WELCOME BACK, KUTTER

\WELCOME BACK, KOTTER
ABC 1975-1979

Yesterday was a look at MAD and Cracked's take on Welcome Back, Kotter, now we'll see Crazy and Sick's versions...

A CRAZY LOOK AT THOSE KOOKY KOTTER KIDS
Crazy #29, September 1977

WELCOME BACK, KUTTER
Crazy #18, July 1976
w: Len Herman
a: Ernie Colon

This sitcom was a vehicle for stand-up comic Gabe Kaplan, who had a show based on one single routine he did a few months earlier. The premise was that Gabe Kotter (Gabe Kaplan) is now a teacher and has returned to the school where he grew up ten years earlier, and now teaches the gang of juvenile delinquents that he once belonged to known as The Sweathogs. The principal of James Buchanan High School was Mr. Woodman (John Sylvester-White)

The Sweathogs were Vinnie Barbarino (John Travolta), Freddie “Boom-Boom” Washington (Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs), Juan Epstein (Robert Hegyes), and Arnold Horshack (Ron Palillo)

WELCOME BACK, KNOTHEAD
Sick #110, June 1976
a: Dick Ayers

One thing Crazy didn't use was Gabe's at-home life with his wife Julie (Marcia Strassman)

“Up your nose with a rubber hose” was one of their catchphrases. More of their catchphrases and recurring motifs are in the video above.

WELCOME BACK, KRUDDER
Sick #115, June 1977
w:Arnold Drake
a: Jack Sparling

Gabe telling one-liners to his wife at the beginning and end of each episode was another regular theme. Charlie Tuna was the mascot for Star-Kist tuna and their catchphrase was “Star-Kist wants tunas that taste good”

The Sweathogs were always dropping in on Mr. Kotter at home, usually climbing into his window.

As a palatte cleanser, here's a TV Guide cover by Jack Davis.