Laugh Tracks Legends of Comedy with Randy and Steve

Fred Travalena

You may not know his name but you surely know his voice(s), especially if you were a late night watcher of the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. Fred Travalena turned a fine singing voice and a gift for mimicry into a career that lasted well over 40 years. Fred was encouraged in show business by his father, also an entertainer, and he honed his skills and interest during a stint in the Army Special Services. Rich Little discovered Fred working the Catskills and recommended him as a regular opener for David Frost during his Riviera hotel gigs. Fred soon became a Vegas (and Atlantic City) staple and he soon became a popular guest on television talk and variety shows. In his later years, Fred was a favorite on cruise ships and at casino theaters, as well as a frequent voice actor for animated television shows. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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During his career prime, Fred was likely to pop up anywhere -- a game show, a talk show, a Celebrity roast, etc. Here is a nice fan-made collection of those moments. https://youtu.be/fVbPIFQeVCM?

A regular on the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethons, Fred often showed off his musical impressions. Here's Fred's appearance on the 1981 edition. https://youtu.be/fVbPIFQeVCM?si=c3uHw7S-CMdvoWhU

PDQ Bach

We've decided to "class up" the joint today with some fine classical music. Well, not exactly -- our laughs this time out come from accomplished composer, conductor, and musician Peter Schickele -- better known to comedy fans as PDQ Bach. Peter was a musical prodigy who attended both Swarthmore College and Julliard and who started his career as a songwriter and film composer. Just for fun, Peter started a series of humorous concerts, taking on the persona of PDQ Bach -- the youngest and oddest son of the famed composer. PDQ shows and albums drew inspiration from Spike Jones, using oddball instruments and sound effects to punctuate well known classical numbers. Later in life, Peter started a well-regarded public radio program (The Schickele Mix), but he also kept releasing PDQ material -- winning four consecutive Grammy awards in the 1990s. As always, find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Who doesn't like the"bunny hop" song? Well, maybe PDQ after his effort to supply a little percussion to the song. https://youtu.be/KzPtPoTgvNM?si=OM41uX5ZiW3nE0ST

PDQ Bach was known for playing shall we say "unusual instruments" and he was a favorite of the Smothers Brothers. Put the two together and you have this clip from the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. https://youtu.be/cZu3iaEPMA4?

Peter Schickele noted that his PDQ incarnation was heavily influened by musical comedy madman Spike Jones and the pedigree shows in this clip -- a version of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony -- narrated as if it were a sporting event. https://youtu.be/WR4CdKSeD-E?si=DwYiFs0mkHE7qHok

Foster Brooks

Today we salute Foster Brooks whose signature character -- "The Lovable Lush" -- was a mainstay on 1970s television shows and Las Vegas showrooms. Foster started out as a traditional standup and worked his way up in LA (along with a number of day jobs). When game show host Dennis James introduced Foster to Perry Como, the crooner tapped him to be his regular opener. Dean Martin became a fan and Foster's frequent appearances on Dino's 1970s variety show usually ended up a marinated master of malaprops and misunderstandings. Foster also was a regular at the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts. Public opinion regarding alcohol shifted dramatically in the early 1980s and Foster largely shelved his drunken character. He took on a number of television guest roles including Mr. Sternhagen, Mindy's boss on Mork and Mindy as well as bits in a number of direct to video movies. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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Dean Martin's reputation as a drinker was long established by the time he had a weekly television show, so when Foster was a guest the "lovable lush" character was sure to appear as in this sketch from the mid-1970s.https://youtu.be/FkW35T1jQB0?si=5G8YxlVLarbb9f5E

Foster was a frequent guest on television talk shows and he had some fun spots on Johnny Carson's Tonight show back in 1975. https://youtu.be/PrEJQNOmLEA?si=Nu234EbiKgnlfM3y

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts were a mainstay of 1970s television and Foster was a frequent participant -- here roasting former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. https://dai.ly/x8g678c

Jackie Mason

This week out we salute Jackie Mason who took comedy from the Temple and brought it to Broadway -- with a few roadblocks thrown in his path. Jackie started out his career as a rabbi -- and when he noticed that the funnier he made his sermons the larger the crowd he would draw Jackie connected the dots and made the leap to becoming a full-time comedian. A feud based on a misunderstanding led to a ban from the Ed Sullivan Show and two decades in the comedy wilderness for Jackie, but in the mid-1980s he made a spectacular comeback with The World According to Me, a one-man Broadway show in which Jackie really let the Jewish comedy fly. More shows followed and Jackie scored the highest pop culture tribute of our age when he was featured on The Simpsons as Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown. Find additional clips below and thanks for sharing our shows

