Not Necessarily the News

Not Necessarily the News
Country of origin	USA
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	HBO
Original release	August 1983 – August 26, 1990

Not Necessarily the News is a satirical sketch comedy series that first aired on HBO in September 1982 as a comedy special, and then ran as a series from 1983 to 1990. It featured sketches, parody news items, commercial parodies, and humorous bits made from overdubbing or editing actual news footage. It was based on the British series, Not the Nine O'Clock News. Not Necessarily the News was also the birthplace of Rich Hall's sniglets.

It starred:

• Anne Bloom (1982–1990), as Frosty Kimelman
• Rich Hall (1982–1990), who did a regular feature on "sniglets".
• Tommy Koenig (1982)
• Sam McMurray (1982)
• Audrie J. Neenan (1982–1985), as Jacqueline Pennell
• Danny Breen (1983–1990), as Steve Casper
• Mitchell Laurance (1983–1990), as news reporter Pete Kimelman.
• Stuart Pankin (1983–1985), as anchorman Bob Charles.
• Lucy Webb (1983–1990), as Helen St. Thomas
• Jan Hooks (1983–1984)
• Annabelle Gurwitch (1985–1990)
• Tom Parks (1989–1990)

NNTN was Conan O'Brien and Greg Daniels's first professional television writing gig.

The show's first theme song was the instrumental bridge of Eric Clapton's cover of "Motherless Children". It was switched to "Hooray For The City" by Jack Mack & The Heart Attack in 1985.

The series also spawned two specialized episodes that aired as occasional specials: Not Necessarily the Year in Review, and Not Necessarily the Sniglets.

The series spawned a number of Sniglet books.

External links

• Not Necessarily the News at the Internet Movie Database
• 1985 TV Guide review