You Can't Do That on Television facts for kids

Quick facts for kids You Can't Do That on Television
Genre	Sketch comedy
Created by	Roger Price
Directed by	Geoffrey Darby Brian Lebold Brenda Mason Alex Sutton Roger Price Gerben Heslinga
Starring	Les Lye Abby Hagyard Christine McGlade additional cast
Opening theme	William Tell Overture (Dixieland arrangement)
Country of origin	Canada
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	10
No. of episodes	144 (plus 2 compilations) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Geoffrey Darby Bryn Matthews Jeffrey C. Weber John Findlay Geraldine Laybourne Robert Wilson
Producer(s)	Roger Price Geoffrey Darby Brenda Mason
Production location(s)	CJOH-TV Studios Ottawa, Ontario
Running time	60 minutes (1979–80) 30 minutes (1981–90)
Release
Original network	CTV (1979–90) Nickelodeon (1981–90)
Original release	February 3, 1979 (1979-02-03) – May 25, 1990 (1990-05-25)

You Can't Do That on Television was a fun sketch comedy TV show from Canada. It first aired in Canada in 1979. Later, it became very popular in the United States starting in 1981. The show featured young actors, mostly pre-teens and teenagers. They performed funny skits, much like other popular comedy shows. Each episode had a special theme, often about things happening in the world at that time.

This show is famous for being a big part of the early days of the Nickelodeon TV channel. It was very popular and introduced Nickelodeon's well-known green slime. Many actors who became famous later started on this show. These include musician Alanis Morissette and TV producer Bill Prady.

The show was made in Ottawa, Canada, by a TV station called CJOH-TV. It started as a local show for Ottawa viewers. But from its third season, it was made for audiences across North America. After new episodes stopped in 1990, Nickelodeon kept showing reruns until 1994. Then, another similar show called All That took its place.

There's even a movie about the show! It's a documentary from 2004 called You Can't Do That on Film. You can watch the second season of the show on Paramount+ as of 2021.

Abby Hagyard played many different characters on the show.

How the Show Started and Grew

This section tells you about the history of You Can't Do That on Television.

Local Beginnings in Ottawa

You Can't Do That on Television first aired on February 3, 1979. It was shown on CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Canada. It was a local show, one hour long, and made with a small budget. The show had comedy skits, music videos, and live phone-in contests. Viewers could win prizes like radios and model kits. Local disco dancers and special guests also appeared. The show even had a "roving camera" that went around town. It recorded kids telling jokes or complaining about life. These clips were shown the next week.

A funny actor named Les Lye played many characters. He was the only adult actor at first. He stayed on the show for its entire run. Later, in 1982, actress Abby Hagyard joined. She played characters like "Valerie," a mom, while Les Lye played "Lance," a dad. Sometimes, older kids in the cast played adult roles too.

The show was for kids on Saturday mornings. It wasn't meant to be educational. But it was very successful! It had high ratings in its time slot. Most of the early episodes from the first season were thought to be lost. But in 2013, copies were found and put online.

The show's idea was similar to other kids' comedy shows. Roger Price, the creator, made similar shows in Britain before this one.

Becoming a National Show in Canada

After a successful first year, a national version of the show was made. It was called Whatever Turns You On and started in September 1979. The show was shortened to 30 minutes. It removed local content and added a laugh track. Music videos were replaced with live performances by Canadian artists. Famous comedian Ruth Buzzi joined the cast. She played many adult female characters, like a strict teacher.

The number of child actors was also reduced. The show was put on Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. Some TV stations didn't show it, possibly because of its content. So, CTV canceled the show in December 1979 after only 13 episodes.

In January 1981, YCDTOTV started making new episodes again. These aired locally on CJOH until May 1981. The new episodes were like the first season but focused on a specific topic each week. Video game competitions replaced the disco dancers.

The creators then tried to sell YCDTOTV to other stations. They edited the 1981 episodes into half-hour shows. Some scenes were re-filmed to remove Canadian details. These new half-hour versions were all sketch comedy. The 1981 season was shown again on CJOH in 1982 in this new format. The team also made a pilot for Disney called Bear Rapids, but it was not picked up.

The show featured live music performances, including the band Trooper.

Nickelodeon's Role

In 1981, Nickelodeon, a new TV channel for young people in the U.S., became interested in YCDTOTV. Nickelodeon first showed a few edited episodes as a test. People liked them, so in January 1982, Nickelodeon started showing the whole edited season. By 1983, YCDTOTV was Nickelodeon's most popular show.

New episodes of YCDTOTV began full-time production in 1982. Nickelodeon and CJOH worked together to make them. The show also started airing across Canada. CTV showed it on Saturday mornings from 1982 to 1990. In 1988, a new Canadian channel called YTV started showing it daily.

Nickelodeon held a contest called "Slime-In." Winners got to visit the set of You Can't Do That on Television and get slimed! YTV in Canada later did a similar contest.

