About Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show

Too Funny to Fail: The Life & Death of The Dana Carvey Show is a 2017 documentary about the short-lived sketch comedy show The Dana Carvey Show. Released as part of Hulu's documentary series, the film delves deep into the creation, broadcast, and subsequent swift cancellation of the Dana Carvey Show. Despite boasting of comedic giants like Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, and Robert Smigel, the show only ran for seven episodes due to its controversial humor and issues with advertisers.

Making / Production

The documentary was directed by Josh Greenbaum and produced by Rafael Marmor and Christopher Leggett. It uses archival footage, old sketches, interviews with cast and crew, and retrospective commentaries to narrate the behind-the-scene stories and ground realities.

Actors

• Dana Carvey - Played multiple characters in the show. His legendary comedic talent was the centerpiece of the series, though it failed to secure the show's success.
• Steve Carell - Notorious for his role. His performances gained him his first national exposure in the field of comedy.
• Stephen Colbert - Played multiple characters. This was one of Colbert's early breaks into television comedy.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The Dana Carvey Show launched the careers of several famous comedians, artists, and writers, despite its early cancellation.
• The show was particularly known for its infamous sketch "Waiters who are Nauseated by Food", which ended up salting the show's relationship with its sponsors and the audience.

Quotes

• "It was showtime, we had created this absurd show, and no one had stopped us." - Dana Carvey
• "Just when you think you've got some security in this business, you realize that you never do." - Steve Carell

Music, Soundtracks

• The documentary's score is designed to evoke the chaotic and frenetic pacing of The Dana Carvey Show.