Why the Royal Canadian Air Farce was celebrating in 1983
Comedy troupe was marking 10 years on CBC Radio with a special live taping
It was the end of an era in 2019 when CBC aired the last New Year's Eve special from the Royal Canadian Air Farce.
Although, to be precise, the comedy troupe that started on CBC Radio in 1973 and got a TV show 20 years later wasn't seen on New Year's Eve at all.
Instead, their 2019 special aired on Dec. 30 that year, and according to the Canadian Press, it was the "last hurrah" for the Air Farce, which stopped airing on CBC-TV in 2008.
Way back in 1983, the quintet — Roger Abbott, Dave Broadfoot, Don Ferguson, Luba Goy and John Morgan — was celebrating for a different reason: 10 years on the air.
Reporter Dan Bjarnason was at a taping of a special hour-long edition of their radio show for CBC's The National on Dec. 10, 1983.
Relaxed rehearsal
"The Air Farce claims that Parliament is actually funnier than they are," said Bjarnason, as the five of them stood on a stage in front of microphones, scripts in hand, at a rehearsal two days earlier.
Member John Morgan affected a falsetto voice, and Dave Broadfoot slurred his words, as they practiced the words for a sketch.
"They've won a string of awards, and spun off a record album and a book," said the reporter. It would be another 10 years before the debut of their TV show on CBC Television in October 1993.
A Front Page Challenge gag
Don Ferguson, who was still part of the troupe in 2019, did a spot-on impression of then-prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
"I salute everyone connected with this program," he said, even making a Trudeau-like shrug. "You have Gordon, Betty, Pierre and, of course, Fred Davis."
He was actually listing the panel and host of CBC's long-running news headline game show Front Page Challenge.
"Uh, I think you've got the wrong show, Pierre," said Morgan, still in falsetto.
"Oh no, I never miss the Royal Canadian Air Farce," said Ferguson-as-Trudeau. "I don't listen, and I never miss it."
All dressed up for radio
On the night of the live taping for the special, announcer Allan McFee — himself a well-loved CBC Radio host — spoke the introduction.
"From Cabbagetown, ladies and gentlemen, the Royal Canadian Air Farce!" he said, as Luba Goy chimed in, "Ici Farce Canada!"
Radio listeners across the country would hear the special on CBC Radio two days later.
Goy, the other original member who will take part in the Dec. 30 special, was wearing a royal blue evening gown while her colleagues were attired in tuxedos for the occasion.
Viewers then got a glimpse of the Farce reading what radio listeners would be hearing in that weekend's special.
"All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, I could hear the sound that strikes fear into the hearts of Canadians everywhere," he said.
The punchline, queued up by effects master Alex Sheridan, was something familiar to any CBC viewer: the theme for The National.
