Hey there, it's Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to History of the 90s

early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime.

In the summer of 1986, Lorne Michaels, the creator and executive producer of Saturday Night Live,

traveled to Toronto to watch a comedy troupe with a devoted cult following.

The five-man group was a weekly staple at the Rivoli Club on Toronto's trendy Queen Street.

For two years, they'd performed every Monday night and quickly became local comedy legends,

known for their absurd and irreverent sketches that often involved cross-dressing and surreal scenarios.

On the night Michaels came to see them, an unknown woman burst onto the stage and stood on her head,

shouting, Lauren Michaels, pick me. I'd be very funny on your show. Without missing a beat, a troop member

responded, get off the stage. This is our show.

I'm Kathy Kinsora, and this is History of the 90s,

a podcast about a decade that changed the world.

On this episode, we're looking back at a time

when television networks realized sketch comedy

was cheaper and easier to make than sitcoms,

leading to a flood of edgy and hilarious shows

like Kids in the Hall, Mad TV, and Mr. Show. This is The Golden Age of Sketch Comedy.

Despite the rude interruption during their show, the Kids in the Hall impressed Lauren Michaels.

In fact, a few weeks after seeing the true performance in Toronto,

he told the five comedians he wanted to develop a show with them.

Using his industry connections, Michaels quickly negotiated an hour-long HBO special for $400,000,

which would hopefully lead to a permanent TV series for kids in the hall. The group made up of Mark McKinney, Bruce McCullough, Kevin

...