When WNED discovered political humorist Buffalo native Mark Russell doing his thing at Washington, DC’s Shoreham Hotel, they knew they were on to something big.  They proposed that he perform some live television specials and the rest, as they say, was history.  On November 3, 1975, the MARK RUSSELL COMEDY SPECIAL was born on PBS, and the laughs continued for over twenty-five years.

Broadcast live from Buffalo (with occasional visits to “exotic venues”), Russell delivered colorful commentary on the recent headlines along with song parodies poking fun at the news of the day.  Considered to be the Mark Twain or Will Rogers of our time, Mark Russell was called the “funniest man on television” by TV Guide.

The MARK RUSSELL COMEDY SPECIALS are no longer in production, as Russell enjoys his retirement, but he still makes occasional public appearances as he shares his unique and witty insights on the modern political landscape.