IJBFC Chat

[Brad from Georgia] Jack says, "Wow, since you gained weight, you really look good...rounder, softer, very nice. And your face has filled out too." Or words to that effect.

[Ally1995] HAHA.

[Ally1995] I feel kinda bad for mary..

[Ally1995] In real life..

[Brian Baker] it made mary sound skeletal, before.

[Ally1995] skeletal?? Hmm.

[Laura Leff] Well, Jack looks at her and does a bunch of pleased-sounding "Hm!"s, then says, "And your face has filled out too!"

[Brian Baker] anoerexic

[Steve 'shimp'] Echoing Yht, what was the Martha Ivers gag? Was that another Art Linkletter contest?

[Ally1995] at Jack's hmms!!

[Laura Leff] BRB

[Ythapmys] Martha Ivers was a movie that came out about then, but I've never seen it.

[Ally1995] okay LL

[Brad from Georgia] Wasn't there a movie, "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers?"

[Ally1995] ??? I dunno..

[Steve 'shimp'] Mary's line was that she got a summer job whispering "Martha Ivers" in radio studios

[Steve 'shimp'] Just not catching what the reference is.

[Ally1995] Steve, I didnt know that one.

[Steve 'shimp'] I did get the reference to Phil spending the weekend with Ray Milland, so I don't feel totaly out of my '40s movie trivia

[Brad from Georgia] Yes, Barbara Stanwyck and Van Heflin; Stanwyck is the wife of a district attorney{?} some sort of lawyer, anyway.

[Chasitykins] "Martha Ivers: Whisper her name..."

[Ally1995] xD

[ed] was it sumplot to a soap or something like that?

[ed] subplot*

[Ally1995] It may have been

[Ally1995] I dont know that much about them

[Ally1995] actually.

[Brad from Georgia] Stanwyck's character witnessed a mudrer, if I recall correctly, then grows up and marries the lawyer, and then slowly becomes aware that there's a plot against her life. I don't recall details, alas. Lisbeth Scott was in it.

[Ally1995] Sounds interesting..

[Laura Leff] What do you know...something that has semi-stumped all of us...

[Ally1995] I'm not a huge Stanwyck fan tho, the only time I assiciate her with is time with the Bennys

[Ythapmys] Hey, Laura, at least I think I've figured out that "Mrs. Schlepperman" thing,

[Laura Leff] Gaslight

[Laura Leff] Yht - Do tell

[Chasitykins] oh my, i love mrs. schlepperman mysteries.

[Ythapmys] I ran into a programme listing for Kenny Baker's 'Glamour Manor' and it mentions Mrs. Schlepperman was going to be on that night.

[Ally1995] When does Shlepperman appear in the radio shows??

[Ythapmys] So it may be that woman played the character on Baker's show.

[Laura Leff] Ally - 1930s, sort of forerunner to Kitzel

[Chasitykins] and proceeded to make her career off it?

[Ally1995] Oh really. I never would have guessed.

[Steve 'shimp'] OK, a little google solves the Martha Ivers thing - the promo tagline for the Strange Love of Martha Ivers was "Whisper her name!"

[Laura Leff] Yht- Hmmm...interesting. I'm pretty sure her clippings say that she played it on the Benny show, which I know she didn't...but go figure!

[Ally1995] OMG this is random!! They dont hav plots like this anymore

[Ythapmys] Yeah, you read the clippings before here, but I'm guessing that's where the confusion is.

[Brad from Georgia] Schlepperman was on the second January show in 1941.

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I have one of her scrapbooks with a bunch of her clippings...we were all scratching our heads one night over that

[Ally1995] wow..

[Chasitykins] I read that chat log for that - funny stuff there.

[Steve 'shimp'] That was a memorably insane chat

[Ally1995] WHAT WAS?? STEVE?

[Laura Leff] Yes, I remember some off-color theories on her...ahem..."role". Not sure if I excised those from the chat or not

[Brad from Georgia] Wasn't there a DIFFERENT Schlepperman on "The Great Gildersleeve"?

[Ally1995] I want another insane chat topic to pop up!!

[Steve 'shimp'] The chat where we puzzled over the mystery of Mrs. Schlepperman and how this woman had built this low-rent nightclub career on this dubious fame

[Ally1995] That;s too funny

[Laura Leff] We can always fall back to failed Jell-O flavors...that always seems good for insane material...

[Ally1995]

[Ally1995] Wow I bet theres a million

[Laura Leff] Two-toed sloth Jell-O

[Brad from Georgia] Gefilte Jell-O.

[Laura Leff] Brad - Good one

[Steve 'shimp'] Lost Weekend Jello Shots

[Ally1995] xD

[Laura Leff] Brad - Actually, I think that's the goop that goes around the gefilte fish

[Brian Baker] Tuna Jello

[Ally1995] Egg salad jello

[Laura Leff] Mud Jell-O

[Brad from Georgia] Potato Jell-O

[Laura Leff] See how easy it is?

[ed] coffe jello

[Ythapmys] Kringelein Jell-O.

[Steve 'shimp'] new, refreshing Rutabaga Jell-O

[Ally1995] have u tried low fat jello?? It's nasty

[Laura Leff] That could be good

[Brian Baker] liver jello

[Chasitykins] Horsehoof Jell-O......ah, wait.

[Laura Leff] Coffee Jell-O

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Good one

[ed] beat you that one LL

[Laura Leff] Castor oil Jell-O

[Chasitykins] uck

[ed] MSG jello

[Laura Leff] Ed - No, meant that this could be good

[R. Hookie] Roast Beef Jell-o

[Ally1995] To spoof Andy Griffith--Kerosene Jello.

[Brad from Georgia] I think Garrison Keillor does sketches about Rhubarb Jell-O....

[ed] oh...

[Laura Leff] I almost bought rhubarb this afternoon

[Brad from Georgia] Ally--That's familiar....

[Steve 'shimp'] German Sprouts Jell-O

[Ally1995] the pickle eppy

[R. Hookie] Fried Chicken Jell-o?

[Ally1995] with Aunt Bee

[Laura Leff] To spoof Andy Griffith - big or'nge drink Jell-O

[ed] jello on a stick at the state fair

[Ally1995] LOLZ

[Steve 'shimp'] deep fried Jell-O on a stick!

[R. Hookie] goodone

[Ally1995] On the Emperor's New School they have Jello with a tooth in it

[Brad from Georgia] Jalapeno Jell-O. South of the border, down Mexico way.

[ed] andy griffith jello on aritz

[Ally1995] ed

[Laura Leff] Kombucha Jell-O (can't imagine how many people don't get that one)

[Steve 'shimp'] Cool Ranch Jell-O

[ed] ggggooooodddd cracker...

