Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In was a United States comedy television show broadcast for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968 through 1973 over the NBC network. The title Laugh-In was a play on a popular 1960s concept called a "love-in," where people would get together to protest war by singing songs and holding hands. Hosted by the comedy team of Dan Rowan and Dick Martin (Rowan played the exasperated straight man, Martin the horny, dumb guy), the show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches; many of them carried sexual innuendo, others were politically charged, and most were just silly.

A typical episode's format

• Shortly after the beginning of the show was a scene called The Cocktail Party, with all cast members plus assorted surprise celebrities dancing in a swinging 1960s party atmosphere, in between delivering one- and two-line jokes.
• "The Mod, Mod World" segment, with sketches based around a common theme, would be interspersed with footage of some of the female castmembers go-go dancing in bikinis, their bodies painted with gags. (This was usually done by Goldie Hawn, Judy Carne and Chelsea Brown; Ruth Buzzi and Jo Anne Worley popped up rarely, as did frequent guest star Pamela Austin. In the '69-'70 season, the chore was handled briefly by new castmembers Teresa Graves and Pamela Rodgers before the go-go dancing became the sole domain of uncredited extras.)
• The Farkle Family, a couple with a lot of kids - all of whom had flaming red hair and freckles just like the next-door neighbor (Ferd Berfle; played by Dick Martin). Father Frank never questioned this fact when he visited the Farkles. Most "plots" were cheap excuses to force the cast into horrendous tongue-twisters. Flicker Farkle, the youngest (played by Buzzi), had no lines except screaming "Hiiii!!!"
• "Laugh-In Looks at the News," a parody of a network newscast (introduced by a completely un-news-like song and dance number) commenting on current events, "News of the Past" which lampooned historical events, and a segment on "News of the Future," predicting unlikely or bizarre future news stories to comic effect. (Rowan actually nailed some, mentioning "President Ronald Reagan" in a story from "1988, 20 years from now," eliciting laughter from the audience. Another prediction—that the Berlin Wall would be destroyed in 1989—likewise came true, although the followup gag that it would be "quickly replaced by a moat full of alligators" did not.) The news segment was reminiscent of NBC's earlier That Was The Week That Was and in turn was echoed a few years later by Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" segments.
• The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate award, noting dubious achievements by the government or famous people.
• Judy Carne was often tricked into saying "Sock it to me," which then led to her being doused with water or otherwise assaulted. "Sock it to me" became a catch phrase for the show. During the September 16, 1968, episode, Richard Nixon, who was running for President, appeared for a few seconds and asked the question, "Sock it to me?" According to the DVD liner notes, an invitation was extended to Nixon's opponent, Hubert H. Humphrey, but he didn't accept. Some people even credit that brief appearance for handing the very close election to Nixon that year.
• At the end of every show, Dan Rowan turned to his co-host and said, "It's time to say good-night, Dick," to which Martin replied, "Good-night, Dick" (reprising a bit from the old George Burns and Gracie Allen radio show). The show then featured various cast members opening panels in a psychedelically painted 'joke wall' and telling short jokes to one another. As the show drew to a close and the general applause died down, the sound of one person clapping continued even as the screen turned blank.