"Talk Soup" (1991) TV series 1991-2002

Directors:

Cynthia Zoller Malone
Fred Mendes

Writers:

Dan Greenberger (writer)
John Henson (writer) (1995-2000)

Seasons:

unknown

Genre:

Comedy | Talk-Show

Plot Keywords:

Chroma Key | Spoof | Virtual Set | Non Fiction

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Hal Sparks	...	Himself - Host (7 episodes, 1999-2000)
John Henson	...	Himself - Host (6 episodes, 1995-1999)
Tom McNamara	...	Stage Manager (5 episodes, 1997-2000)
Aisha Tyler	...	Host / ... (3 episodes, 2001-2002)
Liesel Kopp	...	Various Skits (3 episodes, 1997-1998)
Greg Kinnear	...	Himself - Host (2 episodes, 1991-1995)
Alan Wu	...	Assistant Director (2 episodes, 1992-1997)
Jeff Zimmer	...	Senor Sock (2 episodes, 1994-1998)
Brandon Gibson	...	Various Sketch Characters (2 episodes, 1997-2000)
Sadie Shiller	...	Various sketches (2 episodes, 1999)
Kevin Ruf	...	Guest Host for Episode / ... (2 episodes, 2000)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

E! Network Studios - 5750 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

E! Entertainment Television

Quotes:

Foxy Chocolate: How'd you like a platform boot up your honky ass?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Academy of Robots' Choice Awards Special (1998) (TV)

A show whose time has come and gone

Someone asked why Greg Kinnear quit the show? Um, have you seen where his career has gone since? I think he may have made the right choice to leave Talk Soup on the E! Channel for Academy Award nominations. Yes, he wasn't that bad. In fact, he was by far the BEST host of Talk Soup.

The key was, he got out at the right time. The show doesn't make sense anymore. In the early 90's, talk shows took themselves seriously. Talk Soup made fun of those shows who tried to pass themselves off as serious journalistic shows.

But for the last several years, the talk shows that they are parodying are parodies of themselves. So what is the point? It is not nearly as much fun to laugh WITH a show that knows it is stupid than to laugh AT a show that thinks it is producing quality television.

And what is with incuding just about every show on TV now? The show is called TALK Soup. Funny, I never considered Fear Factor a talk show.

Greg Kinnear was the master of this show, as he also help create the idea. But its time has come and gone now that every show they parody is basically the same thing anyway. Kinnear got out just in time, and I'm sure his bank account thanks him. I think I'd rather be in 'As Good As It Gets' over 'Dude Where's My Car', like Hal Sparks.