Watch This Lost Comedic Gem! (Everything You Know is Wrong)
When my professor told my class about a comedy group from the 60s that made a special titled “Everything You Know Is Wrong,” I knew that I had to watch it. When I found it on YouTube, the description read, “Goofy stoner timepiece.” Oh yeah, that’s right up my alley. I immediately liked the record: the over-the-top costumes, the manic energy of Dr. Happy Hairy Cox, the assertion that “our forefathers took drugs,” and the claim that the South won the Civil War.
As a first-time viewer, I found the record chaotic and a bit confusing. But even through the constant changes of scenery or topics of discussion, I could still tell that there were important underlying themes. I was expecting an excessively crazy record, but I didn’t expect the special to blend this absurdity with powerful social commentary so effortlessly. In one skit, a comet hits Earth and a stuntman decides to jump into the hole, which is thought to go to the center of the Earth. The news anchors end their report on the stunt by saying, “Well, that’s gotta be good for the economy.” I think they were making a statement on how some people value the health of the economy over the safety of actual people.
The cutaway scenes that didn’t contribute to the narrative were some of my favorite bits. You could tell that the group wanted to tell these jokes but couldn’t find a way to weave them into the story. I was cracking up in public watching the BearWhiz Beer and McGog Brothers commercials. It was also really funny to watch the forefathers blowing smoke rings and laughing over a shared joint. I never knew I needed to see that.
I thoroughly enjoyed the chaotic energy of this record. I’m no comedy historian, but this feels like a turning point, where comedians realized that making independent sketch comedy is a great way to get attention. This was so outrageous, it clearly wasn’t commercialized, as no company in their right mind would attach their name to this. I liked this record so much because it was so raw, so genuine, and so absurd.
After watching the special, I was so grateful that my professor showed this to me. I couldn’t help but imagine him as a kid, home alone with his buddies, and laughing his ass off watching it. It truly felt like he accidentally gave the class the location of a time capsule. I’m not sure if anyone else even heard him mention it, but I’m so glad that I followed up on it.
Sources:
– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAcHfymgh4Y