Robert Baumgardner as Jim Doorison

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Robert Baumgardner as Jim Doorison

Dateline: January 9



1969- First trial flight of Concorde supersonic jetliner, Bristol, England

It was going to revolutionize air travel. The latest revolution: no peanuts.

1970- Constitution of Singapore enacted

Now one of the wealthiest and most urbanized places on the planet.

That looks like an ocean liner on top of three high rises. How much is a one-bedroom?




1971- "Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen" closes at Majestic NYC after 19 performances

 It's the musical version of "Teahouse of the August Moon". Brando was not in the cast.


1972- Billionaire Howard Hughes says Clifford Irving's bio is a fake


He didn't fake a bio of Howard Hughes. He faked the Autobiography of Howard Hughes. Some people.


1973- Luna 21 launched, to Moon

The Soviets get a rover to the moon. Nobody driving it though. They beat Google?

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

vIRTE Go-Go! Charlene Nelson Reilly

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Evie Aronson, is Charlene Nelson Reilly

Dateline: August 14

1968- Montreal Expos officially become a member of Major League Baseball

2004-Montreal Expos officially not a member of the MLB. They get moved to Washington, and are now the Nationals.

1969- NY Mets fall 9½ games back, later to win pennant

They were the miracle Mets.

1970- Steven Stills arrested for cocaine possession

If coke is an '80's drug, he was ahead of his time.

1971- France performs nuclear test

Trying to play with the big boys.

1972- Jay Manuel of America's Next Top Model, a Canadian make-up artist, is born

The seeds of reality TV were sprouting.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

Sam Katz as Moon Walker

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.) Reading the events of the day, historyorb makes some of the days back then seem quite depressing. I tried to pick the best and most up beat news.

Sam Katz as Moon Walker

Dateline: November 9

1968- "Led Zepellin" lead singer Robert Plant (19) weds Maureen Wilson

 19!


1969- The birth of Allison Wolfe, American musician (Bratmobile, Cold Cold Hearts, Partyline)

One of the games we play in vIRTE Go-Go! is called Partyline!

1970- Trial of Seattle 8 anti-war protesters begins

 It turned into the Seattle 7 when one took off for California. They were never found guilty of inciting to riot, but served three months in prison for contempt of court. Hilarious.


1971 - John List kills family & moves to Colorado

Ugly. At least he didn't go to Disney World afterwards.


1972- US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

Doing the research for these blog posts, it starts feeling like every day was a good day for a nuclear test.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

Marcia Sofley is Ginny Jan

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Marcia Sofley is Ginny Jan

Dateline: November 19

1968- Mali military coup, president Modibo Keita flees


So many hilarious things happened in the '60's.

1969- Apollo 12's Conrad & Bean become 3rd & 4th humans on Moon

Conrad and Bean sounds like a comedy team. "72 astronauts walk into a bar..."

1970 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

People love to split atoms.

1971- Ft Wilderness at Disney World opens

The newest way to lose your kids.

1972- Gershwin Theater (Uris) is the newest Broadway theatre

Someday IRTE hopes to perform there, but "Wicked" looks like a permanent fixture.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

vIRTE Go-Go! Chelsea Boots!

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Nannette Deasy, alias Chelsea Boots (maybe we should be doing a show based on The Mod Squad)

Dateline: April 20

1968- The Washington Post reporter Carl Bernstein (24) weds fellow reporter Carol Honsa

I wonder if he ever bugged her.

1969- 1776 wins at the 23rd Tony Awards

You say you want a revolution?

1970- Ron Hill's 2:10:30 at Boston, sets new US marathon record

This year, Meb Keflezighi of California ran it in 2:08:37

1971 - Barbra Streisand records "We've Only Just Begun"

We've only just begun the '70's.

1972- Apollo 16's Young & Duke land on Moon with Boeing Lunar Rover #2

Far out!

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

Curt Dixon is DJ Holy Matrimony

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Curt Dixon is DJ Holy Matrimony

Dateline: November 14

1968- "National Turn in Your Draft Card Day" features draft card burning


Somehow, I don't think this was a national holiday.

1969 - Apollo 12 (Conrad/Gordon/Bean) launched for 2nd manned Moon landing

Going to the moon was more popular than going to Cancun back then.

1970- November 14 was a Saturday, so that means Adam-12, Mission Impossible, and The Pearl Bailey Show were on TV.

1971- Enthronment of Pope Shenouda III as Pope of Alexandria

There's another Pope? Besides the one in Greenwich Village?


1972- Dow Jones closes above 1,000 for 1st time (1003.16)

They scoff at this number today.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

Bill Berg is Lupine Lou

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Bill Berg, is Lupine Lou

Dateline: October 22

1968- Apollo 7 returns to Earth

Gearing up for the moon landing the next year.

1969- Paul McCartney denies rumors of his death

It's what you get for walking out of step on Abbey Road, and turning your back on Sgt. Pepper.

1970- Singer James Brown (37) weds Deidre Jenkins in Barnwell, South Carolina

He was a "Prisoner of Love".

1971- USSR performs nuclear test

What else is new?

1972- Oakland A's 1st championship; beat Reds, 4 games to 3 in World Series

Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson. Sheesh. No wonder they were winners.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.

vIRTE Go-Go!: Flashback to the Sause-y 60's/early 70's!

vIRTE Go-Go! is the next improvised show coming to you from IRTE.

It's loosely inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In a TV show that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, according to Wikipedia. I thought it'd be fun to take a look at what was happening in the time period by taking cast member birth dates and looking up the news of the day (courtesy historyorb.com.)

Mike Sause, playing the far out Fuzz Caldrin. 

Dateline March 2

1968- Ice Dance Championship at Geneva won by Towler & Ford (GRB)
- Ice Pairs Championship at Geneva won by Belousova & Protopopov (USSR)
- Men's Figure Skating Champions in Geneva won by Emmerich Danzer (AUT)
- Worlds Ladies Figure Skating Champ in Geneva won by Peggy Fleming (US)
Bonus: Daniel Craig was born.

I'm figuring there was a figure skating championship going on. And, James Bond was born. He'd been in five movies before this time, looking more like Sean Connery.

1969- 1st test flight of the supersonic Concorde


Yes, the Concorde, along with the SST, was going to revolutionize air travel.

1970- Rhodesia becomes independent republic


That's Zimbabwe to you.


1971 Birthdays- Amber Smith, Tampa Fl, actress (Faithful, Funeral, Mirror Has 2 Faces)
- Dave Gorman, English documentary comedian
- Donna Perry, Glendale CA, playmate (Nov, 1994)
- Elizabeth Lackey, American actress
- James Hammerstrand, LaMesa California, volleyball middle blocker (Oly-96)
- Ray Hall, NFL defensive tackle (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Ruffin Hamilton, NFL linebacker (Atlanta Falcons)

So, according to historyorb.com a bunch of babies were born on March 2, 1971, but nothing really happened.

1972 - Pioneer 10 launched for Jupiter flyby

It flew by Jupiter over a year later on December 3, 1973, and we lost contact 30 years later.

1973- Depressing according to historyorb, but at least we could tune into Maude and Hawaii-Five-0.

Get down and boogie with vIRTE Go-Go! 

Time: Saturdays, June 14, 21, & 28 at 8:00pm.

Location: The Producer's Club

358 W 44th St

New York, NY

Between 8th & 9th Ave

Tickets: $10 on-line or at the door.