[Ally1995] LOLZ Andy is so cool tho

[R. Hookie] Tequila Jell-o ... no shot required

[Chasitykins] steve, i would try cool ranch jello

[Steve 'shimp'] Kombucha has some occasional Jell-O like inclusions ...

[Laura Leff] Wood ear fungus Jell-O

[Brad from Georgia] Ain't that some kinda tea?

[Ally1995] wowee

[Laura Leff] R. Hookie - Hey, I've had that...and made it a long time ago

[Brian Baker] peanut butter jello

[Brad from Georgia] Old Navy Jell-O. You eat it, you wear it, whatever.

[ed] jello with the flow thru bag...

[Laura Leff] Steve - I know...I brew my own. In fact, I think I'll have some now...

[R. Hookie] How was it?

[Laura Leff] Brad - Yep...fermented with a fungus in it

[Steve 'shimp'] I actually like it but it is definitey an acquired taste!

[ed] sir thomas jello

[Chasitykins] penicillin jell-o

[Laura Leff] Ed - Har har

[Ally1995] Do any of you watch Billy and Mandy on Cartoon Network occasionally with kid relatives or something??

[ed] nope...

[Ally1995] They mentioned a funny thing about Jello on an episode

[Chasitykins] Ally, I used to watch that show in my teenage years

[Brad from Georgia] So the mushroom says to his analyst, "How come I never get invited to parties? I mean, I'm a fungi."

[Ally1995] I was obsessed with it in 5th grade

[Laura Leff] R. Hookie - Doggone good. One lime, one lemon Jell-O, plus water and tequila schnapps. Works. Can send you a recipe if you want.

[Steve 'shimp'] Postum Jell-O, two of your favorite General Foods products together at last!

[Ally1995] General Foods.. peh.

[Ally1995] commercialism makes a fine joke.

[Brian Baker] anyone remember when bill cosby made jello a household name again?

[Laura Leff] I just had some Jell-O chocolate pudding while I was listening to the show...figured I'd let it battle it out with the Sportsmen

[Brad from Georgia] Puddin.

[Chasitykins] Oh gosh, this is mildly off topic, but I passed an actual Rexall drugstore the other day. I got so excited.

[R. Hookie] With pudding pops

[Laura Leff] Grape Nuts Jell-O

[ed] fried glazed donut jello

[Ally1995] COOLIO!

[Steve 'shimp'] Good health to all!

[Laura Leff] Remember when Bill Cosby was the opening act for the renovated Genesee Theatre in Waukegan where Jack debuted "Man About Town"?

[R. Hookie] Grape Nuts Jell-o with Lucky Strikes

[ed] rexall jello

[Ally1995] NASTY

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I didn't know there were any

[Chasitykins] LL, I can't say if it was open, but there was the store.

[Laura Leff] Jell-O in a General Tire mold

[Ally1995] SUPER SWEETENED LIME with bits of sunflower in it.

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I'd figure they'd have merged with someone somewhere...

[Brad from Georgia] "Ah bin smokin' Jell-O fer twenty-nine yeahs mahseff, an' now I done tawks like this all the dang time."

[R. Hookie] sunflower? really?

[Chasitykins] Wash it down with some Canada Dry jell-o

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Beat me to that

[Ally1995] Brad--lolz

[ed] jello in the morning jello in the evening jello at suppertime...

[Laura Leff] Eat it in your Chevrolet

[Ally1995]

[Ally1995] I never heard of Cosby doing it.

[ed] dinah shore would have song that

[Brad from Georgia] You can actually make Jell-O with beer instead of water, but it makes people vomit.

[Ally1995] How??

[R. Hookie] really

[Chasitykins] Brad, I am going to borrow that joke.

[Brad from Georgia] Shucks, you can HAVE it.

[ed] are you serious?

[Ally1995] ...!

[ed] JELL_burp!!!

[Ally1995] HAHA

[Brad from Georgia] Sure. It's really hard to get the stuff to dissolve 'cause you can't boil the beer, but if you have patience, it can be done. Tastes terrible, though. We did it once in college.

[ed] cream of wheat jello

[Ally1995] If i ever drink I'll try it xD

[Laura Leff] Brad - Sounds like the kind of thing that's done in college

[Chasitykins] My favorite line in tonight's show was definitely the "where did you learn such a fancy word" "my uncle died and left it to me" gag, speaking of borrowing stuff

[ed] jello jelly

[Steve 'shimp'] I introduced my 3 year old nephew to Jell-O for the first time a few months ago. He was fascinated by food that wiggles

[Ally1995] DENNIS IS MADE OF WIN.

[Laura Leff] DENNIS HAS ADONIS DNA

[Ally1995] I used to pick the Jello up and throw it around when I was little.

[Brad from Georgia] My wife, in college, once made chocolate pudding with Ex-Lax because someone kept stealing her food from the drom refrigerator. She figured she could track the culprit...

[Laura Leff] Or something like that

[Chasitykins] adonis DNA?

[Ally1995] Laura--what?

[Brian Baker] Cosby had a long routine on how he would get into trouble stealing extra helpings of Jello when ratted out by his brother Russell. Bill as a kid would tell Russell, 'who made you the big jello sherrif of the house?'

[Ally1995]

[Chasitykins] Brad - your wife is a devil!

[ed] pepsi and jello?

[Chasitykins] Brian - that's funny XD

[Laura Leff] Just the comment that he's "made of win" sounded like the goofy stuff that Charlie Sheen has been spouting of late, so I figured I'd cross him over

[Chasitykins] ah yes

[Ally1995] OH YEAH

[Chasitykins] how could we forget

[R. Hookie] I got it! Cabernet Jell-o

[Chasitykins] TIGER BLOOD JELLO

[Ally1995] Well its an internet term

[Laura Leff] Dennis has tiger blood

[Brad from Georgia] Now I never tried this personally, but some guys in the dorm used to heat pepsi--put a can of it in really hot water--then drink it and have belching contests. They were mostly pre-law students. Most of them are in the Georgia legislature now.

[Ally1995] Omg Charlie Sheen is an insane topic!!

[Laura Leff] Ally - Aha...wasn't familiar with it. What does it mean?

[ed] tiger blood jello would make great catfish bait...

[Ally1995] WINNING!

[Ally1995] and Winning some more in coolness

[Laura Leff] Brad - That probably explains something

[Chasitykins] Brad, having recently moved back to the TN/GA border, I will be mindful of who I run into now when I'm in GA

[Brad from Georgia] Laura--Were Dennis's flub and Jack's response scripted?

[Laura Leff] Brad - No, that sounds like a real blooper, but I'll double check

[Steve 'shimp'] I didn't know heating increased the belch power. This must have been before someone discovered mentos.

