John Paragon

We frequently say that "comedy keeps you young" and today we present exhibit #1 -- George Burns -- who went from vaudeville to radio and tv, to movies (often with his comedy and life partner Gracie Allen). Then, at an age when most of us are looking for a rocking chair, George managed to score a hit country song, win an Academy Award, play God, and headline top clubs across the nation. One of the best-loved of the old school comedians, George killed with sly wit and timing rather than bluster. And famously, George signed a lifetime contract in Vegas ensuring he would have a show on his 100th birthday. That didn't quite happen, though George lived past 100 and when he passed Hollywood paid tribute and Vegas dimmed its lights in his honor. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more George Burns? In 1980 George climbed the country charts (in his early 80s) with this nostalgic classic. https://youtu.be/vxuvFGbh9TI?si=dZ_FPSFtgFEvyi0l George Burns and Gracie Allen were inseparable and their comic timing superb. Here they recreate an old vaudeville sketch for television. https://youtu.be/nfdS8c7Bj7o?si=jPVFtf2Ysp5NMTWV When his close friend Jack Benny took ill, George stepped into his role in movie of Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys. This trailer has a bit of old Hollywood flavor. https://youtu.be/ZADVjV3_W_0?si=FtulkDPz0TQQDBMw George was a favorite of Johnny Carson and this clip shows why with some great storytelling. https://youtu.be/gffET3fOJlo?si=kyCf9NA0SOHUWbsZ

Happy September comedy fans -- we have a treat for you this week. You may not know the name John Paragon but you sure know his work. Paragon was part of the Groundlings Improv Troupe that spawned such huge stars as Paul Reubens and Cassandra Peterson. He helped Paul turn into Pee Wee Herman and Cassandra into Elvira, Mistress of the Night. For Pee Wee he also played Jambi the Genie, a character carried over to the television version of the Pee Wee Herman Show. For Elvira, Paragon wrote many of her most famous lines and on her Movie Macabre show he appeared as a phone-in fan called "The Breather." John also had his own comedy special and worked steadily as an actor, writer and director. No wonder his special called him "The Paragon of Comedy." As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more John Paragon? For Pee Wee Herman John played Jambi the Genie who would lead everyone in a very special chant -- all together now! https://www.reddit.com/r/Xennials/s/45EKQIxFKB John scored his own special in 1983 called The Paragon of Comedy. We've marked the clip to start with the full Ramon Azteca bit, but the whole thing is worth watching. https://youtu.be/lpL_Svu7o6M?si=76aZwVd2K8N7cmE4&t=2826   John was a close friend of Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira, and wrote many great lines as well as playing The Breather on Elvira's Movie Macabre. https://youtu.be/QuLKSXe8Ah0?si=PX0MmEN8-GdYRipm

If you like your comedy laced with strong and sharp observations about our current politics and culture, look no further than Bill Maher who has made a career out of serving up just that. After early work as an actor, Bill really found his path doing standup comedy. He turned that into a long-running series ("Politically Incorrect"), another longer-running series ("Real Time"), a hit documentary ("Religulous"), and best-selling books and standup tours. Along the way he has become a vocal proponent and consumer of cannabis as well as an animal rights activist. Maher's gift for stirring up controversy on both sides of the aisle has made his show a magnet for people wanting smart conversations laced with acerbic wit. (To be fair, Maher's other gift for stepping over the comedy line has also come back to bite him on occasion). The recipient of this year's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Bill shows no signs of slowing down -- good news indeed for comedy fans. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Maher? Does Bill have something to say about Ronald Reagan? Of course he does -- as in this bit from 2007's HBO special The Decider. https://youtu.be/j8FrNEGO7q8?si=SBbfrYZcndlUppFK Bill's first Carson spot showed the outlines of the career that was to come. (And it reinforced Carson's enormous role in highlighting new comedians). https://youtu.be/V__wp4xvTjI?si=wzjq8d2vxrs7XXah Since 2003 Bill has hosted Real Time on HBO. One recurring segment (and one spun off into best-selling books) is New Rules where Bill provides helpful suggestions for the nation. https://youtu.be/6dMOfwUP0F0?si=x9dujP71LLfyO4GZ  

