CODCO was a Canadian comedy troupe from Newfoundland, best known for a sketch comedy series which aired on CBC Television from 1987 to 1992. They began as a theatrical revue in 1973, CODCO drew on the province’s cultural history of self-deprecating “Newfie” humour, frequently focusing on the cod fishing industry. The troupe’s name was an abbreviation of “Cod Company”.

Reminiscent of David Steinberg’s controversial appearance on the Smothers Brothers (yesterday’s post), the CBC refused to air “Pleasant Irish Priests in Conversation”, a sketch involving three Roman Catholic priests discussing their sexual experiences (see below). The Mount Cashel Orphanage child abuse controversy was very much in the news at the time, and as Newfoundlanders, the CODCO crew quite naturally had very strong opinions on the matter. Within a year, CODCO was off the air but a number of the cast went on to appear on This Hour Has 22 Minutes, a similar comedy show that is still being aired by the CBC.