I have to agree with the poster who felt the show was light years ahead of any Nickelodeon fare. In fact, in a strange way, this very New Yawk weekend show, which aired on a local channel and only to a few markets but to a very large audience, reminded me at times of those wonderful old New Yawk weekend kids shows on a local channel with Sonny Fox, like Wonderama and The Sonny Fox Show. Mario Cantone was the glue that held everything together, a sort of short, chubby Pee Wee Herman. Steampipe Alley was half game show, half comedy skits. I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Mr. Cantone at an event in New Yawk some years later (although he wasn't particularly thrilled when I brought up Steampipe Alley; maybe it was just too many years in the past for a guy who has clearly moved on to bigger and better things). I just saw him again on the Comedy Central roast of Joan Rivers. He is a truly funny guy and a gifted impressionist.
