Jack Benny is a Sitcom. Who Thinks He Deserves his Own Forum on the 50s Board? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

icecream · 10-11-2020, 07:39 PM

No, not Jack Benny the comedian who died when he was "39". The thread title only allows a certain amount of characters. I am of course referring to The Jack Benny Program which aired 258 TV episodes over a 50 year span. While it does have variety show elements with some episodes taking place entirely there, Jack Benny also has episodes set at his home. The variety show elements are just a fancy staged element of the home life of Jack Benny's character. You could call that a varietycom, more sitcom than full fledged variety shows. Like shows of today are often dramedies that could fall in both categories. I like what I have seen of Eight is Enough, but that show listed in the 70s sitcoms here is all drama with a strange laugh track thrown in. Burns and Allen doesn't use quite the same approach, but it has George keeping his family and neighbors under surveillance watching on a separate TV, having a bunch of long standup monologues, and later seasons with Burns and Allen having standup duo bit on a stage like Jack Benny's to close the episode. Basically, The Jack Benny Program and The Burns and Allen Show are both sitcoms that often broke the 4th wall. Decades later Seinfeld used some of the same approach. The early seasons always had their episodes open and close with Jerry's real life standup comedy act. With the marathon Antenna TV is treating us to in two weeks, it could bring new fans of The Jack Benny Program here to discuss it. The only place they would have under the current layout is General Sitcoms or maybe All Other TV Shows, where threads there could get quickly lost in all the myriad of talk shows/judge shows that dominate today's TV too much.

SledgeBarone · 10-12-2020, 01:40 PM

EEEEEE-YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSS!

OH Nuts! · 10-12-2020, 01:55 PM

I don’t watch his show that much so never noticed the show didn’t have a sub-forum on the 50’s Forum.

The show absolutely should have it’s own Forum under the 50’s Umbrella. I hope that happens.

RetroGuy2000 · 10-12-2020, 02:04 PM

Yes please! And thank you for bringing this up!

icecream · 10-12-2020, 05:31 PM

10 out of 12 voters agree The Jack Benny Program deserves its own sub-forum.

Svenfan1234 · 10-12-2020, 05:58 PM

Make that 11.

Babalu · 10-12-2020, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SledgeBarone

EEEEEE-YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSS!

OH Nuts! · 10-12-2020, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babalu

Love it. He was a hoot!

treky · 10-13-2020, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Svenfan1234

Make that 11.

and I'm one ov the 11 who voted yes!!!

TJ · 10-13-2020, 12:13 PM

Due to popular demand, The Jack Benny Program has been added to the 1950s Sitcoms section. I moved some Jack Benny related threads to the newly added board.

icecream · 10-13-2020, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ

Due to popular demand, The Jack Benny Program has been added to the 1950s Sitcoms section. I moved some Jack Benny related threads to the newly added board.

Excellent! Thanks for making this addition.

treky · 10-13-2020, 05:46 PM

GREAT!!! Thanx T.J.

stevea · 10-17-2020, 08:44 AM

It's not exactly a sitcom, though. There are sketches within it but not always. There are often monologues but not always. There are musical performances but only sometimes.

I'd call it more of a hybrid, but I voted yes because it should have a forum.

Mr. Television · 04-25-2022, 03:07 PM

I think it's more of a sitcom than not. Glad it has it's own board finally

View Poll Results: Is The Jack Benny Program a Sitcom That Deserves Its Own Board?
Yes	15	83.33%
No	3	16.67%
Voters: 18. You may not vote on this poll

10-11-2020, 07:39 PM	#1
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,608	Jack Benny is a Sitcom. Who Thinks He Deserves his Own Forum on the 50s Board? No, not Jack Benny the comedian who died when he was "39". The thread title only allows a certain amount of characters. I am of course referring to The Jack Benny Program which aired 258 TV episodes over a 50 year span. While it does have variety show elements with some episodes taking place entirely there, Jack Benny also has episodes set at his home. The variety show elements are just a fancy staged element of the home life of Jack Benny's character. You could call that a varietycom, more sitcom than full fledged variety shows. Like shows of today are often dramedies that could fall in both categories. I like what I have seen of Eight is Enough, but that show listed in the 70s sitcoms here is all drama with a strange laugh track thrown in. Burns and Allen doesn't use quite the same approach, but it has George keeping his family and neighbors under surveillance watching on a separate TV, having a bunch of long standup monologues, and later seasons with Burns and Allen having standup duo bit on a stage like Jack Benny's to close the episode. Basically, The Jack Benny Program and The Burns and Allen Show are both sitcoms that often broke the 4th wall. Decades later Seinfeld used some of the same approach. The early seasons always had their episodes open and close with Jerry's real life standup comedy act. With the marathon Antenna TV is treating us to in two weeks, it could bring new fans of The Jack Benny Program here to discuss it. The only place they would have under the current layout is General Sitcoms or maybe All Other TV Shows, where threads there could get quickly lost in all the myriad of talk shows/judge shows that dominate today's TV too much.
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10-12-2020, 02:04 PM	#4
RetroGuy2000 Julie,Julie Anne,&Felice 4Ever Forum Star Join Date: Dec 27, 2013 Posts: 16,914	Yes please! And thank you for bringing this up!
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10-12-2020, 05:58 PM	#6
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Make that 11.
	__________________ [

04-25-2022, 03:07 PM	#14
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,125	I think it's more of a sitcom than not. Glad it has it's own board finally
	__________________ Sonny

10-12-2020, 01:40 PM	#2
SledgeBarone Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2020 Posts: 1,930	EEEEEE-YYYYYYEEEEEESSSSS!

10-12-2020, 01:55 PM	#3
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	I don’t watch his show that much so never noticed the show didn’t have a sub-forum on the 50’s Forum. The show absolutely should have it’s own Forum under the 50’s Umbrella. I hope that happens.

10-12-2020, 05:31 PM	#5
icecream Cat-tastic and Whiskerlicious Forum Celebrity Join Date: Sep 01, 2006 Location: The Catacombs Posts: 20,608	10 out of 12 voters agree The Jack Benny Program deserves its own sub-forum.

10-13-2020, 12:13 PM	#10
TJ Site Owner Administrator Forum Star Join Date: Feb 03, 2000 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 10,648	Due to popular demand, The Jack Benny Program has been added to the 1950s Sitcoms section. I moved some Jack Benny related threads to the newly added board.

10-13-2020, 05:46 PM	#12
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	GREAT!!! Thanx T.J.

10-17-2020, 08:44 AM	#13
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,170	It's not exactly a sitcom, though. There are sketches within it but not always. There are often monologues but not always. There are musical performances but only sometimes. I'd call it more of a hybrid, but I voted yes because it should have a forum.