[Laura Leff] You don't blow a joke to get a better joke

[Ally1995]

[Brad from Georgia] Mentos weren't invented then.

[Ally1995] okay now I overuse the happy face

[Steve 'shimp'] Ment-O Jell-O

[Ally1995]

[Ally1995] thats better.

[Laura Leff] What is it that you can drop in Pepsi or something and make it explode? Is it Mentos?

[Brad from Georgia] And Pepsi had to be bootlegged. Because Georgia is, you know, the Coca-Cola state.

[ed] good one steve

[R. Hookie] happy face is cute

[Brad from Georgia] LL--Mentos and diet Coke.

[ed] oooops

[Ally1995] yeah Mentos

[Ally1995] is actually fun to drop in

[Laura Leff] Brad - Ah OK...got it. Haven't tried the experiment, just heard about it.

[Laura Leff] I went to a commuter college, y'know.

[Ally1995] its been around for a long while lol!!

[Brad from Georgia] Matter of fact, the first script of "Smokey and the Bandit" had Smokey delivering a truck of Pepsi to Georgia, not Coors.

[Ally1995] We had to talk about it scientifically in elementary school.

[Laura Leff] Pork cracklin flavored Jell-O

[Brad from Georgia] DO IT OUTSIDE! You get a fountain of diet Coke about ten feet high.

[ed] shaving cream jello

[R. Hookie] do it in the neighbors yard, it could kill the grass

[Chasitykins] tasty, ed

[Laura Leff] The only problem is that I wouldn't want any more of the Diet Coke. So I'd have to waste a whole two-liter...but wait...they have free soda at work...hmmm...

[ed] mouth watering

[Laura Leff] Crest Toothpaste Jell-O

[Laura Leff] Listerine Jell-O

[Ally1995]

[ed] preperation H jello

[R. Hookie] oh!

[Laura Leff] (See, you've inspired the bathroom utility flavors...)

[Laura Leff] Ew

[Chasitykins] Can all the men turn away for a moment for the next joke? ...actually, I don't even need to say it.

[Ally1995] Listerene.. Id throw up!!

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Ha!

[Ally1995] Shaving Cream Jello.

[Brad from Georgia] Fitch Hair Tonic Jell-O.....

[Laura Leff] Great, give me something I need to excise from the transcript

[ed] jello sprinkled with comet

[Steve 'shimp'] Grandpa's Pine Tar Jell-O

[Chasitykins] delicious comet

[Laura Leff] Motor oil Jell-O

[Ally1995] oh man this is getting heated

[Brian Baker] didnt the sportsmen originate the j-e-l-l-o opening for the jello show?

[Laura Leff] (Moving from the bathroom to the garage)

[Ythapmys] Lucky Strike Jell-O.

[Chasitykins] Change your Jell-O every 10,000 miles

[R. Hookie] Vicks VaporRub Jell-o

[Laura Leff] Brian - No, that was Don Bestor

[Ally1995] Imagine.. Jello as an energy source.

[Laura Leff] Sportsmen didn't start on the show until 1942 or so

[Ally1995] They still have the Jello tune in present day commercials some times

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I change mine every 3,000 miles..

[Laura Leff] Jell-O...I'll try a gallon

[ed] jello regular filler up

[Steve 'shimp'] So, on topic for a minute - has it ever become clear who *sings* the J-E-L-L-O jingle?

[Chasitykins] Strawberry Jell-O really gives you the most for your money

[Brian Baker] Bessor? No, BESTOR, ya crazie!

[Chasitykins] baker, :D

[ed] the sportsman?

[Ally1995] Kenny sings it doesnt he as well as the Sportsman

[Laura Leff] In fact, you can hear Kenny Baker singing in the opening J-E-L-L-O singing often

[Ally1995] yeah

[ed] right

[Brad from Georgia] LL--Was Thurl Ravenscroft a member of the quartet when they started on the Benny show?

[Laura Leff] No, not the Sportsmen

[Steve 'shimp'] But there's more than Kenny, no?

[ed] yes but who?

[Laura Leff] More than Kenny, but I can't give you names on anyone else. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the orchestra.

[Ally1995] To change topics for a moment, Graduation happened at my High School on Friday!! I had to play clarinet for it..

[Steve 'shimp'] That'd make sense.

[Chasitykins] I always wondered why they didn't get the audience in on it

[Chasitykins] that would have been cute

[Laura Leff] Brad - Yes, on the first one or two appearances. But then he went into the military.

[Brad from Georgia] GRRRRRRREAT, Laura.

[ed] congrats ally...

[Ally1995] Well Im only a Jr now..

[Laura Leff] But...he does sing with the Sportsmen on a TV episode well after he'd left the group. I found this to be very cool.

[R. Hookie] Are you good at clarinet?

[ed] your next though

[Chasitykins] Ally, did you and the rest of the band have to dodge juvy?

[Laura Leff] Ally - Congrats!

[Laura Leff] Chasity - They well may have...don't know!

[Brad from Georgia] You know Thurl is one of the talking busts in Disney's "Haunted Mansion" ride. He's frequently mistaken for Walt.

[Ally1995] Yeah its the same as violin so I can read the music

[Laura Leff] It doesn't sound like quite THAT many people singing

[Ally1995] LL I'm not done with school yet..

[ed] LL jack didnot finsh high school did he?

[Chasitykins] Brad, I'll have to keep my eye out on that next time I am there

[Ally1995] I'm only a Junior!!

[Laura Leff] Brad - Really? How could anyone mistake Thurl for anyone other than a super-bass?

[Ally1995] xD

[Laura Leff] Ed - That's right, he did not.

[Brad from Georgia] It's a quartet singing "Grim Grinning Ghosts," Chasitykins. Thurl's voice is easy to identify. LL--He looks a little like Disney.

[R. Hookie] I was a junior once...

[Laura Leff] Ed - He supposedly left after 10th grade, but I have a yearbook that lists him in 11th.

[Ally1995] I like High School so far. it's fun!

[Ally1995] Now I'm in 11th.. so wow.

[Ally1995] And Im in the Band too.

[Laura Leff] Brad - Wow...I met the man and didn't think he looked like Disney...but I never met Disney.

[Laura Leff] Ally - And so was Jack!

[ed] well you got to play in the band tho...did he ever get an ceremonial diploma?

[Laura Leff] Got photos of that in the yearbook too.

[Brad from Georgia] Anyone remember the Steven Spielberg cartoon Histeria! ?

[Chasitykins] Brad, I do!

[Laura Leff] Ed - I think naming a school after him was good enough.

[R. Hookie] I was in band, but now all I can play in the kazoo

[Ally1995] Yeah the Band is the greatest part of school for me.

[ed] true...

[Laura Leff] Ed - I'm sure he got an honorary doctorate somewhere along the way.

