The seven people who make up the critically acclaimed Second City TV write, produce, direct, perform and edit their 90-minute show from an otherwise normal TV studio in Toronto. We sent Robert Crane into that center of creative chaos to talk with the talented group and to see if he could survive their pace for a week. He reports: "The energy from this cast could light up much of Canada. They tape here because they don't want to be part of the scene in New York or Los Angeles--the very places where the shows they satirize are made. Here are some brief impressions: John Candy is the lovable bear, a warm, funny man; Andrea Martin is the least inhibited and the most accommodating; Eugene Levy is careful and the most precise; Rick Moranis may be the best impressionist; Dave Thomas is the most opinionated and thought-provoking; Joe Flaherty is the most shy and introverted off camera; Catherine O'Hara has the most changeable appearance and has the best bod in the group."

Q 1

PLAYBOY: OK, who's the funniest performer in the group?

Eugene Levy: I don't think there is one person who's the funniest.

Andrea Martin: I do. I think there're some weak people. If you want to be honest, I don't like----

Joe Flaherty: Physically, John is the funniest. Rick is the quickest. Catherine makes me laugh. Gene makes me laugh, but he's not the funniest.

Dave Thomas: The way to find out would be to get all of us in front of 1000 people. I think I'm funnier than Rick.

Q 2

PLAYBOY: Some people think your show is pretty outrageous. How do you think it stacks up against the rest of what's on the tube?

Joe Flaherty: I can't believe Three's Company is on television. But there are tons of bad shows. I find Norman Lear offensive under the guise of being a television messiah. Let's face it: A sitcom is a sitcom. He claims it's relevant or hard-hitting. He took himself so seriously. I remember that terrible thing he did, All That Glitters. It was like a real bad propaganda thing: "Look, I believe in the women's movement, I'm Norman Lear."

Dave Thomas: When I look at The Dukes of Hazzard and try to attack it from the standpoint of satire, I don't know what to do. What do we do, wreck cars? I don't understand the level at which it operates.

John Candy: I can't believe The Richard Simmons Show. And Richard Dawson--one of my all-time favorites. He's so obnoxious. He has everything going for him--the accent, the charm--and he blows it by being insulting. He isn't allowed in my house.

Q 3

PLAYBOY: It's conceded that you folks are the best imitators on TV. But are there people or shows that are off-limits to satirization?

John Candy: It's hard to do close friends. You know, they're nice people. I'm very political that way. I kind of do them, but it won't be a full-out version.

Andrea Martin: I was thinking that Sissy Spacek would be a great person to imitate, and then I thought, No, she's too good and I like her too much.

Catherine O'Hara: I don't want to do some people, not because it would hurt them but because it would be too much of a compliment to them.

John Candy: On the other hand, we tried to do Laverne & Shirley one time. We shot a scene and it looked just like Laverne & Shirley. No matter how shticky we got with it, how bad we took it, it just looked like one of their regular shows. There are some shows you just can't do.

Q 4

PLAYBOY: What's the best drug to take before watching your show?

Andrea Martin: A nice glass of warm milk.

Eugene Levy: Johnny Carson is the best drug to take before viewing our show. But some of the shows are unconsciously better appreciated if you've had a couple of tokes.

Catherine O'Hara: All I can think of is my mom reading this.

Eugene Levy: I think a lot of people interpret the show as stoned humor, but it's not. You won't find a straighter bunch of people than us doing a late-night show.

Andrea Martin: I picture our audience drinking a cold glass of white wine.

Rick Moranis: With some spinach salad and nice Venetian blinds behind them.

Eugene Levy: Egg-salad sandwiches and a milk shake.

Catherine O'Hara: Rusty nails and cigarettes.

Dave Thomas: I think grass is the best, because it will keep you from being too fidgety. It will allow you to revel in the subtle nuances of what we do. I recommend sinsemilla above other types of grass, because that keeps you up a little longer.

Q 5

PLAYBOY: What's the most fun you can have with your clothes on?

Rick Moranis: Eat at a five-star restaurant with Eugene.

Eugene Levy: Yeah, having a lovely paillard of beef that is beautifully seasoned and a nice tall Coke.

Catherine O'Hara: Come on, bar hopping and parties are better.

Rick Moranis: Wait a minute. I've changed my mind. I think the most fun you can have with your clothes on is a dry fuck.

John Candy: Yeah, I've got to go along with Rick on the dry fuck. Time is short and you're just in a hurry, like we are on this show a lot. A lot of that happens--the zipperless fuck.

Dave Thomas: Nah, the most fun to me is picking my nose. No question about it. It relaxes me in a way that Rick has to take his clothes off and do things with someone.