MadTV: The Fascinating Facts Behind Fox’s Rowdiest Show

To Be Edgy Or To Not Be Edgy?

Photo Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage/Getty Images

From the start, MadTV was more diverse than SNL, with the humor being broader, ruder, and less intellectual. The show was not afraid to be mean as it was the goal to be edgy. As with any long-running comedy show, there are different regimes of writers and cast members who have different ideas of what’s funny.

Fox never owned the show, but it did survive for years with very little support from the broadcasting company. What the show did provide was a very busy and hands-on censor who wanted to ensure the comedy wasn’t too raunchy. Essentially, MadTV was intended as a show for working-class viewers who wanted a laugh.