[ed] thanx...

[Ally1995] I play 4 instruments as mentioned before on here

[Brad from Georgia] LL-Thurl had a mustache like Walt's, and the ghostly appearance makes him look somewhat like a b&w Disney. It's an urban legend that the Disney folks put Walt's face on one of the busts.

[Ally1995] I luv music. basically.

[Steve 'shimp'] Jack would have been a fun graduation speaker

[ed] was he very pleased when they named their team the 39ers?

[R. Hookie] My kazoo needs tuning

[Laura Leff] Brad - Ah OK...did not know that!

[Laura Leff] Ed - He said that having the school named after him was the greatest honor he ever had

[Ally1995] YEAH we had a comedian there--the kid who does the announcements

[Ally1995] is an absolute joker

[Laura Leff] Ally - You're lucky that your school even has a music program any more.

[ed] i'll have visit up there sometime

[Brad from Georgia] Chasitykins: I recently caught a bit from Histeria! on YouTube with Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson rapping. I THINK Franklin was supposed to sound like Bob Hope, but Franklin was DEFINITELY a Jack Benny impression.

[Ally1995] true Laura, it's a small but mighty Marching/Concert Band.

[Chasitykins] Brad - I am going to look that up and see

[Ally1995] me too Brad

[Ally1995] Jack rapping would be HILARIOUS nowadays

[ed] might be up on stage with eminem

[Ally1995]

[ed] what would he call himself?

[Ally1995] I remember when Em first came out, woe.

[Laura Leff] Who would Jack rap with and what would they rap about?

[Chasitykins] J. Bizzle

[Ally1995] LOLZ

[Ally1995] Omg thats funny.

[R. Hookie] "My name is Jackie B - and I'm here to say - 'Now cut that out!!"

[Chasitykins] "I got 99 problems, but a straight man ain't one"

[ed] JB39er

[Ally1995]

[ed] R good one

[Ally1995] NOW CUT THAT OUT *Silence*

[Ythapmys] He'd try to borrow bling from the Colmans.

[Ally1995] yeah, totally.

[Ythapmys] Though Mary was the bling queen in real life.

[Chasitykins] Mary would be a modern day Kardashian

[Ally1995] OMG.

[Ally1995] NO.

[Brad from Georgia] Isn't that a Persian carpet?

[ed] what would the name of jack's reality show be?

[Ally1995] The Kardasians are complete "rubbish".

[Brad from Georgia] Real Bennys of West Hollywood

[Ythapmys] Brad, I've got a fine line not suitable for viewing.

[Ally1995] Jacks show would probly be somthing like what Brad said--nailed it.

[Ally1995] I WOULD SO WATCH THAT.

[ed] jack could be HGTV

[ed] on*

[Laura Leff] The Private Life of Rochester Van Jones

[Chasitykins] I want to write a parody of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" with Jack and the gang

[Laura Leff] I still like the recast we did of Pulp Fiction with all the Benny characters

[R. Hookie] That would be fun

[Laura Leff] And Star Trek

[Ally1995] Rochester would do nicely on that

[ed] they could open with a rap version of love is bloom

[Ally1995]

[Ally1995] oh my god......

[Brad from Georgia] I watched a couple episodes of "Jeeves and Wooster" with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie....an American version with Roch' and Jack would have been great.

[Steve 'shimp'] Oh, my, a rap version of Love in Bloom could actually be awesome.

[Steve 'shimp'] I am hearing it in my head right now, scary!

[Ally1995] yeah. Actually.

[Chasitykins] Love in Bloom by Jack Benny featuring T-Pain

[Laura Leff] I love "Jeeves and Wooster"...whenever I see an ad for "House", I think, "It's Bertie Wooster!"

[Ally1995] T PAIN wow!!

[Laura Leff] Jack on "Dancing With the Stars"

[Chasitykins] "Can it be the breeze--" *autotune* the breeeeeeze

[Steve 'shimp']

[Laura Leff] (Think the Ginger Rogers episode of the TV show)

[Ally1995] OMG yeah Dancing w the Stars

[ed]

[Chasitykins] That would be hysterical

[Ally1995] That episode is it.

[R. Hookie] Jack as a judge on America's Got Talent

[Ally1995] And that face looks like Jack, ed

[Brad from Georgia] I just got the long out-of-print CD soundtrack from "Jeeves and Wooster" on Amazon.com as an mp3 download. Laurie has lots of fun singing the old twenties and thirties songs..."Nagasaki" and "Minnie the Moocher."

[ed] american idol

[Chasitykins] R, I would watch that

[Chasitykins] "Wellllll.......you have talent, sure, but...."

[Ally1995] BUT.... Allow me..

[R. Hookie] RIGHT!

[Ally1995] He gets out the violin etc

[Ally1995] eveyone is just annoyed by then.

[R. Hookie] I love it!

[Ally1995] They should be making these parodies NOW!!

[R. Hookie] Yes!

[Chasitykins] The Sportsmen Quartet audition for the show...

[Ally1995] they pair up with somebody and release a HUGE rap

[Ally1995] A CAPELLA

[R. Hookie] Plugging Lucky Stri... sorry, no cig commercials

[ed] jack on america idol backed by an orchestra of violins playing love in bloom and jack still looses

[Ally1995] which doesnt really make sense

[Laura Leff] Dennis Day, Kenny Baker, and Larry Stevens rap

[Chasitykins] because jack would be too cheap to text a vote in to himself

[Ally1995] Dennis would be epic

[Brad from Georgia] Don Wilson on "The Biggest Loser."

[Ally1995] Them trying to text too, omg.. 21st Century..

[ed] dennis day the irish rapper

[R. Hookie] Hey, thats good

[Ally1995] OH MAN, YESH!!

[Laura Leff] There's a version they did of "The Mikado" where Dennis is singing "A Wand'ring Minstrel I" and then breaks into an Elvis impersonation

[Chasitykins] Niiiice!

[Laura Leff] Brad - Hey, that's good...

[Ally1995] Don close ups of exercising.. wow

[ed] dennis and elvis what a duo

[Ally1995] yeah I wanna see that one

[ed] it rhymes!!!\

[Laura Leff] Elvis was targeted as a guest for Jack's show...don't know what happened, but obviously, it didn't.

[Chasitykins] Comedian's Eye for the Straight Guy (this joke is a few years too old, maybe)

[Steve 'shimp'] The Colonel wanted too much money!

[Laura Leff] Peanut butter and bacon with corned beef and cabbage

[Laura Leff] Corned beef and cabbage Jell-O

[Ythapmys] Steve, that would have been my guess.

[Ally1995] OH man..

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I still like it though...

