A line flub turned into a happy accident that made the scene. When Bennie Arthur accidentally called Tillery Johnson “Henry Fonda” instead of “Henry Ford”, this sketch about the erotic letters Warren G. Harding sent to his mistress could have been derailed. Instead, because the cast was listening and paying attention, it became even more hilarious.
This show was the first time in almost two years I had two sketches in “Top Story! Weekly!” This one was a look at the Lindsay Lohan fuck list, and an excuse for me to write for great impressions like James Warfield’s James Franco, Mark Gagliardi’s Colin Farrell (both of whom were on the list) and Tammie Smalls’ Wanda Sykes (who wasn’t, but could have been…)
The concept of a Johnny Carson sex tape was so rich for comedy that we did two sketches in one show on it. The first – by Sean Tierney – probably played a little better, but mine was fun too.
Hey! It’s been a while! But when our show’s most loyal fan, Herb Koss, celebrated his 80th birthday a few days before our March 9th show I knew we had to do something to address it. Brian Vestal does an absolutely amazing characterization of Herb here – even if you don’t know him, you’ll really enjoy it!!
So the December 8 episode of Top Story! Weekly? No big deal. Our guest comedian was only BOB FREAKIN’ ODENKIRK!!!!!
So with a completely sold-out house, and a guest comedian who was one of the reasons I wanted to do sketch comedy, I made sure we brought our A-game. And I came up with an opener that is probably the most UCB-ish game sketch I’ve ever written for TS!W, based upon a suggestion from Phillip Wilburn that the Obamacare website could be a “Christmas miracle.” I went in a different direction, and it ended up opening the show.
Justin Bieber peeing in a mop bucket in a restaurant was hilarious enough. Justin Bieber saying “Fuck Bill Clinton!” while squirting a photo of the president with cleanser made it even funnier. And the one way I thought to make it funnier still would be to make Clinton a jilted fangirl. Here’s the results – great work from Phillip and Jen.
With Justin Bieber back in the news due to his rough week in London, and Tillery Johnson in our cast, it was time for another Bieber sketch. And this one Tillery helped me write!
My first sketch in Top Story! Weekly in several weeks (it’s getting competitive!). When I heard about Ryan Lochte’s mom saying her son only has one-night stands, it was too good a comic target to pass up. And I don’t believe for a minute that a woman who was in her teens or 20’s in the 1970’s, and who married a swim coach, doesn’t know what a one-night stand is. Or that Ryan Lochte has never had one. And doesn’t Blake Walker look fetching in drag?
I had wanted for a while to do a “Downton Abbey” parody with Mitt Romney, but I hadn’t been able to figure out an angle. But when I read about the incredibly elitist and out-of-town comments his supporters made outside his Hamptons fundraisers, I knew I had it. And when the Bain Capital allegations blew up over the past few days, the sketch provided a means to address those stories as well. I was happy about a lot with this sketch – especially the audience’s instant recognition of the “smoking and plotting” O’Brien and Thomas.
Mike Hughes' blog 
Watch “Harding After Hours” From Top Story! Weekly Episode 257: “The Heat Is Off!”
July 18, 2014A line flub turned into a happy accident that made the scene. When Bennie Arthur accidentally called Tillery Johnson “Henry Fonda” instead of “Henry Ford”, this sketch about the erotic letters Warren G. Harding sent to his mistress could have been derailed. Instead, because the cast was listening and paying attention, it became even more hilarious.
HARDING AFTER HOURS by Michael Hughes
Starring Bennie Arthur (Warren G. Harding), Jen Cain (Carrie Fulton Phillips), Tillery Johnson (Henry Ford), Kipleigh Brown (Dorothy Parker), Sean Cowhig (Babe Ruth),Matthew Harris (Louis Armstrong) and Eileen Mary O’Connell (Narrator)
Directed by Michael Hughes
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Tags:1920's, Babe Ruth, Bennie Arthur, Carrie Fulton Phillips, Charleson, cocaine, Dorothy Parker, Eileen Mary O'Connell, Eileen O'Connell, erotic letters, Henry Fonda, Henry Ford, Jen Cain, Kipleigh Brown, Louis Armstrong, Matthew Harris, Michael Hughes, Mike Hughes, mistress, Model A, Model T, Sean Cowhig, Teapot Dome, Tillery Johnson, Top Story! Weekly, Warren G. Harding, Warren Harding
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