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From the start, Jackie was different from other comics, particularly in his willingness to spar a bit with a tough crowd. This clip from the Hollywood Palace back in 1964 shows his skill. https://youtu.be/hPlbXs18kDE?si=jlaYcU8Oi5f88n1N

Jackie's career hit it's peak when he returned from a long stint in comedy purgatory to create The World According to Me, a one-man Broadway Shows that in the words of The NY Times "Turn(ed) kvetching into comedy gold." https://youtu.be/5V4zYe23QLg?si=H3KT_GcO5FKisle-

Being featured on the Simpsons has become a career highlight for many entertainers and Jackie made the grade when he was featured as Rabbi Hyman Krustofsky, the father of Krusty the Clown. Whatever the name it was unmistakably Jackie. https://youtu.be/-jR2LnD3Jms?si=wgN9M1nV91JAuQIu

Chico Marx

On your Marx, get set, and go! This time out the Marx we are honoring is Leonard -- better known to us as Chico whose playful and crafty stage persona was a perfect blend with Groucho, Harpo, and Gummo. The eldest brother of the Marx family, Chico also took on managing the brothers' film career, winning them an unprecedented at the time deal to get a percentage of the gross. Unfortunately, Chico didn't have the same magic with his personal finances as gambling losses forced him to work far longer than his kin. It was our gain, as Chico had a fine late career guesting on tv variety shows and in commercials. And why the nickname "Chico"? Turns out it was a sly tribute to his penchant for womanizing bestowed on him by his brothers. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Chico got his nickname (short for "chicken chaser") because of his penchant for womanizing. Here is Chico talking with Harpo -- who also had a thing for chasing women -- in the classic film Animal Crackers. https://youtu.be/Dbz02p90CV8?si=aIKFojpXW6XQiilU

Chico was a master of wisecracks and his back-and-forth banter with Groucho was always a highlight of a Marx Brothers film. Here's a nice compilation of some of Chico's best. https://youtu.be/F9L-iQP8O1s?si=h0j3gu08_5loUigT

Chico's gambling habit cost him a fortune and, as a result, he had to keep working after his brothers had retired. A fun show from this time was The College Bowl (not the game show) which featured Chico as a soda-shop proprietor in a small college town. https://youtu.be/iwjSaOwg57w?si=rebZjie33452pDMA

Craig Robinson

This time out we salute Craig Robinson, who might well have ended up as your high school music teacher had not the comedy bug bit him hard while in college at Illinois State University. Along with hitting the books, Craig also hit the boards at Second City and doing stand up, eventually moving to Los Angeles where he caught the eye of Jimmy Kimmel's show. As these things do, one thing led to another and Craig has carved out a fine career with guest shots in movies and on tv, a role in the hit sitcom The Office, and more. He also is a fine musician and maintains a couple of musical projects where the music is sweet soul and the comedy is sharp and a little risqué. With that combo we think Craig will be entertaining us for years to come. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Craig's comedy songs usually have a nice romantic intro, then turn a different direction for the payoff as in this clip from the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2008. https://youtu.be/I7BMAWwsMBs?si=CvLfOcPrLhD6ztrg

Craig gained mass attention when he took on the role of warehouse foreman Darryl Philbin in The Office. Here are some of his best bits. https://youtu.be/XrHeFFYhd1A?si=jx5UMoY0pobFe2i4

Craig Robinson is a great musical comedian, sometimes with his own band "Nasty Delicious" and sometimes with fellow comic Jerry Minor as in this sensitive ballad. https://youtu.be/pS3WQ-tqntA?si=aEN_ICdKmur1fL2e

Jack Benny

An icon of 20th Century American humor, Jack Benny started as a violinist who would use comedy to save himself from bombing. He ended up as a legendary comedian who used the violin as one part of an indelible comic character. Vain, stingy, and eternally 39, Jack became a hit in the 1930s on the then-new medium of radio. He turned that into a stellar movie and television career -- earning himself three stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame -- one each for movies, radio, and television. Benny was also part of Hollywood's comedy old guard with friends ranging from Bob Hope and Johnny Carson to Benny's long-time best bud George Burns. Benny is often cited as the Jedi master of comic timing -- he could bring down the house with just a glance, a shrug, or a perfectly timed "Well!" As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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This is short but worth seeing the visuals as Jack is called out on his age in a delightfully backhanded way. https://youtu.be/qCCzO-9pWls?si=RIi6-QPXUqS4J074

Jack's radio show was fun for some of the byplay between Jack and Announcer Don Wilson. This "marathon" of Benny radio shows has a nice example at the start -- then stick around for more!https://youtu.be/qCCzO-9pWls?si=RIi6-QPXUqS4J074