[ed] KFC jello

[Ally1995] Yeah me too

[Ally1995] KFC would be wierd

[ed] finger licking goooood

[Laura Leff] Taco Bell Jell-O...lotsa salt

[Ally1995] finger sticking good

[Brian Baker] jello stroganoff

[Chasitykins] I was watching some "What's My Line" on youtube...the one with Colonel Sanders blew my mind...to think there was a time no one recognized him.

[R. Hookie] How about Jack as a contestant on The Price Is Right??? Could you imagine?

[ed] i saw that too chas...

[Brad from Georgia] Oh, my son just called. Got thru the RennFest and is flying to Spain tomorrow night for a one-week Mediterranean Disney cruise with his wife and mother in law.

[Ythapmys] Jack would know the answers to the cent.

[Laura Leff] Jack was the mystery contestant on "What's My Line"

[R. Hookie] I have that

[Brian Baker] yes! lets stick to jack and TPIR

[ed] bon voyage brad

[Ythapmys] But not bid more than 1 cent because he thinks he's bidding his own money.

[Laura Leff] Brad - Wow...poor guy...

[Ally1995] That would be hysterical. "Uh... I'll just take that thing there."

[Chasitykins] R - I can hear Rochester shouting at Jack from the crowd on TPIR "Boss, I don't know, you never let me buy from Wal-Mart, I always have to go to the dollar tree"

[ed] jack would great on plinko...

(Some loss)

[Laura Leff] Chasity - In part

[Ally1995] Wow Roch and Jack SLASH!!

[Steve 'shimp'] Oy. I have so little patience for that kind of academic navel gazing anymore

[Steve 'shimp'] Burned out on it in Berkeley!

[Laura Leff] Ed - He picked it up from Frank Fay in vaudeville, as did Bob Hope.

[Steve 'shimp'] People see whatever they want to see and it reveals more about the author of the piece than the subject, IMHO.

[Ythapmys] Steve, because they denounce stereotypes but use them as the basis for their arguements.

[Laura Leff] Steve - That's a good name for it

[Ally1995] A lot of fellow teenagers write fan fictions about gay relationships.. wow

[Laura Leff] Steve - Remember where I live.

[Brad from Georgia] "Bob Hope walks EXACTLY the same way I do. Except he cups his hands. He looks like a headwaiter expecting a tip."

[ed] frank fay was a great vaudeville act was he LL?

[Ally1995] Theres yet to be a J and R one

[R. Hookie] School has changed...

[Steve 'shimp'] Oh, I know, indeed!

[Ythapmys] Ed, just ask Frank. He'll tell you.

[Chasitykins] Ally - please don't be the first.

[Laura Leff] Ed - Yes, and he also did some great work in the stage production of "Harvey"

[Ally1995] LOLZ dont worry, but I think it's kinda cute.. in an innocent way.

[Laura Leff] Kind of started the whole suave, wise-cracking emcee thing that Jack took and made his own.

[ed] in vaudeville you get away with just about anything...

[Ythapmys] The failed ladies man aspect of the radio show is completely forgotten.

[Ally1995] And besides, the stories never list anything too graphic or anything

[Chasitykins] That sounds like a good tagline for a movie, ed.

[Laura Leff] You can find occasional "gay" jokes about Jack, with his limp wrists, and I remember Mary saying something once like,

[Steve 'shimp'] "WHISPER the name!"

[Laura Leff] "Thirty women on stage, and you're looking at the tenor"

[Ally1995]

[Brian Baker] ooooh

[ed]

[Ally1995] :/

[Ythapmys] Well, the idea of sex with Mary might... no!

[ed] ouch

[Chasitykins] the Charley's aunt costume gave way for some off-color bits

[Ally1995] OH MAN...

[Laura Leff] There's an assertion that the whole "Wake up, Boss" is not Rochester standing by the bed, talking to Jack, but Roch ***IN*** bed waking him up...

[Ally1995] OH MAN AGAIN!

[Brian Baker] yeesh

[Steve 'shimp'] You've got to be kidding me, in this article?

[Laura Leff] Yeah, weird ideas these people get

[Brad from Georgia] And that is certainly not indicated in any way in the show....

[Chasitykins] Ick. I have a strong stomach, but Benny and Rochester in bed as anything but a gag...

[Steve 'shimp'] It might be worth reading for the sheer horror of it

[Ally1995] That was so funny and at least showed a friendship

[Laura Leff] Steve - That's why I haven't gotten the gumption to read the whole thing...

[Brad from Georgia] Gives "They LOVED me in St. Joe" a different meaning too.

[ed] they did a charley's aunt on the TV version (1950's) of Blondie with arthur lake and pamela britton own it on DVD

[Brad from Georgia] LL-Did I send that to you?

[Chasitykins] Brad

[Laura Leff] "Jack Dreams He's Married to Rochester"

[Ally1995] Where can u get a copy of this??

[Ally1995] LOLZ

[Steve 'shimp']

[Laura Leff] "But Only in Massachusetts"

[Ally1995] Yeah only in MA..

[Ythapmys] Humpf. And Canada.

[Chasitykins] I've always been surprised they didn't do more off-color jokes about Dennis, but I suppose it's because he's supposed to be more of a kid.

[Brad from Georgia] I found it on one of our academic services at the college. I didn't think it was cogently reasoned or heuristically sound. My uncle left me those words.

[Laura Leff] Brad - I can't remember who sent it to me...but I think not. I think it was this woman researcher who's sent me some stuff.

[Ally1995] wow Brad..

[Chasitykins] Brad - here is where I do the Facebook "like" button for your comment

[Ally1995] this is madness

[Brad from Georgia] Last line of "Bridge on the River Kwai!" What do I win?

[Ally1995] Facebook..

[Laura Leff] Hey, you wanted insane chat

[Ythapmys] Brad, did Jack then say "Well, I thought" And Mary said "Oh, shut up!"

[Ally1995] LL NOW CUT THAT OUT

[Brian Baker] Friendship: It still evokes a tear in my eye when on radio and tv when Jack comes from from a failed New Years' date, Roch cancells his New Years party plans to keep the boss company.

[Laura Leff] It doesn't get more insane than the McFadden article...

[Chasitykins] Brian - that is a really great moment, I agree

[Ally1995] FRIENDSHIP is important in Jack's life.

[Chasitykins] Is the McFadden article easily found? I really want to read it.

[ed] phil would not have done that he would in the bar all night

[Ally1995] oh rlly..

[Chasitykins] Also, does it make assumptions about the real life Jack and Remley? That would be a suspicious pair if anything...

[ed] toasting the new year

[Laura Leff] I've even been asked if Jack and George Burns ever...ahem...had such relationships. I told them that whatever they were smoking, it had no connection with George's cigar.

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Drop me an E-mail and I'll forward it to you.

