Razz Revue TV Special 1977
About the Show
Back in the last century, two talented artists from Kingman, Arizona, Bob Boze Bell and Dan Harshberger, launched a homespun humor magazine called the Razz Revue (the Magazomic). which, among other things, focused on satirizing '70's and Southwest culture. Though it was published on a shoestring budget, the magazine managed to last several years, and even spawned an attempt at creating a syndicated radio program based on the Razz's humor.
The radio show's production was enhanced by the involvement of several notable talents from the local counterculture, such as William Edward Compton, the guiding light and voice of KDKB, Phoenix's ground-breaking alternative radio station, and Wonderful Russ (aka Russell Shaw), a prolific, outrageous, free-form radio personality and 1974 Arizona gubernatorial write-in candidate.
In 1976, a fledgling video producer from Phoenix's then independent TV station, KPHO-TV, channel 5, was visiting a local recording studio and happened to see the Razz cast in action while they were in the early stages of producing the pilot for the radio show. Though totally wet behind the ears, the wannabe producer still managed to recognize the raw talent and potential of the Razz.
The producer approached the Razz editors Bob and Dan, and asked them if he could produce a TV program about the Razz and its radio show. Because there was no cost involved, Dan and Bob agreed.
The vehicle that would launch the Razz onto the airwaves was a program with the unlikely name of the "Get It On" show. "Get It On" was the creation of executive producer, Matt Walker, who then worked in the PR department of a competing local station. The show was a community interest program that was originally targeted at African-American audiences, but Matt eventually broadened the show's scope to include a wide range of subjects. His view was that the program should be a means for producers to get their shows onto the airwaves — in other words, to "Get It On" the air.
With no money or resources except for scrap film and the occasional use of old equipment, the show was produced in bits and pieces over about a three month period. Thom Scott, then the Razz's marketing department, deserves a great deal of credit for his role as associate producer. He managed to procure a number of the show's essential elements for free. Among them are about 20 loaner electric guitars from the House of Guitars for the filming of Diddley Squat; the use of four mopeds for the Moped Mamas promo from Mad Sam the Moped Man; an excellent location at Jake the Snake's Garden of Gears for taping the Tex Heartburn spot; and lots of other goodies as well.
Despite the nonexistent budget and inexperienced producer, the program was notable for its early use of minicams, back when that technology was still in its infancy, and for its incorporation of a prototype music video — three years before MTV popularized the style.
The Razz TV Special premiered on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 8, 1977 at 12:30 PM, and repeated on June 26.
The show turned out to be not much more than a lot of very rough edges, yet amidst it all are some gems of wit, humor, and musical talent that have withstood the test of time. So without further ado, here, after decades of obscurity, is the reissued Razz Revue TV Special, in all its digital glory.
