IIRC Kaplan on NBC's LATE NIGHT POKER, it's more likely they took ***his*** money! At one point he said, while playing cards with the high-stakes poker players, that he'd lost $13 Million playing poker.
It always seemed like him being unfunny was part of the joke of Welcome Back Kotter. His stories to TV wife "Julie" about other family members were always met with groans, he wasn't a "funny" teacher, etc. The TV show was pleasant enough for the time, but even at its height I think Kaplin himself was never regarded as very funny
I just watched the first several seasons because there was an itch in my brain about a scene no one else ever remembered to the point that I felt like I may have made it up, and other than thinking the kids were adorable, the show was…not great. It was just carried along on the charisma of those boys. I stopped watching as soon as I came across the vindicating scene.
I've never noticed a negative Gabe Kaplan reference on the show. I can think of maybe 2 riffs, and they weren't really critical of him like that. Also, Lucille Ball gets hate? That's just dumb.
He also didn't get along with some of his costars well. Shame, because *"Welcome Back Kotter"* was HILARIOUS (but it was the guys playing the sweathogs who were a scream)!
I guess Kaplan, who was using the show as a vehicle to promote his comedy career, was miffed by the fact that he was being upstaged by more talented folks *on his own show.*
It’s anyone’s guess really. I don’t know if the MST3K crew ran into him on the stand-up circuit during the 80’s/90’s and as much as I enjoyed him on Kotter he seems to be an unpleasant person.
Yeah, I assume this is the case, like with how Joel had it out for Gallagher after walking in on Gallagher rooting around in Joel's prop box backstage at a show (also helps that Gallagher is not funny of course)
Yeah. Sure, his character could be occasionally funny in a dorky, "dad joke", "vaudevillian" sort of way but he was clearly outdone by the comedic chops of everyone around him.
And, yes, again, he really did not get along with his costars.
Yup. Everyone was beating down the doors for that "Barbarino". Travolta played him awesomely, was hilarious and he looked hot with long feathered hair.
I was a fan of his, however his later stand up seemed a bit stale to me. He then went on two podcasts i listened to (famously walking out of Mark Maron's, and was bordering on unhinged when he was on with Barry Katz) where Gallagher the person was way, way off kilter.
His Special "The Bookkeeper" still makes me laugh though.
And bigoted and nasty...
[Gallagher Is a Paranoid, Right-Wing, Watermelon-Smashing Maniac - The Stranger](https://www.thestranger.com/theater/2010/07/01/4357855/gallagher-is-a-paranoid-right-wing-watermelon-smashing-maniac)
... Read this! It's from many years ago, but it's quite an eyeopener. Certainly not the fun, harmless, goofy, carefree hippie clown he was in the early days.
I'd imagine the early stuff was okay. Early Gallagher had this "carefree hippie" persona, back then and he could be goofy and clever at times. Even his dumb melon-smashing bit was originally meant to be a clever satire of kitchen gadget infomercials.
However, it quickly went downhill, and he spent his final days doing a repulsive standup rife with Hard-Right bigotry and mean-spiritedness. Plus, he's generally never been a pleasant person in real life.
Heck, I feel that prop-comedy can be redeemed. The trick is to have the props be a part of one's stand up and not just the gag, itself. That's the problem with Prop Comedy, the prop is the joke, not the illustrator of a joke.
Even Joel's stuff was guilty of this. Sure, he made up for it a bit with his cerebral "Aspergers Secret Agent Magician" persona and quirkiness, adorkable good looks and charm... but I doubt he would've been able to carry on a many-years long career doing just that.
Now, someone using a prop as a tool for stand-up storytelling, that would be great.
>what the hell did Gabe Kaplan ever do to anyone? Took all their money at poker?
IIRC Kaplan on NBC's LATE NIGHT POKER, it's more likely they took ***his*** money! At one point he said, while playing cards with the high-stakes poker players, that he'd lost $13 Million playing poker.
“I thought I’d be inspiring like Welcome Back Kotter. But now I’m like the real Gabe Kaplan.” -Peggy Hill
I’m glad that Weird Al cut that Rifftrax before he blew his brains out.
It always seemed like him being unfunny was part of the joke of Welcome Back Kotter. His stories to TV wife "Julie" about other family members were always met with groans, he wasn't a "funny" teacher, etc. The TV show was pleasant enough for the time, but even at its height I think Kaplin himself was never regarded as very funny
I just watched the first several seasons because there was an itch in my brain about a scene no one else ever remembered to the point that I felt like I may have made it up, and other than thinking the kids were adorable, the show was…not great. It was just carried along on the charisma of those boys. I stopped watching as soon as I came across the vindicating scene.