[Brad from Georgia] You can probably access it through a college library. Try the Georgia GALILEO service, for example.

[Chasitykins] Will do, LL!

[Ally1995] Yeah Jack and Remley!!

[Ally1995] LL can u do that for me too!!!

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Yeah, all that time in the car together and never in the BACK SEAT?!?!

[Chasitykins] They drove thousands of miles across country...

[Chasitykins] "Jack, I just can't quit you!"

[Ally1995] omg..

[Laura Leff] ROFLMAO

[Steve 'shimp']

[ed] remley sounds like the perfect fool

[Laura Leff] Holy cow, that's the best laugh I've had in months

[Steve 'shimp'] Brokejack Mountain

[ed] elliot lewis is marvolous as him

[Chasitykins] great title

[Brian Baker] speaking of phil/bar that reminds me of the radio program where Jack and the star of the Lost Weekend reenact the movie as drunken brothers and Phil played the sober(!) role.

[Ally1995] oh jeez

[Laura Leff] Dear God, I love it...

[Ally1995] yesh definately

[Brad from Georgia] We ought to do that one for July.

[Chasitykins] brian, i'll need to look that one up

(Some loss)

[Laura Leff] Ally - There are a couple TV shows where Jack is "replaced" by a robot

[ed] LL was there a movie seriously thought of about jack's life? i know he mentioned a fake on on his shows from time to time

[Brad from Georgia] Woody Allen: "I'm red-haired, I'm fair-skinned, I'm Jewish. We don't tan, we stroke."

[R. Hookie] "Turn Right at Fissrt National Bank; Then Left at the Commerce Bank..."

[ed] one*

[Ally1995] Laura. , yeah I saw clips of some, which are awesome considering robot jokes are still used today!!

[Laura Leff] As you're getting to the turn, you hear "Wait a minute....wait a minute....WAIT A MINUTE!"

[Chasitykins] "Turn around, you're going the wrong way. Wait a minute...wait a minute...WAAAAIT A MINNUTE"

[R. Hookie] \Brian types faster than me...

[Chasitykins] beat me to it, ll!

[Steve 'shimp'] It'd be fun if that prop Jack from where he falls asleep in the suit store is still around somewhere

[Brian Baker] LL LOL!

[Ally1995] omg yeah that is completely random..!

[Brian Baker] also Chastity

[Ally1995] I mean Jack could have been carried around normally I think..?

[Steve 'shimp'] See Jack Benny GPS is a great merchandising idea. Forget Franklin Mint knicknacks!

[Brad from Georgia] I've actually heard a testy John Cleese on a GPS: "You just missed your turn! I thought you WANTED to get to your destination, perhaps because you TOLD me you did! Oh, very well, I'll recalculate. You git."

[Chasitykins] lol, brad!

[Ally1995] AWESOME

[Laura Leff] Ed - You know, Marty and I found some papers (really, he found them and called me over to discuss them) about a movie that was bantered about as being

[Laura Leff] a life story of Jack's, but I need to take a closer look at the copies and piece it all together.

[ed] thank you

[Ally1995] wow.. I hope they bring the Benny gang into the 2011 world..

[R. Hookie] Lives on at my house

[Ythapmys] Laura was that they 1946 movie?

[Ally1995] that would make my century.

[Ythapmys] that *the* 1946 movie?

[ed] javck with an electronic safe no key

[ed] bad typing again

[Chasitykins] retina scan

[Ally1995] wowzers.

[R. Hookie] Combination: "L. S. M. F. T."

[Laura Leff] Yht - Yes, it was around that time...it somehow evolved from being a life story of Jack to a vehicle for Danny Kaye, I think. Got the copies, but haven't had time to devote to them yet.

[Chasitykins] b/c no one's eyes are as blue as benny's

[Brian Baker] yes, let's update the vault

[ed] that's what i need chas when i type a retina scan

[Brad from Georgia] There's a very funny bit in a radio show from, oh, say, 1945 in which Jack thinks ahead to 1995. In his dream sequence, the show is still going on, with a very aged cast...except for Jack, who is still 39.

[Ally1995] Chastity

[Laura Leff] R. Hookie - Too easy to guess

[Ythapmys] I posted a story about it not too long ago.

[Ally1995] Brad-- I NEED To see that eppy!!

[Ally1995] I made a doodle of what I thought they alllooked like

[R. Hookie] OK... J. E. L. L. O.

[Ythapmys] Jack didn't like the script.

[Laura Leff] Brad - And they did that again on the 20th Anniversary Show on television...visually it's great!

[Ally1995] oh rlly..

[Laura Leff] Yht - Aha...I'll have to look for that. Haven't had time to scan the forum, either.

[Laura Leff] My apologies.

[Steve 'shimp'] Isn't one of the missing radio episodes a flash-forward to the future too?

[Ally1995] I hope so..

[Ally1995] that's just a brilliant idea for the forties

[Chasitykins] did any of the regular "gang" live to see 1995? i know philsy lived to the 90's but not sure of the year

[ed] how about 5 hour energy jello

[Chasitykins] nice, ed!

[Ally1995] man I wish at least Dennis was still here!!!!!!

[Laura Leff] Steve - Hmmm...possibly. I know one of them is a "New Tenant", but can't remember if they did that. I know there's one from like the 30s that does that, but I've heard it.

[Brad from Georgia] I'm not sure of the dates, Chasitykins--it was a fr'instance, but it was something like that.

[Ally1995] Id be the ultimate fangirl.

[Steve 'shimp'] Phil died in 1995

[Laura Leff] I think Phil made it to 1995, IIRC.

[Brian Baker] Was Phil the last of the cast to die?

[Brad from Georgia] Late in his life, Dennis Day was still touring, though he was confined to a wheelchair. I'm not sure what his illness was, though.

[ed] AQLS

[Laura Leff] Lou Gehrig's Disease

[Ally1995] Lou Gherig's Yes

[ed] ALS

[Ally1995] THAT SUX..

[Laura Leff] Amytropic Lateral Sclerosis

[Laura Leff] So here's the strange personal side on that...

[ed] my mom died of it in 1994

[Ally1995] oh man.. that is strange..

[Laura Leff] When I was in college, I was naming all my programs after Benny characters.

[Chasitykins] a shame, ed

[Laura Leff] I was in the lab over the weekend working on "Dennis"

[ed] so hard to type it

[Laura Leff] And it crashed...completely lost the program.

[Ally1995] Thats awesome Laura

[Laura Leff] Can't remember why I couldn't recover it.

[Laura Leff] But anyway

[Brad from Georgia] LL--OOOOHHHHH, "Execute."

[Laura Leff] So I think, "I should call and see how he is."

[Laura Leff] So I call, and he had just taken a fall and gone to the hospital. I got his son, who told me.

