31:
231:
In 1996 through 1998, stand-up comic R. O'Donnell hosted the Fox Diner (WFLD–Channel 32) at Taste of
Chicago, which was an entertainment venue promoting the Fox network with live talent interviews, giveaways and bands. In 1998, O'Donnell pitched his comedy/variety show concept to vice president and
353:
Regarded as very
Chicago-centric, R. Rated was, according to Ben Winters of NewCity, Chicago "...exactly what creator R. O'Donnell set out for: a fun, inventive half-hour showcasing Chicago talent." Winters went on to praise Mick Napier's videos as, "...perverse, bizarre, and brilliant," and that
223:. It aired on Fridays at midnight on WFLD Fox 32, Chicago, and featured sketch comedy troupes, theater companies, musicians, stand-up comics and other independent film and video makers.
529:
308:
offered a Willy Laszlo directed short about the most unusual home invader while O'Donnell appeared in an array of impromptu "man on the street interviews" and monologues.
534:
247:, who, as a comic, was billed simply as "R." (hence the title of the show). Vicki Potts served as producer and Edward Seaton served as director and editor.
250:
It premiered Friday, August 13, 1999, at midnight on WFLD Fox 32, Chicago. It was listed in the TV Guide as a 30 minute variety show that was rated PG.
268:
Numerous short form video works from the sketch comedy groups Videos from the ID, Ectomorph (Darren
Bodeker, Bart Heird and Jim Kopsian), and the
524:
368:(only available through bootlegs on DVD) remains a rare collection of Chicago's variety and comedic talent on the rise in the late 1990s.
346:
drew an average 2.9 rating out of 7 shares in its time slot, tying with Ch. 7 and Ch. 50 programming. Executives at Fox 32 awarded
244:
220:
128:
77:
49:
519:
357:
O'Donnell also hoped his new TV comedy series would earn greater recognition for a wide array of
Chicago talent.
481:
463:
354:
sketch comedy troupe
Ectomorph were, "...on target with their charming, Chaplinesque black and white videos."
385:
254:
301:
277:
311:
Musical acts included The
Swinging Love Hammers, Kleen Ex-Girl Wonder, and The Gathering Field.
326:, could have greater late-night artistic freedom without black-bar and sound bleep censorship.
323:
269:
89:
334:
R. Rated received ratings that outpaced competing shows in the same time slot including the
297:
285:
232:
general manager Stacey Marks-Bronner. She greenlit a midnight time-slot on the station.
305:
253:
The commercials for local sponsors were directed and produced by O'Donnell as a nod to
257:
and, "...as a way of integrating the plugs into the free-flowing nature of the show."
219:
was a late 90s
American comedy variety TV show executive produced and hosted by comic
513:
499:
Kazlowski, Carl (September 1999), "Ch. 32 gives 'R. Rated' series another 26 weeks",
289:
273:
319:
281:
85:
315:
406:
Feder, Robert (August 4, 1999), "Ch. 32 Comedy Show keeps the talent local",
464:"R. O'Donnell hopes his new comedy series will shift spotlight to Chicago"
444:. No. Chicago Metro edition. TV Guide, TV Listings. August 7, 1999.
30:
293:
260:
Bumpers and fillers were created by Steve Wood and Peter
Neville.
392:. No. Scene–VP. Penske Media Corporation. February 23, 1997.
425:
Winters, Ben (August 27, 1999). "This Week's Action: R. Rated".
272:
were featured. The
Annoyance Theater Productions starred actors
197:
189:
184:
174:
166:
158:
150:
142:
134:
124:
119:
108:
97:
73:
63:
55:
45:
37:
21:
468:Chicago Tribune, Friday, Page 1, Section 5 Tempo
530:1990s American sketch comedy television series
243:was created, executive produced and hosted by
314:O'Donnell requested Fox keep the show out of
8:
29:
18:
457:
455:
453:
451:
420:
418:
416:
535:1990s American variety television series
408:Chicago Sun Times, Pg 53, TV & Radio
401:
399:
377:
350:with another 26 weeks of broadcasting.
482:"Sky's the Limit - RU Ready For More?"
7:
480:Johnson, Allan (October 7, 1999).
