Wikipedia

The Credibility Gap

For the political term, seeCredibility gap.

The Credibility Gapwas an American satirical comedy team active from 1968 through 1979. They emerged in the late 1960s delivering comedic commentary on the news for the Los Angeles AM rock radio stationKRLA 1110,and proceeded to develop more elaborate and ambitious satirical routines on the "underground" stationKPPC-FMin Pasadena, California. Richard Beebe's wife Heidi came up with the name "The Credibility Gap" due to the news being published that seemed to have gaps.

The Credibility Gap
Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap with (left to right)John Gilliland,Thom Beck,Len Chandler,Richard Beebe,andLew IrwinfromAn Album of Political Pornography
MediumRadio
Years active1968-1979
GenresSatire
Former membersLew Irwin,John Gilliland,Thom Beck,Richard Beebe,Len Chandler,Harry Shearer,David L. Lander,Michael McKean

Founded as a loose collective centered on KRLA staff membersLew Irwin,John Gilliland,Thom Beck,Richard Beebe,and folk singerLen Chandler,the group is chiefly remembered today for its 1971–79 lineup, comprising Beebe (though early 1975),Harry Shearer,David L. LanderandMichael McKean.[1]

History

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Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap

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The Credibility Gap grew out of a company formed byLew IrwinandCliff Vaughs.[2][3]KRLA 1110hired news director Irwin to form The Credibility Gap in 1968 with his radio colleaguesJohn Gilliland,Thom Beck,Richard Beebe,and folk singerLen Chandler.[4]They took their name from the Vietnam-era term "credibility gap"(aeuphemismfor political dishonesty), and broadcast their comedy along with the news on KRLA. [5]They first aired on the date of the 1968 California Primary.[4]In 1968 (billed as "Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap" ) they releasedAn Album Of Political PornographyforBlue Thumb,consisting of highlights from their radio sketches.[6]Thom Beck left in late 1968, and was replaced byHarry Shearer.Lew Irwin left a few months later, replaced byDavid L. Landerin February, 1969.

The Credibility Gap

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The Credibility Gap with (left to right)Michael McKean,Richard Beebe,David L. Lander,andHarry Shearer

In 1969, The Credibility Gap performed on KRLA'sPop Chroniclesmusic documentary series.[7][8]By this point, Gilliland and Chandler had left, to be replaced byBob Goodwin.[9][10][11]This left Beebe the only original professional news member remaining. A Pasadena Playhouse Theatre alumnus, Beebe's booming radio voice and quick improv helped The Credibility Gap make some of the most original comedy of their time. Goodwin stayed with the group for about a year, but by late 1970, the Credibility Gap consisted of Beebe, Shearer, McKean and Lander.[1][12]

KRLAdropped The Credibility Gap's show in 1970,[13][14][15]but Shearer found work as a disc jockey on freeform stationKPPCand The Credibility Gap continued their on-air performances there. In 1971, the trio released the albumWoodschtick,consisting of two long pieces that were somewhat in the style ofThe Firesign Theatre.Also writing and performing on the album wasMichael McKean,who would be promoted to full membership after the album's release. Guest performersChristopher Ross,Morgan UptonandAlbert Brookswould also work with the group during this era. Mark Deming writes of this transition:

[I]n late 1968, Thom Beck left the group, and Lew Irwin followed in early 1969.... Joining the Credibility Gap in their absence were Harry Shearer... and David L. Lander.... By 1970, Len Chandler and John Gilliland had drifted away from the Credibility Gap, and... Michael McKean, had joined the team, though the troupe's relationship with KRLA had soured and their show had been shrunk from 15 minutes to a mere 180 seconds. However, after Shearer landed a side gig as a disc jockey on an FM "free form" outlet, KPPC, the Credibility Gap found a new home on the station, and the group's satire gained both sharpness and depth.[5]

KPPC-FMfired all of its airstaff, including the members of The Credibility Gap, as part of a massformatchange in 1971.[15]No longer radio regulars, the group started performing in various clubs and concert venues.[16][17][18]They also returned to the studio in 1972 to record a promo-only single forWarner Brothers,a four-and-a-half minute mini mock-rock opera calledSomething for Mary.[19]

The Credibility Gap followed up this recording with the 1974 albumA Great Gift Idea,which mixed satirical sketches with musical parodies. McKean and Shearer played guitar and keyboards, respectively, on the album, augmented by members of the bandLittle Feat.