[Laura Leff] And he never came home.

[Chasitykins] Creepy!

[Brian Baker] sorrow!

[Laura Leff] So Dennis kind of crashed and never recovered either.

[Ally1995] .....

[Chasitykins] THat is really sad

[Ally1995] Did you ever talk to the Benny Gang, LL?

[ed] ALS before too long after Dennis died i think came under aupices of the MDA

[Ally1995] I know u make soo many interviews..

[Laura Leff] I felt like it was my fault...if I'd only been able to make the program work... (just semi-kidding)

[Ally1995] wow..

[Laura Leff] Ally - Yes, interviewed Dennis and Phil, along with many people behind the scenes

[Steve 'shimp'] cue "Twilight Zone" theme - wow.

[Chasitykins] if only you had a back-up, we could have had a dennis day clone...with all that adonis dna.

[Ally1995] How was it?? Did you really connect with them

[Laura Leff] Ed - Yes, Dennis appeared once on the Jerry Lewis Telethon

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Har har

[Ally1995] really..

[ed] mom had it a year and half

[Ally1995] That mustve been hard..

[Laura Leff] Yes, I'm happy to say that I did connect with them.

[Laura Leff] Let me stir the carnitas a minute and I'll say more...BRB...

[Ally1995] But let's please change the subject. This is a friendly, happy chat!!

[ed] it is ally some day they'll cure it...

[Chasitykins] I'm remembering this story for when I write the screenplay to LL's life story

[R. Hookie] What are carnitas!?!?

[Brad from Georgia] Oh, well...gettin' on for ten here, and I have to go in and spend a long time at school doing registration duty tomorrow. I'll say goodnight, folks. Nice chatting!

[Chasitykins] Good luck with that, Brad! Have a good night

[Ally1995] Seeya!!

User Brad from Georgia has logged out.

[ed] bye brad

[Steve 'shimp'] Bye Brad!

[Brian Baker] Of the child actors, who still lives? Besides Joam and Bever Hills Beavers like Bev Washburm, Hank Azaria, and Frank Bank (Lumpy)

[Brian Baker] Joan

[Steve 'shimp'] carnitas are tasty shredded pork thingies

[Ally1995]

[Ythapmys] Made from Contented Pigs?

[Steve 'shimp'] Harry Shearer's the famous Beaver

[Ally1995] omg have any of u heard of the movie remake of Planet of the Apes??!!

[R. Hookie] OK

[ed] jackie cooper died this past month too hollywood's finest in an era of great movies and TV

[Chasitykins] Yup

[Chasitykins] Ed - did he really?

[ed] in mid may

[Brian Baker] i get those guys mixed up

[ed] or there about

[Laura Leff] Brian - Belly Laugh Barton is still around

[Ally1995] oh come ON!! Trevor Bannister passed away too..

[Laura Leff] Yht - I don't know how contented they are now...

[ed] are you being served...funny stuff

[Ally1995] MY FAVE BRitcom!!

[Ally1995] I was completely mad when I heard of Lucas' death

[ed] give to your local PBS station

[Laura Leff] George Lucas died?

[Ally1995] yeah. I want Rumbold and Peacock to come to Boston already

[ed] HUH???

[Ally1995] no not GEORGE LUCAS

[Ally1995] Mr. Lucas from AYBS

[ed] oh...

[Ally1995] whew

[Laura Leff] Oh....OH....OHHHHHHH

[Ally1995] HAHAHAAAA

[R. Hookie] This is fun1

[Ally1995] My friends would explode

[Chasitykins] I was going to save, the Star Wars franchise is finally saved.

[Ally1995] they love Star Wars

[ed] scared me...and i thought i knew all of that stuff

[Ally1995] but anyway.. Trevor was so great..

[Laura Leff] Brad knows I'm a Doctor Who fan...but that doesn't qualify as a Britcom

[ed] LL did jack do BBC interviews?

[R. Hookie] Dr. Who???

[Ythapmys] He must have when he did the Palladium.

[Chasitykins] LL, I adore Dr. Who as well.

[Laura Leff] Ed - Yes...he even did hour-long specials on the BBC.

[Ally1995] I love David Tennant!!

[Ally1995] It has some good comedy in it

[Ally1995] occasionally

[Steve 'shimp'] I think I have a CBC interview with Jack that is pretty good

[Ythapmys] Jack said the Scots consider him a spendthrift.

[Laura Leff] Check out Patrick Troughton...he's my favorite Doctor Who. But I watch the current ones as well...Matt Smith gets a thumbs-up from me.

[Ally1995] Yeah there are clips with Jack speaking to a British interviewer

[Chasitykins] Lol, yth

[Laura Leff] Steve - Yes, I think I've got that too.

[Ally1995] and yeah, I guess Smith is okay as the Doctor

[ed] I wonder what 39 cents is in british pounds

[Laura Leff] I interviewed the man who directed the BBC specials, and he started crying remembering Jack.

[Ythapmys] About 39 cents these days. The pound is about $1.40.

[Ally1995] Laura, why??

[Ally1995] Did something happen?

[Steve 'shimp'] Laura were these comedy specials or interview specials?

[Laura Leff] He just got very emotional because he really loved Jack so much (not in a Rochester/Remley kind of way, you understand) and misses him

[Steve 'shimp'] I assume they're gone as with so much BBC programming now.

[R. Hookie] That's touching

[Ally1995] Oh ... I really miss Jack now. I cant believe I wasnt born back then.

[Laura Leff] I've got an interview slated for our issue coming out in August where someone started crying right in front of me when they were talking about finding out that Jack died.

[Laura Leff] Steve - Comedy/variety

[Ally1995] ;(

[Laura Leff] Steve - I had the director look into trying to find them, but the BBC didn't have anything.

[Chasitykins] I tear up over Jack and Ronald Colman hardcore, I know your pain, Ally.

[Laura Leff] Ally - I know how you feel.

[Ally1995] Aww. thank you guys.

[Steve 'shimp'] They were notorious for "wiping" (taping over) much of their programs pre-1980s

[Laura Leff] Which is why there's so little of Patrick Troughton as Doctor Who...*sigh*

[Ally1995] Yeah the BBC--"Pretty Risque!!"

[ed] i was sleeping in bed with my transistor radio I got form christmas under the pillow when i heard about jack's death in 1974....

[R. Hookie] The same for Johnny's 60s Tonight Show

[Ally1995] wow.. ed,thats a powerful memory.

[ed] my sister in the next room told me turn it off it's 1 am!!!

User Ythapmys has logged out.

[Laura Leff] Marty was telling me about the fight over the Ernie Kovacs masters, and someone said that they'd settle it once and for all. So they dumped them in the Atlantic Ocean.

