Newhart of course.
I got to see him in person at a stand-up show this past saturday night in Louisville and it was great! I’ve always enjoyed his comedy style very much. He manages to be funny without profanity, which is unusual these days. He did a mix of new material and some of his old classic stuff, such as Driving Instructor. Even allowing that it hinges on the old chestnut of the bad female driver, it’s still a funny routine.
One of the biggest laughs came when he asked how many were Country and Western fans. He said he didn’t care for it much and didn’t mean to denigrate C&W fans. Then he said “For you Country and Western fans, denigrate means to make fun of…”
I think he’s so good not because of the material so much as because of his deadpan delivery and timing. During the show he screened some clips of his appearances on Ed Sullivan and with Dean Martin. A lot of decades ago but it’s still funny stuff. It reminds me that I need to pick up a copy of his album somewhere. It’d be fun to hear it again.
I did feel a bit out of place that night though. The mean age of the audience must have been about sixty-five. Any other relative youngsters (and for me I must stress the term relative) out there like Bob?
My brother suggested shouting out “Hi, Bob!” when he came out on stage but I’m fundamentally a chicken. Also we were back up in the nosebleed section of the balcony. I wonder how many times he’s heard that?
Also the orchestra played the Bob Newhart Show theme when he made his entrance. It was cool.
Actually, he was at the Brown Theater.
And you know what? On saturday I thought I’d never been at the Brown before but perusing that web site I realize that it was once the Macauley Theater. My grandmother took me there once when I was a kid, in the early 70s. It was a free show featuring Korean dancers. The show was to get you inside and afterwards the Rev. Sun Yung Moon came out to speak. But as I recall, soon as the show was over most of the audience got up and left, including my grandmother and me.
Bit of a non sequitur I suppose but I just felt like sharing.
“Bit of a non sequitur I suppose but I just felt like sharing.”
And ain’t that why we’re here? To be shared to?
I have neighbors that I always drop in on when my wife’s working. As I was walking in one day I realized why the situation seemed so familiar, so I announced my arrival with “Hi, Bob! Hi, Emily!” – the immediate deadpan “Hi, Howard” was automatic.