The Credibility Gap

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 KRLA 1110, and proceeded to develop more elaborate and ambitious satirical routines on the "underground" station KPPC-FM in Pasadena, California.

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. 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. 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.

They first aired on the date of the 1968 California Primary. By this point, Gilliland and Chandler had left, to be replaced by Bob Goodwin. 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.

By late 1970, the Credibility Gap consisted of Beebe, Shearer, who was hired after sending a tape to the radio station;

KRLA dropped The Credibility Gap's show in 1970, 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. No longer radio regulars, the group started performing in various clubs and concert venues. They also returned to the studio in 1972 to record a promo-only single for Warner Brothers, a four-and-a-half minute mini mock-rock opera called Something for Mary (1973, PRO 517).

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 (Golden Mike Award). The Credibility Gap continued as a trio (Lander, McKean and Shearer) through 1979, but after 1976 individual members tended to focus on other projects and the group itself made only sporadic, widely spaced appearances. McKean and Lander "moonlighted" by performing at the Pitschel Players Cabaret, but soon landed roles on the television series Laverne & Shirley that lasted from 1976 through 1983, bringing them widespread exposure. Shearer worked as a consultant for the TV series Fernwood 2-Night, as well as co-writing comedy albums and the 1979 feature film Real Life with Albert Brooks.

Functioning now more as an occasional side-project to three busy performing/writing careers, 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. Beebe's family, in Richard's absence, donated all original Credibility Gap recordings from 1968-1972 to the Paley Center.

Discography

Lew Irwin and The Credibility Gap

An Album of Political Pornography (Blue Thumb, 1968)

The Credibility Gap

Woodshtick and More (1971) Capitol Records (ST-681)
A Great Gift Idea (Reprise, 1974)
The Bronze Age of Radio (Waterhouse, 1977)
A Great Gift Idea & Floats(Double LP) (Sierra, 1979)

References

External links

The Credibility Gap performs (audio) on the Pop Chronicles (1969) via digital.library.unt.edu
Credibility Gap History and Audio from Harry Shearer
interview with Harry Shearer IGN

Metadata

The Credibility Gap - discogs.com
Credibility Gap at IMDb
Credibility Gap at last.fm
Len Chandler discography wirz.de