Americathon

In 1998 the world's oil supply is exhausted. The U.S. Treasury is empty and in deep debt to a billionaire businessman (Chief Dan George) who'll foreclose on the nation in 30 days. The solution: a telethon to save Uncle Sam from bankruptcy. And with this way-out-there premise as a launching pad, Americathon explodes into comic outer space. Written by Firesign Theatre veterans Phil Proctor and Peter Bergman, this wickedly funny -- and 30 years later, outrageously timely -- escapade stars Harvey Korman as an ego-tripping emcee, Fred Willard as a scheming White House aide and John Ritter as a mellow fellow of a President. Has the country got a prayer when the people running the show haven't got a clue? Tune in to this all-stops-out extravaganza of hilarity and -- strange but true -- foreboding.

• comedy