‘NewsRadio’ is 30! Here Are Seven Things You Never Knew About Phil Hartman’s Cult Comedy
On March 21, 1995, NewsRadio —an ensemble sitcom about life behind the scenes at an AM radio station, featuring a who’s-who of ’90s comedy stars including Dave Foley, Maura Tierney, Joe Rogan, Stephen Root, and the late Phil Hartman (and guest stars like Norm MacDonald, Janeane Garofalo and Lauren Graham) —premiered. Taking the tradition of excellently-written classic workplace comedies like The Mary Tyler Moore Show or Murphy Brown, and tossing in a pinch of absurdity (characters were occasionally sent to outer space or the Titanic, for starters), the show’s oddball blend of grounded hilarity and total farce made it one of the nineties’ most under-appreciated shows.
The critically beloved show was not a ratings hit, due perhaps to its constant time slot changes (11 time slots in five seasons!). But in the years since, it has become a major cult favorite, and has been viewed as an influence on juggernaut workplace comedies like The Office and Parks and Recreation.
Celebrate the 30th anniversary of NewsRadio with some facts about the show that you almost definitely didn’t know.
1Its young creator had never even written for a network sitcom before
NEWSRADIO, Vicki Lewis, Khandi Alexander, Maura Tierney, Dave Foley, Joe Rogan, (1996-Season 2), 1995-99, (c)Brillstein-Grey Entertainment/courtesy Everett Collection
Believe it or not, NewsRadio creator Paul Simms had never actually worked on a network sitcom before he made one. A former writer for comedy magazines Spy and The National Lampoon, Simms cut his television teeth working for Late Night with David Letterman and HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show before landing the life-changing opportunity to oversee his own sitcom at only 29 years of age. After NewsRadio, he went on to work for quirky comedies like Flight of the Conchords and What We Do in the Shadows.
2The cast of Friends were in the audience during the pilot
Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
Among those in attendance for NewsRadio‘s first episode taping were all six primary cast members from Friends, who were there to watch legendary sitcom director James Burroughs bring another NBC comedy to life. Reportedly, the six superstars were a bit jealous that the director, who had helmed nearly half of their own first season, had moved on to help create something else that would also potentially be huge — NBC executives were struggling at the time to guess which show would end up being the network’s bigger hit (Friends won out in the end, in case you didn’t guess).
3Before Everyone Loved Raymond, Ray Romano was almost the janitor
© CBS / Courtesy: Everett Collection
While the sardonic Vicki Lewis ended up playing the role of Beth the receptionist, the part almost went to one of the other two popular comedians who auditioned – Sarah Silverman and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Similarly, the part of Handyman Joe Garrelli (played throughout the series by Joe Rogan) was initially won by Ray Romano, who was fired after two days on the set. Reportedly, Romano wasn’t feeling the role and was relieved to be let go (luckily, it wasn’t long before everybody loved him!). He and NewsRadio star Maura Tierney did reunite years later, for the 2004 film Welcome to Mooseport.
4One controversial episode was banned for a year over a single word
(c)Brillstein-Grey Entertainment/courtesy Everett Collection
Originally intended to air during the show’s second season, “The Injury” was held up in NBC Standards and Practices limbo for well over a year, only surfacing after all of season’s three’s episodes had aired. The reason? NBC brass would only allow the episode to see the light of day if producers agreed to remove several instances in which the word “penis” was spoken. Somehow, the unedited episode eventually found its way to syndication, while DVD sets included the censored version.
5The show is filled with rock ‘n’ roll Easter eggs
©Brillstein-Grey Entertainment. Courtesy: Everett Collection
If music fans pay close attention to the show, they’ll find references to classic tunes and artists throughout. For instance, a whopping nine episodes in season two are named after Led Zeppelin albums, while a later episode was even more randomly titled “Led Zeppelin Boxed Set.” Meanwhile, Jimmy James (played by the great Stephen Root) is named after a Beastie Boys deep cut, and Beth’s name was inspired by the classic hit by Kiss.
6Jon Lovitz played three different roles on the show
(c) Columbia TriStar Tel./ Courtesy: Everett Collection.
Lovitz, best known for his years on Saturday Night Live, first appeared on NewsRadio as Fred in “Our Fiftieth Episode” and then reappeared as depressed Mike Johnson in “Jumper.” Following Phil Hartman’s untimely passing, he was offered the chance to return to the show as Max Lewis, a new regular character designed to replace his close friend and former SNL costar. After careful consideration, Lovitz ultimately agreed to join the cast, even as the show’s ratings dropped towards cancellation following that final fifth season.
7Phil Hartman was gone but never forgotten
Brillstein-Grey Entertainment/Everett Collection
After Hartman’s death, Radio Ink Magazine featured him on their cover as a tribute to the popular star. When NewsRadio finally returned to the airwaves for its fifth (and inevitably final) season, it depicted the rest of the core characters returning from Bill’s funeral and dealing with his loss. During the episode, Hartman’s Radio Ink cover was visible on Dave’s desk.
Remind 
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