Floyd Robertson
Floyd Robertson is a fictional
As news anchor
Floyd Robertson's name was originally derived from that of CBC news anchor Lloyd Robertson. Shortly after Floyd Robertson debuted, Lloyd Robertson changed networks, and became the longtime CTV National News anchor. Other than the name and occupation, the character shares no real similarities with the Canadian news anchor.
Floyd Robertson was presented as the respectable, well-dressed member of SCTV's news team, who reported on the important national and international news stories (including a series of natural disasters in the semi-fictional
When not informing viewers of the news of the day, Robertson served as a
Robertson had particular scorn for Camembert's editorials, on one occasion laughing throughout his co-anchor's piece. Another time, when Camembert gave a particularly outrageous editorial in which he made disparaging remarks about women newscasters, Robertson coldly informed him that, if given the chance to co-anchor with a woman, he would drop Camembert in a heartbeat.[9]
On some occasions, Robertson pushed his luck with Camembert. At the end of one newscast where Robertson made fun of his co-anchor's unorthodox pronunciation of his surname, the ill-humored Camembert responded by punching him in the jaw.
Robertson's disdain for Camembert extended to his son, Earl Junior, who when trying his hand at co-anchoring a newscast was bullied mercilessly by Robertson.[13] But Camembert was not the only colleague to be subjected to Robertson's wrath: When Walter Cronkite (as impersonated by Dave Thomas), filling in for Camembert one night, fabricated a "big story" about an explosion at a laundromat, Robertson snapped at him as well.[14]
At least one sketch implicitly suggested that Robertson, in addition to co-anchoring the SCTV News, was also the station's news director (a common practice in the earlier years of television). After SCTV's resident foreigner, Pirini Scleroso (played by Andrea Martin), botched a taped field report, Camembert pointedly reminded Robertson that he was responsible for her being hired as a reporter in the first place.[15]
Post-1981
After SCTV was picked up by the
As Count Floyd
Robertson also had a long run as Count Floyd on the movie series Monster Chiller Horror Theatre. The humor derived not only from the fact that the movies shown were extremely cheesy and anything but scary, but also that Floyd's definition of what was scary differed significantly from what was intended for the juvenile audience that was Monster Chiller Horror Theatre's target. For example, at the end of the screening of the Swedish existentialist drama Whispers of the Wolf, Floyd asked, "You think it's not scary to be depressed?"[18] After weakly defending the film, Floyd would then usually admit that the film wasn't scary ("All right, it wasn't scary!"), but promise that next week's film would be really scary.
There were three SCTV episodes where it was made evident who was the man occupying the
The dual role of Robertson / Count Floyd is a reference to the formerly common practice in television for on-air staff to also serve as the host of a kiddie/cartoon show. Many local weathermen or announcers would wear a costume and host a cartoon show or even a horror show, as Floyd did.
References
- ^ SCTV Guide: SCTV News. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ "SCTV AM News" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15. In that sketch, Camembert mentioned that the late night news report was on at 4 AM, thus falling close to sign-off time.
- ^ "SCTV AM News Today: Earl plays taped music" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV News: Marijuana" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "24 The Flaming Turkey [050] [SCTV - Season 2]" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ SCTV News - New Deli" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ SCTV News: Earl tries to make the newscast more hip" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV - Election Central" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "Earl's Editorial on Women Newscasters" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "23 The Grapes of Mud [023] [SCTV - Season 1]" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV News: Earl's Impacted Wisdom Tooth" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV News - Togo Earthquake, Mr. Earl Doll" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV News - Earl's Son Visits" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV News: Walter Cronkite drops by" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "22 Consumer Action Line [048] [SCTV - Season 2]" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ SCTV Guide: Zontar with Bonar Bain and Natalie Cole. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ "SCTV Evening News - Zontar Prevails!" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ "SCTV Monster Chiller Horror Theatre: Whispers of the Wolf" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ SCTV Guide: Madame Blitzman. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ "18 Madame Blitzman [018] [SCTV - Season 1]" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.
- ^ SCTV Guide: You're On/Happy Hour. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ "SCTV News: Earl's Retirement" (YouTube clip). Retrieved 2021-02-15.