Other shows had greater success while using elements of Kovacs's style. George Schlatter, producer of the later television series "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In", was married to actress Jolene Brand, who had appeared in Kovacs's comic troupes over the years and had been a frequent participant in his pioneering sketches. "Laugh-In" made frequent use of the quick blackout gags and surreal humor that marked many Kovacs projects. Another link was a young NBC staffer, Bill Wendell, Kovacs's usual announcer and sometimes a sketch participant. From 1980 to 1995, Wendell was the announcer for David Letterman, whose show and style of humor were greatly influenced by Kovacs.