Beebe left the Gap in 1975 to join Los Angeles FM rock station KMET, remaining in radio news for over 40 years with 2 Golden Mic awards.[20]The Credibility Gap continued as a trio (Lander, McKean and Shearer) through 1979, but after 1976 individual members tended to focus on other projects and the group itself made only sporadic, widely spaced appearances. McKean and Lander "moonlighted"by performing at thePitschel Players Cabaret.McKean and Lander landed roles on the television seriesLaverne & Shirleythat lasted from 1976 through 1983; Shearer worked as a consultant for the TV seriesFernwood 2-Night,as well as co-writing comedy albums and the 1979 feature filmReal Lifewith Albert Brooks. The Credibility Gap issued a single ( "The Day the Lights Stayed on in Pittsburgh" ) in 1977, appeared as sketch performers (performing their own material) in the low-budget 1977 filmCracking Up,and continued their New Year's Day Rose Parade broadcasts (which started in the mid-1970s) annually through January 1, 1979. Highlights of the parade broadcasts were collected on the 1979 albumFloats.As well, selections from their earlier radio material were compiled on 1977'sThe Bronze Age of Radio.[1]

Shearer became a writer/performer onSaturday Night Livein September, 1979. This necessitated Shearer's move to New York and essentially brought The Credibility Gap's activities to a close.

After The Credibility Gap

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The group disbanded in 1979, but the members have had occasion to work together since—notably the pairings of McKean and Lander as Lenny and Squiggy on the situation comedyLaverne & Shirley(recording an album in character as "Lenny and the Squigtones") and Shearer and McKean as members of the mock-rock bandSpinal Tap.In 1998 sadly Richard Beebe passed.In 1999 the remaining Gap members in honor of Beebe, Shearer, McKean, and Lander held a reunion at theMuseum of Television and Radio.Beebe's family in Richards absence donated all original Gap recordings from 1968-1972 to the Paley Center for all to enjoy Los Angeles news mixed with comedy.[21]

Discography

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Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap

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The Credibility Gap

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  • Woodshtick and More(1971)
  • A Great Gift Idea(Reprise,1974)
  • The Bronze Age of Radio(Waterhouse,1977)
  • Floats&A Great Gift Idea(Double LP) (Sierra,1979)

References

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  1. ^abc"Projects: Radio".Harry Shearer.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-08-19.Retrieved2009-08-13.
  2. ^Page, Don (December 14, 1969)."Grist From the Radio's Rumor Mill".LA Times.Archived fromthe originalon July 1, 2020.Alt URL
  3. ^"~Los Angeles Radio People, Q&A 3rd quarter 1998".www.laradio.com.
  4. ^ab"Lew Irwin Sets Record Straight on Origins of 1110/KRLA Credibility Gap"(PDF).
  5. ^abDeming, Mark.The Credibility GapatAllMusic.Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  6. ^ab"Magic of JuJu: Political Porno".Magicofjuju.blogspot.com. 2006-12-21. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-08.Retrieved2009-11-16.
  7. ^Hopkins, Jerry(October 4, 1969)."'Pop Chronicles' Chronicle Pop ".Rolling Stone.No. 43. p. 34.
  8. ^Gilliland, John(1969)."Index to" Pop Chronicles ""(audio).Pop Chronicles.University of North Texas Libraries.
  9. ^"Show 34 - Revolt of the Fat Angel: American musicians respond to the British invaders. [Part 2]: UNT Digital Library".Digital.library.unt.edu. 1969-08-03.Retrieved2011-01-12.
  10. ^"X-Files chief not moving".Vancouver Sun.April 20, 1998.Retrieved2007-06-15.
  11. ^"The Paley Center for Media".Paleycenter.org. 2017-01-02.Retrieved2019-04-02.
  12. ^"An interview with Shearer, Lander and McKean".L.A. Weekly.November 12–18, 1999. Archived fromthe originalon January 17, 2003.RetrievedJune 21,2017.
  13. ^Murphy, Mary B (Jun 17, 1970). "Credibility Gap Trio Dismissed by KRLA".The Los Angeles Times.p. F18.
  14. ^Murphy, Mary (1970-07-26). "The Credibility Gap-KRLA Battle".The Los Angeles Times.
  15. ^ab"Albums by The Credibility Gap".Rate Your Music. 1971-10-23.Retrieved2009-04-14.
  16. ^Plume, Kenneth (2000-02-10)."Interview with Harry Shearer (Part 1 of 4)".IGN.Retrieved2013-06-24.
  17. ^Plume, Kenneth (2000-02-10)."Interview with Harry Shearer (Part 4 of 4)".IGN.Retrieved2013-06-24.
  18. ^Club Review: Credibility Gap, Buchanan at Roxy
  19. ^"YouTube".www.youtube.com.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-12.
  20. ^mjmckean (2016-06-01)."THE REALITY BUILDING: Some Words on The Credibility Gap – flotation device".Michaelmckean.com.Retrieved2019-04-02.
  21. ^Lloyd, Robert (1999-11-18)."Film+TV - Sketch Artists".LA Weekly.Retrieved2009-04-15.
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