462:Johnson, Allan (August 13, 1999),
14:
336:Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn
318:so that his contributors like
109:
98:
1:
525:Theatre companies in Chicago
338:on Chicago's Channel 2 and
551:
16:1999 TV series or program
201:August 13, 1999
28:
501:Screen, Pg 12 – Newsreel
386:"Greenberg upped at Fox"
520:American comedy troupes
255:The Ernie Kovacs Show
193:WFLD, Fox 32, Chicago
175:Production companies
330:Ratings and reviews
302:Saturday Night Live
278:Saturday Night Live
143:Production location
427:New City - Chicago
125:Executive producer
83:Videos from the ID
64:Creative directors
324:Annoyance Theatre
270:Annoyance Theater
212:
211:
90:Annoyance Theater
542:
504:
503:
496:
490:
489:
477:
471:
470:
459:
446:
445:
437:
431:
430:
422:
411:
410:
403:
394:
393:
382:
208:
206:
185:Original release
111:
100:
33:
19:
550:
549:
545:
544:
543:
541:
540:
539:
510:
509:
508:
507:
498:
497:
493:
486:Chicago Tribune
479:
478:
474:
461:
460:
449:
439:
438:
434:
424:
423:
414:
405:
404:
397:
384:
383:
379:
374:
363:
342:on Channel 26.
332:
286:The Second City
266:
264:Featured talent
238:
229:
204:
202:
179:
92:
84:
82:
80:
68:
17:
12:
11:
5:
548:
546:
538:
537:
532:
527:
522:
512:
511:
506:
505:
491:
472:
447:
432:
412:
395:
376:
375:
373:
370:
362:
359:
331:
328:
306:Tim Kazurinsky
265:
262:
237:
234:
228:
225:
210:
209:
199:
195:
194:
191:
187:
186:
182:
181:
180:VPA Production
178:R. Productions
176:
172:
171:
168:
164:
163:
160:
156:
155:
152:
151:Cinematography
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
126:
122:
121:
117:
116:
113:
106:
105:
102:
95:
94:
75:
71:
70:
65:
61:
60:
57:
53:
52:
47:
43:
42:
41:Variety/sketch
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
547:
536:
533:
531:
528:
526:
523:
521:
518:
517:
515:
502:
495:
492:
487:
483:
476:
473:
469:
465:
458:
456:
454:
452:
448:
443:
436:
433:
428:
421:
419:
417:
413:
409:
402:
400:
396:
391:
387:
381:
378:
371:
369:
367:
360:
358:
355:
351:
349:
345:
341:
337:
329:
327:
325:
321:
317:
312:
309:
307:
303:
299:
295:
291:
290:Stephnie Weir
287:
283:
279:
275:
274:Rachel Dratch
271:
263:
261:
258:
256:
251:
248:
246:
242:
235:
233:
226:
224:
222:
218:
217:
200:
196:
192:
188:
183:
177:
173:
169:
165:
162:Edward Seaton
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
130:
127:
123:
118:
114:
107:
103:
96:
93:Peter Neville
91:
87:
79:
76:
72:
69:Peter Neville
66:
62:
59:Edward Seaton
58:
54:
51:
48:
44:
40:
36:
32:
27:
24:
20:
500:
494:
485:
475:
467:
441:
440:"R. Rated".
435:
426:
407:
389:
380:
365:
364:
356:
352:
347:
343:
339:
335:
333:
313:
310:
267:
259:
252:
249:
240:
239:
230:
221:R. O'Donnell
215:
214:
213:
167:Running time
129:R. O'Donnell
78:R. O'Donnell
50:R. O'Donnell
22:
361:Bootleg DVD
320:Mick Napier
298:Second City
282:Mick Napier
138:Vicki Potts
112:of episodes
86:Mick Napier
56:Directed by
514:Categories
372:References
316:prime time
296:). Former
236:Production
205:1999-08-13
120:Production
101:of seasons
67:Steve Wood
46:Created by
340:Mancow TV
245:O'Donnell
81:Ectomorph
442:TV Guide
366:R. Rated
348:R. Rated
344:R. Rated
241:R. Rated
216:R. Rated
135:Producer
88:and the
74:Starring
23:R. Rated
390:Variety
322:of the
304:alumni
288:), and
227:History
203: (
198:Release
190:Network
146:Chicago
170:24 min
159:Editor
294:MADtv
154:Codey
38:Genre
300:and
280:),
110:No.
99:No.
516::
484:.
466:,
450:^
415:^
398:^
388:.
488:.
429:.
292:(
284:(
276:(
207:)
115:5
104:1
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
