The Credibility Gap

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For the political term, see Credibility gap.

The Credibility Gap
Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap with (left to right) John Gilliland, Thom Beck, Len Chandler, Richard Beebe, and Lew Irwin from An 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

The Credibility Gap was 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 station

KPPC-FM
in 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.

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

History

Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap

The Credibility Gap grew out of a company formed by

KRLA 1110 hired news director Irwin to form The Credibility Gap in 1968 with his radio colleagues John Gilliland, Thom Beck, Richard Beebe, and folk singer Len Chandler.[4] They took their name from the Vietnam-era term "credibility gap" (a euphemism
for political dishonesty), and broadcast their comedy along with the news on KRLA.
David L. Lander
in February, 1969.

The Credibility Gap

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

In 1969, The Credibility Gap performed on KRLA's

Bob 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]

KPPC and The Credibility Gap continued their on-air performances there. In 1971, the trio released the album Woodschtick, consisting of two long pieces that were somewhat in the style of The Firesign Theatre. Also writing and performing on the album was Michael McKean, who would be promoted to full membership after the album's release. Guest performers Christopher Ross, Morgan Upton and Albert Brooks
would 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]

Warner Brothers, a four-and-a-half minute mini mock-rock opera called Something for Mary.[19]

The Credibility Gap followed up this recording with the 1974 album A 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 band Little 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 (

Fernwood 2-Night, as well as co-writing comedy albums and the 1979 feature film Real Life with 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 film Cracking 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 album Floats. As well, selections from their earlier radio material were compiled on 1977's The Bronze Age of Radio.[1]

Shearer became a writer/performer on Saturday Night Live in 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

The group disbanded in 1979, but the members have occasionally worked together since, most notably the pairings of McKean and Lander as Lenny and Squiggy on the situation comedy

Museum of Television and Radio in honor of Beebe.[21][22] Beebe's family, in Richard's absence, donated all original Credibility Gap recordings from 1968-1972 to the Paley Center.[citation needed
]

Discography

Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap

The Credibility Gap

References

  1. ^ a b c "Projects : Radio". Harry Shearer. Archived from the original on August 19, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Page, Don (December 14, 1969). "Grist From the Radio's Rumor Mill". LA Times. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Alt URL
  3. ^ "~Los Angeles Radio People, Q&A 3rd quarter 1998". www.laradio.com.
  4. ^ a b "Lew Irwin Sets Record Straight on Origins of 1110/KRLA Credibility Gap" (PDF).
  5. ^
    AllMusic
    . Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  6. ^ a b "Magic of JuJu: Political Porno". Magicofjuju.blogspot.com. December 21, 2006. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
  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. August 3, 1969. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  10. ^ "X-Files chief not moving". Vancouver Sun. April 20, 1998. Retrieved June 15, 2007.
  11. ^ "The Paley Center for Media". Paleycenter.org. January 2, 2017. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  12. L.A. Weekly. November 12–18, 1999. Archived from the original
    on January 17, 2003. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  13. The Los Angeles Times
    . p. F18.
  14. The Los Angeles Times
    .
  15. ^ a b "Albums by The Credibility Gap". Rate Your Music. October 23, 1971. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  16. ^ Plume, Kenneth (February 10, 2000). "Interview with Harry Shearer (Part 1 of 4)". IGN. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  17. ^ Plume, Kenneth (February 10, 2000). "Interview with Harry Shearer (Part 4 of 4)". IGN. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  18. ^ Club Review: Credibility Gap, Buchanan at Roxy
  19. ^ "Credibility Gap - Something For Mary". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021.
  20. ^ mjmckean (June 1, 2016). "THE REALITY BUILDING: Some Words on The Credibility Gap – flotation device". Michaelmckean.com. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  21. ^ Lloyd, Robert (November 10, 1999). "Film+TV - Sketch Artists 1 - The Credibility Gap's one-night stand". LA Weekly. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  22. ^ Lloyd, Robert (November 10, 1999). "Film+TV - Sketch Artists 2 - The Credibility Gap's one-night stand". LA Weekly. Retrieved April 15, 2009.
  23. ^ The Credibility Gap (1979). "A Great Gift Idea! / Floats".

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