In 1983, Roger Price made another show for PBS called Don't Look Now. It was similar to early YCDTOTV episodes. It even had a green slime-like gag called "Yellow Yuck." Despite good ratings, the show ended after five episodes. Parents complained about some content. Nickelodeon also worried it might hurt YCDTOTV's popularity.

Price made another show for Nickelodeon in 1985 called Turkey Television. It featured several YCDTOTV actors. Another show, UFO Kidnapped, was also made in 1983. Its pilot aired on Nickelodeon, but the series was not picked up.

The Show's Final Years

Roger Price moved away after the 1987 season. He thought Nickelodeon wouldn't order more episodes. Production stopped for 1988. When Price returned to Canada, he wanted to make the show in Toronto. But the cast and crew convinced him to return to Ottawa. Nickelodeon then ordered more episodes for 1989. New auditions were held in 1988.

Some fans have mixed feelings about the 1989 and 1990 episodes. They felt the show used more bathroom humor and more slime. This was supposedly because Nickelodeon wanted it. However, many old cast members returned for small appearances. For example, in the "Age" episode, several former cast members came back.

The show's popularity went down in 1989 and 1990. Nickelodeon also wanted to make more of its own shows. So, You Can't Do That on Television officially ended in 1990. Reruns continued until January 1994.

In 2015, Nickelodeon's sister channel, TeenNick, started showing reruns again. They began with some early 1981 episodes. As of March 2021, the 1981 season is available to stream on Paramount+.

International Showings

YCDTOTV was very popular in Australia in the mid-1980s. It aired on ABC Television. It was shown on weekdays and sometimes during school holidays. The show was also seen in Europe and the Middle East. It was dubbed into Arabic in some countries.

The show was also broadcast in other countries. These included the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the Philippines.

Parodies and Tributes

YCDTOTV has been mentioned in other TV shows. Robot Chicken has parodied its famous gags, like locker jokes and green slime.

In an episode of Family Guy, a character gets slimed after saying "I don't know." This was a direct reference to YCDTOTV's opening. Another episode was even titled "You Can't Do That on Television, Peter".

The show NewsRadio also had an episode where characters got slimed and doused with water. This was a tribute to YCDTOTV's "trigger machines."

VH1's I Love the '80s 3-D featured a segment on YCDTOTV. Many celebrities got slimed after saying "I don't know."

The show was also loosely parodied in a How I Met Your Mother episode. The character played by Cobie Smulders made references to the show. She was a fan of it growing up.

An episode of Saturday Night Live also had a funny story about how green slime started on YCDTOTV.

Reunion Special

In July 2004, a special reunion show was made. It was called Project 131 and celebrated the show's 25th anniversary. Five original cast members returned for it.

Possible Reboot

In 2017, there was talk of bringing You Can't Do That on Television back. The original creator, Roger Price, would have been involved. However, in 2019, it was announced that the reboot would not happen.

Show's Special Features

You Can't Do That on Television had many unique parts. The comedy often showed how kids felt about adults. Adults were often shown as clueless or unfair. Les Lye played many of these adult characters. He played "Ross," a producer who cheated people. He also played "Barth," a cook who made terrible food. The kids on the show often argued and insulted each other. This was different from most kids' shows where everyone got along.

The show used many repeating jokes and tricks. Here are some of the most famous ones.

Opening Animation: The Children's Television Sausage Factory

The show started with a surreal animated sequence. It was set to a jazzy version of the "William Tell Overture". The animation changed over the years.

• In the first season, it showed the Canadian Parliament building. A hand would pull off the roof, and balloons with political leaders' faces would float out. Then, the Peace Tower would launch like a rocket.
• Later, there were two versions of the "Children's Television Sausage Factory" animation. In this sequence, children were "processed" in a factory. They then boarded a school bus that took them to the TV studio.
• Both "Sausage Factory" animations showed some of the child actors getting off the bus. Les Lye appeared as a security guard. This footage was reused from an earlier show.
• The intro ended with Les Lye's face opening his mouth. His face was stamped with "You Can't Do That on Television." Then the screen cracked, and the show began.

Preempted Show Intro

Starting in season two, before the main intro, a funny title card would appear. It showed a fake TV show that was "preempted." Les Lye would announce it, saying things like, "Mr. T Thinks He's A Girl will not be seen today." These jokes often used popular culture references from the 1980s. Sometimes, the show itself was "preempted."

Opposites Skits

Each episode had an "opposites" segment. It was introduced by the screen flipping upside down. A cast member would say something opposite to what was happening. Then, the screen would flip, and the "opposites" would begin. These sketches showed the opposite of real life. Kids might have authority over adults. Or adults might encourage kids to be naughty. For example, kids might be told to eat sweets instead of vegetables.

Sometimes, the roles of recurring characters were reversed. For instance, the kids might get to shoot El Capitano. A return to normal was shown by another screen flip.