This week we meet Anthony Jeselnik who has turned a "lightbulb moment" into a booming career as the modern prince of dark comedy. Originally intending to be a novelist, Anthony discovered a stand up comedy course in LA and his new career trajectory was set. Gaining experience and exposure as a writer and roaster on Comedy Central's roast series, Anthony developed a comic persona that is can walk you right up to the line -- and then step over it in a way you didn't see coming. A well-named Comedy Central show (The Jeselnik Offensive) further established his style and though a short stint as host of Last Comic Standing didn't click, a continuing run of Netflix specials, comedy tours and podcast episodes keeps Anthony at the top of the heap for those who like their comedy with an edge. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Anthony Jeselnik? Anthony is a top standup draw with a style that is perfect for his dark observations. https://youtu.be/iTUNOw5bo48?si=2TioTDa02tykNpYN Anthony's big boost came from his work as a writer and roaster on Comedy Central's no-holds-barred roasts including this one of bad boy Charlie Sheen. https://youtu.be/jqzFTuuOHyk?si=E5ae8DNW6vLrUall Anthony had a two season run as host of the Jeselnik Offensive which found him in unusual situations -- such as performing standup for an audience made up entirely of members of the Church of Satan. https://youtu.be/a-UBqlEHcr8?si=Wta_8VRV5-fB9AhG

Join us north of the border as we meet Brent Butt who has become a Canadian comedy legend with a long stand-up career, a smash sitcom (and movie), a well-received novel, and a shelf full of awards. From a small town in Saskatchewan, Brent started his comedy career at amateur nights, then moved to Toronto and started his climb to the top of the comedy ladder. Brent also created the sitcom Corner Gas in which he played the owner of the only gas station for miles in -- you guessed it -- Saskatchewan. That show spawned a movie and an animated version, and Brent has also continued as a standup and more recently a novelist. Not bad for a small town lad! As always find extra clips below and thanks for watching our shows! Want more Brent Butt? Here's Brent with more hair, fewer wrinkles and, as always, great material from Just For Laughs in 1992. https://youtu.be/YXWT5OmFdDs?si=Z3mDgJEQ3bFaxOHO Corner Gas was a hit sitcom in Canada and Brent's sly portrayal of gas station owner Brent Leroy was the centerpiece. Here are some more highlights from Dog River.https://youtu.be/sJ_DbLx4-i8?si=O9KdBK_9o6yqgZdD Brent remains a top standup draw in Canada and his recent work celebrates his longevity (and his receding hairline), https://youtu.be/YmdkyUdKwhs?si=q-W4pEnIxADkYE3d  

Pull out your opera glasses because Anna Russell is here to poke some good natured fun at all things operatic. After realizing she didn't have the chops to be a true diva, Anna pivoted and merged her admirable singing voice with some sly and sharp parody of the art form. Through a series of albums and one-woman shows, Anna was a favorite of opera fans (at least ones with a sense of humor) from the 1940s through her retirement in the 1980s. Her major claim to fame was a very funny deconstruction of Wagner's the Ring. And what did Anna say to critics who said she had insulted a great piece of music. Just this: "I merely tell the story as accurately as possible and play the bits of music exactly as written. I can't help it if the story is absurd." As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. Want more Anna Russell? Anna's main claim to fame was her fabulous take down of Wagner's Ring. First released in 1953, the routine remained a mainstay of her act for the rest of her career. https://youtu.be/Us6CrJzJlIc?si=Ftv-OfPJv8lt0UuB Here Anna parodies folk tunes on the wonderful Alistair Cooke show Omnibus. Somehow TV was more adventurous in the 1950s! https://youtu.be/UQ4IdPB_aFE?si=nQ9DaGtjZkOOPu0y Like fellow musical parodist PDQ Bach, Anna had fun discussing the ins and outs of unusual musical instruments. Take the bagpipe. . . please. https://youtu.be/xKWZbFNzFhs?si=uXkXZ3sRg87plZph

So back in the day you could see vintage entertainers such as Dean Martin, Jackie Mason, Ed Sullivan, Glen Campbell, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Or you could just see John Byner and he would cover them all with spot-on impressions, combined with fine stand-up comedy. When young John offered up his version of Bing Crosby singing "Accentuate the Positive" at age 6 his path in life was clear. As an adult, his early gigs were supported by a day job at a swimming pool company but he soon found fans and became a regular opening act for jazz artists in NY and DC. Along with his nightclub work John was a sought after guest star on sitcom and talk/variety shows, landed a recurring role on Soap, and starred in a popular Canadian tv sketch show. Now 88, John maintains a fun website with highlights from his long career. As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more John Byner? Here's a nice slice of John's stand-up from the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour back in 1970. https://youtu.be/Ej3pZWwxTfE?si=pPcGXGTkipGK8nJx Byner was a favorite of Ed Sullivan and the feeling was mutual -- watch John imitate the master himself. https://youtu.be/hzE97Bov1kk?si=_uD12rTtzqFhzEkP An unusual project, The Ant and the Aardvark had 17 theatrical short episodes, and featured Byner voicing both characters -- using Dean Martin for the Ant and Jackie Mason for the Aardvark.https://youtu.be/lVXoXlqqxuk?si=4gp349eO7Chck0uE In 2020 John published an autobiography ("Five Minutes Mr. Byner") that covers his career, his favorite impersonation subjects, and how he approaches his craft. https://youtu.be/6CwKq6I-oZI?si=U4n_nuUMF59dBb_I

