see it every week. We laughed so hard, tears filled our eyes. Howie Mandel was hilarious playing the not so intelligent, "this is my first time" guy. And also, the giant rooster with the rubber glove on his head. And I don't know who the blond guy was, but I'll never forget when he was doing a skit where he was documenting a parade, and at the end he said "This is (whoever), on the lookout for horse doo" and when he was a country boy and he always said in a Southern drawl, "Howdy to your face". (I still say that to my sister when I call her.) I was hoping I could find it on DVD, but my hopes are failing. Maybe someday I'll find something on it...Just like Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories. It would be so fun to see reruns of these fantastic 80's shows.