Lampy's Funny

After numerous magazine parodies, several members of the Harvard Lampoon are negotiating with the CBS television network to do a spoof of the show "60 Minutes" this summer.

CBS will decide within the next two weeks whether they want to buy and air the parody, a network official said yesterday, adding that while CBS has given The Lampoon no firm commitments "It's not unthinkable to us to give an hour slot to a college organization...We're generally inclined towards the idea."

The television program would be departure from the Lampoon's traditional magazine parody format. But after the success of recent Lampoon spoofs of "People" and "Newsweek," "the market's a little tight," Conan O'Brien '85, the Lampoon's president said, adding, "Lots of people are doing parodies. So we thought we'd experiment...and get into the wonderful world of television."

O'Brien refused to discuss what the content of the show would be, bur predicted the project would be a success. "We've come up with a lot of ideas that are amazing," O'Brien modesty said, adding; "60 Minutes is really perfect for parody. They're very aggressive...and they penetrate every aspect of society--entertainment, politics, the science community. And they take themselves very seriously."

CBS and the Lampoon have yet to determine if the members of the humor magazine would actually appear in the proposed program, O'Brien said that either way the 'Poonsters would not be intimidated by the bright lights of the television studio. "We like to think of ourselves as first rate comedic talents. We might sneak in--do a chorus line kick at the end."

Should CBS approve the project, O'Brien hopes it will air as early as next February. But if the "60 Minutes" parody doesn't appeal to network brass, the Lampoon staff has other projects on the burner. If the projects dies "we might start an arts and crafts project...or a salute to Billy Barty--a very short actor who plays midgets." the club's president said.