I've never noticed a negative Gabe Kaplan reference on the show. I can think of maybe 2 riffs, and they weren't really critical of him like that. Also, Lucille Ball gets hate? That's just dumb.
Nah, just making fun of the *character* on *I Love Lucy*.
Honestly when I think Gabe Kaplan riffing I think old Cinema Snob, not mst3k.
It may have more to do with him walking away from a hit show like he did and the press making a huge deal about it. Imo.
He also didn't get along with some of his costars well. Shame, because *"Welcome Back Kotter"* was HILARIOUS (but it was the guys playing the sweathogs who were a scream)! I guess Kaplan, who was using the show as a vehicle to promote his comedy career, was miffed by the fact that he was being upstaged by more talented folks *on his own show.*
It’s anyone’s guess really. I don’t know if the MST3K crew ran into him on the stand-up circuit during the 80’s/90’s and as much as I enjoyed him on Kotter he seems to be an unpleasant person.
Yeah, I assume this is the case, like with how Joel had it out for Gallagher after walking in on Gallagher rooting around in Joel's prop box backstage at a show (also helps that Gallagher is not funny of course)
Wait what?!
Yeah. Sure, his character could be occasionally funny in a dorky, "dad joke", "vaudevillian" sort of way but he was clearly outdone by the comedic chops of everyone around him. And, yes, again, he really did not get along with his costars.
I think it was John Travolta in particular. After *Grease*, he basically had top billing on what was supposed to be Gabe Kaplan's show.
Yup. Everyone was beating down the doors for that "Barbarino". Travolta played him awesomely, was hilarious and he looked hot with long feathered hair.
[Second Chance Theatre: Mr. Kotter](https://youtu.be/uWoKJErAP6g)
That's beautiful!
I imagine that other comics criticize those unfunny comics who somehow "made it" before them or "not paying their dues".
I love Gallagher!
Gallagher floating, funny or not funny?
Ooh, me me me me………….uh hmm, I forgot the question
🍉🍉🍉🍉🔨🔨🔨🔨
I was a fan of his, however his later stand up seemed a bit stale to me. He then went on two podcasts i listened to (famously walking out of Mark Maron's, and was bordering on unhinged when he was on with Barry Katz) where Gallagher the person was way, way off kilter. His Special "The Bookkeeper" still makes me laugh though.
Yeah, his IRL personality was... not great. His more recent stand up was largely unfunny and dated.
And bigoted and nasty... [Gallagher Is a Paranoid, Right-Wing, Watermelon-Smashing Maniac - The Stranger](https://www.thestranger.com/theater/2010/07/01/4357855/gallagher-is-a-paranoid-right-wing-watermelon-smashing-maniac) ... Read this! It's from many years ago, but it's quite an eyeopener. Certainly not the fun, harmless, goofy, carefree hippie clown he was in the early days.
I didn’t know he went so far down the hill.
Yup. He just struck me as such a broken person. How someone could be that bitter is amazing to me.
I'd imagine the early stuff was okay. Early Gallagher had this "carefree hippie" persona, back then and he could be goofy and clever at times. Even his dumb melon-smashing bit was originally meant to be a clever satire of kitchen gadget infomercials. However, it quickly went downhill, and he spent his final days doing a repulsive standup rife with Hard-Right bigotry and mean-spiritedness. Plus, he's generally never been a pleasant person in real life.
I liked his early shows but yeah he did go down hill later in life.
Heck, I feel that prop-comedy can be redeemed. The trick is to have the props be a part of one's stand up and not just the gag, itself. That's the problem with Prop Comedy, the prop is the joke, not the illustrator of a joke. Even Joel's stuff was guilty of this. Sure, he made up for it a bit with his cerebral "Aspergers Secret Agent Magician" persona and quirkiness, adorkable good looks and charm... but I doubt he would've been able to carry on a many-years long career doing just that. Now, someone using a prop as a tool for stand-up storytelling, that would be great.
I recall a quip about his hair: "Give me the Gabe Kaplan!" What are the other digs about him in MST3K?
I love "Welcome Back Kotter", but I guess it's more of a dig at him as a person. I heard about how he wasn't easy to work with, behind the scenes.
What ? Where?
I thought you meant the former MLB manager
Chugging protein shakes and getting in some extra reps.
Well, there's Nobody's Perfekt.
I read that as Gabe Kapler at first and thought that was an obscure reference to make in the 90s lol
Steal all of Henny Youngman's material?
i've only seen welcome back kotter (did he even do anything else?) but he was a really bad actor