Complex sentence: To their shock, the comedians learned that this filler material had become the most popular part of the show and they rode the crest of a bizarre fad of popularity that produced two comedy albums and a movie, "Strange Brew".
Split into simpler sentences: To their shock, the comedians found that this filler material had become the most popular part of the show. They rode the crest of a fad that produced two comedy albums and a movie, "Strange Brew".