When it came to Hee Haw, I didn't really care about the music as a kid, but the corny jokes were worth an occasional viewing.
Later seeing Hee Haw reruns (airing on a couple of networks these days, including the sometimes religious Family Net as well as RFD TV) I was amazed at how they put it together. From what I've read, they recorded an entire season over about seven weeks a year. They'd do several days worth of taping in the corn field, they'd do several days in the barber shop, etc. Everyone was there and had better know their lines. Then they'd record bits and music with the guests, who also were all there over a three to four week period.
Then the production crew would patch it together like a quilt. A few jokes, a few songs, all assembled from what had been recorded over the seven weeks of taping. They'd use fake audience applause and laughter to tie everything together. They'd have Buck Owens and Roy Clark each look to their right, laughing, then turn to the camera and say, "Here's Randy Travis!", then look to their left clapping their hands, to give the impression they were hosting a live show, moving from segment to segment. Of course, at that time, they hadn't seen a funny bit and Randy Travis had recorded his songs weeks earlier. But that's how they assembled Hee Haw.
Later seeing Hee Haw reruns (airing on a couple of networks these days, including the sometimes religious Family Net as well as RFD TV) I was amazed at how they put it together. From what I've read, they recorded an entire season over about seven weeks a year. They'd do several days worth of taping in the corn field, they'd do several days in the barber shop, etc. Everyone was there and had better know their lines. Then they'd record bits and music with the guests, who also were all there over a three to four week period.
Then the production crew would patch it together like a quilt. A few jokes, a few songs, all assembled from what had been recorded over the seven weeks of taping. They'd use fake audience applause and laughter to tie everything together. They'd have Buck Owens and Roy Clark each look to their right, laughing, then turn to the camera and say, "Here's Randy Travis!", then look to their left clapping their hands, to give the impression they were hosting a live show, moving from segment to segment. Of course, at that time, they hadn't seen a funny bit and Randy Travis had recorded his songs weeks earlier. But that's how they assembled Hee Haw.