Today we meet one of the sharpest satirists of the last 40 years, Harry Shearer. We could also say Mr. Burns or Kent Brockman -- two of the Simpsons characters he voices. Or we could say the the long term host of a weekly comedy and music program called Le Show, as well as the creator of great comedy albums with The Credibility Gap as well as solo. And oh yeah, Harry was part of the crew that came in to rescue SNL as it floundered after the original cast departed. Or, perhaps he is Derek Smalls, bassist for the mockumentary rock kings Spinal Tap. Check it out to find out more -- as always there are extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Harry Shearer? Harry provides so many great voices for the Simpsons it's hard to keep track, but here is a fun sampling. https://youtu.be/3X2JLl9U4Rw?si=eEDJiukahjM56VEw Harry has two short runs on SNL in the 1980s and while he didn't stay long his bits remains classic. This one features Harry and Martin Short as the world's first male synchronized swimming team. https://www.reddit.com/r/LiveFromNewYork/s/eTMzv1qmyw The Credibility Gap isn't as well known as the Firesign Theater, but they should be. A creation born of the LA radio scene in the early 1970s, the Gap specialized in precise takedowns - including this homage to Abbott and Costello's classic Who's on First. https://youtu.be/YEvwW1yqIjA?si=yd-92mP5Km6YLqUV

You might want to wait until 4:20 to fire up this episode. And why not -- this time we feature Seth Rogan, comedian, movie star, and enthusiastic cannabis consumer. Hailing from Vancouver, BC Seth managed to score a role in Freaks and Geeks at age 16, befriended the show's creator Judd Apatow who recognized his talent, then parlayed that beginning into a run of outrageously funny movies, award winning tv shows, and memorable voice roles. And Seth is Canadian to the core, turning down a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in favor of one on Canada's Walk of Fame. So next time you are in Toronto stop by and leave an herbal offering to this comedy master if you can -- you never know when Seth might be in the neighborhood. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows! Want more Seth Rogen? Seth started young, performing standup in his teens. You could see already see a star in the making. https://youtu.be/IPnNntVI1DQ?si=Mkxx8qbsQOH_xMkp Seth has become known for cannabis friendly films -- and none more so than Pineapple Express. Here Seth and his dealer played by James Franco try to navigate a novel joint. https://youtu.be/0L0QQa_MvK0?si=hvcHNBBe6WOP40Op Seth's most recent hit is The Studio, an Apple TV show about a legacy movie studio trying to survive. https://youtu.be/EIQuE7JGXU8?si=_Okh9g8JRV5tfChN

People who are famous for just being famous have been around forever but this weeks Legend Orson Bean gladly took that role, calling himself a "Neo-celebrity." Orson is being far too modest about a career that started out with a magic act, evolved into stand up comedy, was featured on Broadway and in top NYC cabarets, logged many hours on game and talk shows, and worked steadily as a guest star on tv and in movies. Orson also helped found a Laurel and Hardy society and a (for the time) radical primary school. So while Orson called himself a "Neo-celebrity" we prefer to think of him as a "renaissance man". As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows. Want more Orson Bean? From the days of black and white tv, here's a running gag between Orson and host Bud Collier on To Tell the Truth.https://youtu.be/qo8pM9LaojM?si=ueaOI_ZENiukCfzC Orson was such a game show stalwart that even a cameo -- here on The Match Game -- would bring the house down. https://youtu.be/YLDR8oc8k6Y?si=2eH1hOHp6yjh8iz6 Orson had a quick wit so he was a natural guest for talk shows including this appearance with Johnny Carson. https://youtu.be/LpFZOp9bdCY?si=K3-jA3nRYO0typ-A Orson found some prime roles in his career including the eccentric Dr. Lester in Being John Malkovich. https://youtu.be/DSGYElDi38s?si=j6AfFlMnG_XgVQUk