Opposite sketches started in the first season. But they became a regular part of the show later on.

Firing Squad

Most episodes, starting in 1981, had a "firing squad" sketch. Les Lye played El Capitano, a military officer. He would prepare to have a child actor shot by a firing squad. The kid would often trick El Capitano. Then, El Capitano himself would get shot and groan, "That is one sneaky keed."

Barth's Burgers

Starting with the 1981 season, many episodes featured sketches at Barth's Burgery. This was a fast-food restaurant run by Barth, played by Les Lye. Barth was a messy and unpleasant cook. He used gross methods to make burgers. The kids would often be disgusted by what was in their food. Barth's famous line was "Duh, I heard that!"

In the early seasons, Barth had an assistant named Zilch. Barth would often insult and hit Zilch with a pan.

Locker Jokes

In the "locker jokes" part of each episode, cast members stood inside school lockers. The lockers had "You Can't Do That on Television" painted on them. The kids would tell jokes to each other. One person would open their locker and call another. They would tell the joke, and only their lockers would be open. After the joke, they would close their lockers. This was similar to a "joke wall" on another comedy show. This segment was in the show from the very beginning until the end.

Production Bumper

At the end of most episodes, after the credits, there was a special announcement. It said which "company" produced the show. The company's name usually matched the episode's theme. For example, "Black Eye" for "Bullying." Les Lye would announce the name. He often added a joke, only to realize the cameras were still on.

Post-Credit Scene

After the production bumper, there was usually one last sketch. These scenes often took place "backstage." They broke the "fourth wall," meaning characters talked about the show itself. They often featured one last funny moment for a main cast member. These scenes were sometimes cut, especially for Nickelodeon airings.

Other Recurring Bits

Other popular parts of the show included:

• Fake Commercials: Funny parodies of TV commercials. They featured fake products or spoofs of real ones. These were cut when Nickelodeon started showing real ads.
• Blip's Arcade: Blip, the arcade owner, would cheat his customers. He rigged games or gave bad deals.
• Nasti's Dungeon: A kid was chained in a dungeon. The prison warden, Nasti, would trick them into thinking they would be freed.
• Benedict Arnold School: Strict Mr. Schidtler battled his unruly students. Sometimes he won, sometimes the students tricked him.
• Prevert Home: Scenes often took place on the front steps of the Prevert family home.
• Summer Camp Bunk Bed: Kids would talk about how uncomfortable camp was.
• Offices: Doctor's, dentist's, and principal's offices were all shown as evil or mischievous places.

Water, Slime, and Pies

The show was famous for "stage pollution." This meant unpleasant things were poured or thrown onto cast members.

Water Dousings

When someone said "water," "wash," or "wet," a lot of cold water would fall on them. In earlier years, buckets were used. Later, water fell from above. By 1984, only the word "water" caused a dousing. Cast members sometimes tried to say "agua" or "eau" to avoid it, but they still got soaked.

The water was usually plain. But sometimes, it was soapy, hot, or even dirty.

Green Slime

When someone said, "I don't know," green slime would pour down on them. This was called being "slimed." It became the show's most famous part. The sliming gag was used in almost every episode, especially from 1982 onwards. One of the show's creators said the slime was a "comeuppance" for the kids.

Green slime was in the very first episode. The original slime was made by accident. A bucket of moldy food leftovers was dumped on an actor. The audience loved it! So, the creators made a whole episode about slime. That's when "I don't know" became the trigger phrase.

Most actors didn't like getting slimed. They sometimes tried to avoid saying "I don't know." But it usually didn't work. For example, one actor said "insufficient data" instead, but still got slimed.

The slime was usually green. But other colors were sometimes used, like red, blue, yellow, or black. White slime was used in a 1981 episode. In a 1982 episode, an actor was slimed with green, red, blue, yellow, and "stripes" (all at once).

The original slime recipe was rotten food. But actors complained it was dangerous. So, the recipe changed to lime-green gelatin powder, oatmeal, and water. Later, baby shampoo was added to make it easier to wash out. In later years, it was green food coloring and cottage cheese.

Actors often looked up into the slime as it fell. This made sure it covered their faces. A clear tarp was put on the floor to protect the set. The loud splatter sound was the liquid hitting the tarp. Actors who got slimed were sometimes paid extra. Slime scenes were filmed last so actors could rinse off right away.

Green slime became a symbol for Nickelodeon. The network wanted more slimings on the show. Nickelodeon later sold green slime shampoo and other slime toys. The network still uses green slime at its annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

Pies in the Face

The classic pie-in-the-face gag was also used often. Pie scenes were most common in the show's early years. One whole episode was even built around the pie-in-the-face gag.

Cast Members

Original cast member Ruth Buzzi

Besides Les Lye and Abby Hagyard, who played the adult roles, over 100 young actors appeared on YCDTOTV. Here are some of the notable cast members: