On this day April 23, 1982, the final episode of Fridays aired on ABC. The late night sketch comedy series ran for 3 seasons with a total of 58 episodes and was often seen as a direct competitor to Saturday Night Live. Known for its edgy humor and unpredictable live energy, the show became a cult favorite during its run.
Fridays helped launch the careers of several cast members, most notably Michael Richards who later became world famous for playing Kramer on Seinfeld. The show mixed political satire, absurdist comedy, and musical guests in a format that often pushed boundaries for early 80s network television.
One of the most talked about moments in the show’s history happened when Andy Kaufman appeared in a sketch and broke character, leading to what seemed like a real on air fight with Michael Richards. Many thought it was real, but it was later revealed to be a staged moment in true Kaufman fashion.
Fun fact: Fridays was one of the first network shows to regularly feature punk and new wave bands as musical guests, including Devo, The Clash, and The Plasmatics.
Trivia question: Which eccentric guest caused chaos during a live episode of Fridays by abruptly refusing to deliver his lines, forcing the cast and crew to improvise on the spot?
Fridays helped launch the careers of several cast members, most notably Michael Richards who later became world famous for playing Kramer on Seinfeld. The show mixed political satire, absurdist comedy, and musical guests in a format that often pushed boundaries for early 80s network television.
One of the most talked about moments in the show’s history happened when Andy Kaufman appeared in a sketch and broke character, leading to what seemed like a real on air fight with Michael Richards. Many thought it was real, but it was later revealed to be a staged moment in true Kaufman fashion.
Fun fact: Fridays was one of the first network shows to regularly feature punk and new wave bands as musical guests, including Devo, The Clash, and The Plasmatics.
Trivia question: Which eccentric guest caused chaos during a live episode of Fridays by abruptly refusing to deliver his lines, forcing the cast and crew to improvise on the spot?