[Ally1995] hah.. now the sadness is ruined.

[ed] bye y

[Ally1995] Bye Yth??!

[Chasitykins] LL, that's a terrible story. :1

[Laura Leff] But there's a Shout Factory set of Ernie Kovacs sitting on the table in front of me, so they're not all gone!

[Ally1995] wow Laura!!

[R. Hookie] Shout Factory has some good stuff

User yhtapmys has entered this room.

[Ally1995] I'm sorry guys I've gotta go now..

[ed] i did not like ernie in what's my line...came oon too strong

[R. Hookie] Bye

[Laura Leff] Aw darnit

[Steve 'shimp'] Bye Ally!

[Chasitykins] Have a good night, Ally, glad you were here!

[Chasitykins] wecome back, yht

[Ally1995] Bye!! Thank you again!!

User Ally1995 has logged out.

[yhtapmys] Changed computers.

[Laura Leff] Good night, Ally! Hope to see you next month!

[ed] ally keep chatting with us i hope

[Laura Leff] Ack...too slow

[ed] same here

[Steve 'shimp'] I need to see more Ernie Kovacs

[R. Hookie] She'll catch the transcripts

[Laura Leff] Steve - Yes, you do. We all do.

[Laura Leff] I have often said that Kovacs did for TV comedy what Jack did for radio comedy.

[ed] LL was kovacs humor a little rude?

[yhtapmys] Ed, Kovacs never understood a panel show doesn't have one guy outshining the other panelists.

[Laura Leff] Ed - I don't think of it as such.

[ed] i haqve never heard it

[R. Hookie] I'll be back

[yhtapmys] He was a poor fit for What's My Line.

[ed] he was seems to tight

[Chasitykins] i agree, yht

[Laura Leff] I don't know him so much for What's My Line as his own shows

[yhtapmys] I think he just did the one week.

[Laura Leff] Just being really visually inventive, finding what worked for television without just doing vaudeville over again like Berle was doing

[Laura Leff] Taping a kaleidoscope to the camera lens and turning it...things like that.

[Chasitykins] berle was doing everyone's vaudeville shows of course

[yhtapmys] But he doesn't appear to be taking it too seriously and has stupid answers that don't advance the game. He was trying to be funny.

[ed] i think mark goodson had more charm on WML than kovacs

[yhtapmys] I'd take Hal Block over him, to be honest.

[ed] bennett cerf

[Laura Leff] Fred Allen

[Chasitykins] allen is definitely my fave male panelist on WML

[ed] anybody but kovacs...really

[Chasitykins] fred allen, that is. not steve allen.

[yhtapmys] Groucho wasn't good, either. He bowled over everyone. That isn't how a panel show works.

[Laura Leff] Fred Allen could have been the first late-night host

[ed] i wonder if anybody thought of that LL

[Chasitykins] Fred Allen definitely was the forerunner to today's Daily Show and Colbert Report and SNL weekend update

[yhtapmys] The problem with that, Laura, is he'd want to write all his own stuff and would never be able to do it nightly.

[Laura Leff] Ed - They probably have...I've often heard comments that Jay Leno is Jack to David Letterman's Fred Allen...but not being a big Jay Leno fan any more, I tend not to agree

[Laura Leff] Yht - That is an excellent point!

[yhtapmys] Colbert has 12 writers. Fred did most of his own stuff.

[Laura Leff] Chasity - Fred Allen, Daily Show...you know, I'd never made that connection before, but I do see it!

[yhtapmys] Steve Allen made it work because a lot was improvised. No writing needed.

[Steve 'shimp'] Oh my, Jack's stuff from 70 years ago is edgier and more clever than Jay Leno's stuff is now!

[Chasitykins] I don't understand how Fred failed in television like he did, but maybe he was just too far ahead of his time.

[Laura Leff] Fred Allen improvised a lot too, but still, like you said, did a lot of research and writing for it

[yhtapmys] The shows they gave him were crap.

[yhtapmys] They expected him to adlib like Groucho on one game show but it was too convoluted.

[ed] esp the one zasu pitts

[Laura Leff] Chasity - I think to a degree he was a bit too intellectual...remember his comment about "they call television a medium because nothing on it is either rare or well-done"

[Chasitykins] Very true

[R. Hookie] I'm back

[Chasitykins] Of course, Fred Allen never seemed to like much of anything, I think.

[Brian Baker] Comedy ruled back then when there was no political correctness, at least not as we know by today's standards.

[yhtapmys] He just doesn't seem comfortable in most of those early efforts.

[R. Hookie] agreed

[ed] yes they would highly sensored today

[R. Hookie] true

[Laura Leff] There's a story that Jack came to visit Fred after he'd done a live TV show around 1948 or 49, before Jack started in TV.

[Brian Baker] I recall a middle finger joke, but can't remember the exact context.

[Laura Leff] Fred was completely soaked in sweat, and said to Jack something like, "Don't ever go into television...it will kill you."

[Laura Leff] Brian - That was Jackie Mason, not Benny.

[Brian Baker] back then it was mainly know as giving the bird

[yhtapmys] Well, everyone knows there was censorship galore in '40s radio (as well as pleasing a sponsor). It's just that different things are censored today.

[ed] it took seven years to kil;l him

[Chasitykins] ed, I think Fred Allen himself would have appreciated that joke.

[Laura Leff] And often Jack's writers put in things that they intended to be cut in order to get other things by the censor

[Laura Leff] Well, folks, we're at the two-hour mark...

[Chasitykins] Quite a lengthy chat tonight indeed

[ed] radio was like a good steak well done

[Laura Leff] Should we leave you wanting more, or keep going?

[Laura Leff] Ed - Hey, I like my steak rare.

[Chasitykins] I've got nowhere to be personally

[Steve 'shimp'] I'm good with signing off for the night - been fun chatting as usual!

[yhtapmys] OK, Steve.

[R. Hookie] This is fun!

[yhtapmys] I have some more newspaper clippings on the forum for anyone interested.

[Steve 'shimp'] Buy war bonds and back issues of the JB times everyone!

[Chasitykins] always am, yht

[Laura Leff] Yht - Keep 'em coming!

[Steve 'shimp'] Good night

[Laura Leff] Steve -

User Steve 'shimp' has logged out.

[ed] can you imagine fred doing bin laden jokes...oh boy!!!! would that be something

User yhtapmys has logged out.

[Laura Leff] OK, let's call it a wrap for tonight and save some for July. Great job, folks!

[Chasitykins] ed

[R. Hookie] Thanks

[Chasitykins] Been a great night - have a good one

[Laura Leff] Wonderful chat, and hope to see you all next month!

[Brian Baker] ok, good night all

[ed] thanks LL

[R. Hookie] Bye