The Hee Haw Collection

A tip of the straw hat to Hee Haw for getting the last laugh on Laugh-In. Hee Haw, which originally ran on CBS from 1969-71, was dissed and dismissed as a rural rip-off of Laugh-In, which was then TV's hippest show. Have you watched Laugh-In lately? A product of its time, it does not hold up. At all. Hee Haw, a victim of the so-called “rural purge” that ushered in a new era of sophisticated and relevant comedies such as All in the Family, M*A*S*H, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, thrived in syndication into the ‘90s. Eschewing topical humor, its cornpone gags (“Did you hear the story about the broken pencil?” “It has no point”) enjoy a longer shelf life. But what makes the show remotely watchable is not so much the jokes (warning: the corn really is as high as an elephant's eye) as the music. Hosted by a “pickin' and grinnin'” Roy Clark and Buck Owens, the show attracted legendary country artists. This set of five episodes features Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Merle Haggard, Charlie Rich, and Conway Twitty, among others. The bountiful harvest of extras includes bonus interviews with cast members Clark, Lulu Roman, and George “Goober” Lindsey, as well as “Hee Haw Laffs,” which is not an oxymoron thanks to a game Kornfield Kounty ensemble that featured, among others, Minnie Pearl, Archie Campbell, and Junior Samples (the Larry the Cable Guy of his day). Hardly must-see TV, but likely to appeal to nostalgic Baby Boomers, this is a strong optional purchase. (D. Liebenson)