Jack and Johnny Carson were good friends, dating back to when Johnny was the new kid in town. This bit from Jack's tv show is great fun. https://youtu.be/mUd1-_91YTk?si=3Ob1JIItYTInlxjO

Jack received a rare honor when he was cast in his very own Looney Tunes cartoon. Here's a taste, featuring some of Jack's regular co-stars. https://youtu.be/xB6TSameuYQ?si=XUz2xQuUgOuXrQVS

Hasan Minaj

Meet Hasan Minaj, one of the brightest young comedians out there -- and a man who almost became the new host of The Daily Show. Born in Davis, CA to immigrant parents, Hasan caught the comedy bug in college, commuting to San Francisco to perform. His style of sharp eyed comedy and his youthful appeal eventually caught the eye of Jon Stewart and Hasan was the last Daily Show correspondent hired by Stewart during his first run as host. Eventually Hasan left and started his own show, the award-winning "The Patriot Act" on Netflix, which won numerous awards including a Peabody. A kerfuffle over whether some of his comedy stories were embellished apparently cost him the chance to become Daily Show host after Trevor Noah departed, but Hasan continues with a busy standup career. As always find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Hasan came to most of our attentions as a Daily Show correspondent (and almost host). Here's a clip package of some of Hasan's best from that show. https://youtu.be/3-0-81q-fGo?si=JISd8ym5R-Z5Wsia

Hasan won a Peabody award for his show "The Patriot Act" on Netflix, mixing comedy with sharp takes on the issues of the day, plus a little playful crowd work. https://youtu.be/J7dqGhOPVcY?si=uoD_T1Yby9hS5mLA

Hasan continues to put out first rate stand up specials. Here's a bit from his most recent -- "Off with His Head!" https://youtu.be/15fiVq9jj8Y?si=xWmWih4ie61ypGna

Howard Hesseman

Say hello to Howard Hesseman, who cut his teeth on satirical improv comedy as a founding member of San Francisco's

"The Committee" back in the 1960s, then became a mainstay of television and film for the next 50 plus years. Most of us know Howard from his role as Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati, but there is so much more to his career. Later roles included a starring role in ABC's Head of the Class and even a few appearances in Johnny Fever mode in a syndicated reboot of WKRP. Find extra clips below and, as always, we thank you for sharing our shows!

 

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Howard will be forever linked with the character of Dr. Johnny Fever, the too hip for words counterculture DJ at WKRP in Cincinnati. Here are some highlights from Dr. Johnny. https://youtu.be/dTFHueUAnKs?si=zNoy7-WNny-WQPQW

 

Howard's first big gig was a founding member of The Committee, a seminal San Francisco improv comedy group. Here's a fun tape from 1968 (and the description notes that Howard was performing under an alias because of draft issues). https://youtu.be/H8AyOtfMYf8?si=CZr-hd4N5C5n2SqE

 

Howard's second major sitcom was Head of the Class in which he played a sharp (and somewhat sardonic) history teacher for a group of gifted students. https://youtu.be/khsDEgcgS9E?si=PesFTw5fKYycLwmE

Bobcat Goldthwait

Might want to put on the headphones for this one -- Bob "Bobcat" Goldthwait has a set of pipes (at least in the old days) that is indescribable. A perfect fit for the MTV era, Bobcat's comedy was edgy (to say the least) and he became a favorite of other edgy artists (Kurt Cobain was a big fan). Bobcat was a regular at Comic Relief fundraisers and he carved out a niche as a supporting actor in flicks such as Police Academy 2. Bobcat also was behind "The Citizen Kane of alcoholic clown movies" -- Shakes the Clown. But eventually Bobcat found himself trapped by his comic persona and that voice and he consciously sought out more behind the scenes work (including directing the Jimmy Kimmel Live show in the early 2000s). And in recent years, the comic now know as Bob Goldthwait has poked a little fun at the change -- a 2020 special is called "You Don't Look The Same Either." As always find extended clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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Time to test your speakers -- here's Bobcat in full flight at one of the Comic Relief benefit shows. As one commenter noted -- he's a real life Tasmanian Devil. https://youtu.be/O0qAfWWQJ5w?si=mT9EFIhW60N_5wnj

Bobcat was a natural for gonzo comedies and his role as Zed in the Police Academy films was a fan fave. https://youtu.be/GbURJaV_iYQ?si=QMduQa7fbzti-DSl

A bomb that has turned into a cult classic, Shakes the Clown imagines an all clown world with Bobcat as the titular character trying to beat a frame up for murder. https://youtu.be/Du71B7kEHvY?si=Cil0KZrScl3jVE-5

In his recent standup, Bob Goldthwait drops the "Bobcat" and has fun at the expense of his old image. https://youtu.be/XX2NzMnIsOg?si=EFaIdb4MfJRA8kLA