On January 22, 1968 a controversial show, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in, found it's way into Prime-Time television. It's cast of virtually unknown comics, singers and actors performed material that amazingly made it past the censors.

Each week the voice of Gary Owens would introduce the special guests and the regular cast of players. Then Dan Rowan and Dick Martin would walk out, do a short comic monologue, and invite the viewing audience to "The Cocktail Party." Here the cast and guest star(s) would be dancing, and telling jokes. From there it would proceed to other skits, including: Ruth Ann (Lily Tomlin) a small child sitting in a rocking chair, The Farkel Family where the kids (including Simon and Gar Farkel) all looked like the man that lived next door, the old man and woman on the park bench, and The News (Past/Present/Future) introduced by the cast singing "Laugh-in Looks at the News." Each skit would be set apart by quick sets of one-liners. The show would always end with the "Joke Wall;" a wall where the cast would pop their heads out of doors and tell one-liners, and short jokes....this would continue as the credits began rolling. As this scene faded we would see the NBC symbol and hear a single pair of hands slowly clapping.

The show attempted a revival in 1979, but the show's timing was wrong. What was fun and controversial in the late 60s and early 70s just couldn't hold the attention of the viewing audience in the late 70s. Only one of the performers on the New Laugh-in became a large success, a young comic named Robin Williams.