The Groove Tube
Encyclopedia
The Groove Tube written and produced by Ken Shapiro
, was a low-budget comedy film. It satirized television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St. in New York, a venue that featured R-rated video recordings shown on three television sets, which was a novelty to the audiences of the time. The film starred Richard Belzer
and Chevy Chase
, and featured "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield
in the film's opening scene. The news desk satire, including the signature line "Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow" was later used by Chase for his signature Weekend Update
piece on Saturday Night Live
, although in the film he does not appear in this segment.
Among the skits were "The Dealers", a feature about a pair of urban drug dealers introduced by a wildly overdone, hip title segment, "Koko the Clown" featuring a jaded clown reading erotica
to the kids, a public service announcement
for venereal disease that covertly used a real penis
, and a parody of sponsored television cooking shows (it bakes up an inedible "brick" while repeatedly using the fictitious "Kramp Easy Lube" shortening, a spoof of the "Kraft" name).
Several spoof TV commercials are featured, including a few for the mythical industrial conglomerate Uranus Corporation . One Uranus commercial touts the amazing properties of its space-age polymer
product "Brown 25" (which looks suspiciously like human feces
): "It has the strength of steel, the flexibility of rubber, and the nutritional value of beef stew."
Buzzy Linhart
appears in the film as an (eventually) naked hitchhiker. He also supervised the film's soundtrack.
Ken Shapiro
Ken Shapiro is a Jewish-American writer, producer, and former child actor. Most notably, he played the role of the "Kid" on The Buick-Berle Show . Currently, Shapiro serves as a Producer and Writer for the Daytime Emmy Awards, and The Golden Globe Awards. Shapiro has also directed several titles,...
, was a low-budget comedy film. It satirized television and the counterculture of the early 1970s. The film was originally produced to be shown at the Channel One Theater on East 60th St. in New York, a venue that featured R-rated video recordings shown on three television sets, which was a novelty to the audiences of the time. The film starred Richard Belzer
Richard Belzer
Richard Jay Belzer is an American stand-up comedian, author, and actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as John Munch, which he has portrayed as a regular cast member on the NBC police drama series Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as in guest...
and Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase
Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase is an American comedian, writer, and television and film actor, born into a prominent entertainment industry family. Chase worked a plethora of odd jobs before moving into comedy acting with National Lampoon...
, and featured "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
in the film's opening scene. The news desk satire, including the signature line "Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow" was later used by Chase for his signature Weekend Update
Weekend Update
Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events. It is the show's longest running recurring sketch, having been on since the show's first broadcast, and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance...
piece on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, although in the film he does not appear in this segment.
Among the skits were "The Dealers", a feature about a pair of urban drug dealers introduced by a wildly overdone, hip title segment, "Koko the Clown" featuring a jaded clown reading erotica
Erotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
to the kids, a public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
for venereal disease that covertly used a real penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
, and a parody of sponsored television cooking shows (it bakes up an inedible "brick" while repeatedly using the fictitious "Kramp Easy Lube" shortening, a spoof of the "Kraft" name).
Several spoof TV commercials are featured, including a few for the mythical industrial conglomerate Uranus Corporation . One Uranus commercial touts the amazing properties of its space-age polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
product "Brown 25" (which looks suspiciously like human feces
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
): "It has the strength of steel, the flexibility of rubber, and the nutritional value of beef stew."
Buzzy Linhart
Buzzy Linhart
Buzzy Linhart is an American rock performer and musician.Born William Linhart in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he began honing his craft playing percussion for symphony at the age of seven, switching to vibraphone at ten...
appears in the film as an (eventually) naked hitchhiker. He also supervised the film's soundtrack.