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WHAT MAKE ME LAUGH?  Almost everything that people take seriously.   Who can take Life seriously? All time favorite TV comedy was "Barney Miller." "Third Rock" was great. "Just Shoot Me." Nothing like a well written comedy with a fine cast! The Dick Van Dyke shows proved that!

    FAVORITE COMICS:  Remember Jackie Gayle and Pete Barbutti? Jackie Mason was a hoot! I belly laugh at most original comedy, and appreciate people who do any of it well. Bob Newhart has always been a favorite,  Jonathan Winters was a role model, as were Red Skelton and the Smothers Brothers. Billy Crystal has done brilliant work.   Kelly Monteith is a fine comic. George Wallace always broke me up. I prefer cleaner comedy, and  especially don't like repetitive cursing!    Who needs that $&*#@^&#?

    FAVORITE STARS I'VE WORKED WITH:  Might make that "nicest" Roger  Miller,  Lou Rawls,  Debbie Reynolds, Connie Stevens, Frankie Avalon, Ben Vereen.  Many stars that I worked with were for only a few days and we didn't socialize. Had wonderful times in Vancouver at several Telethons produced by the extremely nice Rai Purdy. Had fun with Anson Williams, Soupy Sales, Meridith MacCrae, Werner Klemperer, the Haggar twins

    I liked Suzanne Somers, but her husband was a real jerk. (I don't think he liked me, either.) Working with her actually hurt my career! I was doing twenty five minutes as her "Special Guest Star." Hilton reps asked if I could do thirty, and I said "Sure!" They were going to cut five minutes out of her act, which they thought was too long. Well, the BLEEP hit the fan, and I was cut to only TEN minutes!  (See Press for the results.)  Anyway, I choose to blame the husband, and give Suzanne the benefit of the doubt. She spent a lot of time in my dressing room during the three months we were at the Las Vegas Hilton, talking with my toddler step son, and we laughed and joked a lot. I was never invited into her dressing room (next door) during the three month run except for Official Hilton events like photo shoots. The "Hover Hubby" was always standing guard.

    BOTTOM LINE: "Stars" don't want strong opening acts. My friend George Wallace was temporarily canned for being too strong in front of Diana Ross, and many friends have horror stories. Two people who weren't afraid of strong opening acts: TOM JONES and DON RICKLES. I've seen them both with MONSTER opening acts, including George Wallace.

    FAVORITE STARS THAT I PARTIED WITH: Pat O'Brien, Jesse White (1st Maytag Man, Harvey the Rabbit, Ann Sothern Show), Omar Shariff, Gordon McCrae, Jackie Mason and Roger Miller  (Younger people may not remember them, but they are/were WONDERFUL) There were many others, but we partied too hard for me to remember!

    FUN TO BE AROUND: Mohammed Ali,  McGuire Sisters, Smothers Brothers, Fred Travelena, Norm Crosby,  Dom Deluise, Connie Stevens, RCI Cruise Director Sir Gregory Maxwell, and Pickpocket Bob Arno. Plus those mentioned earlier. Had fun with Johnny Rodriguez, chatted with a very young Tanya Tucker, spent a while with Charlie Pride.

    Page Two 1 2 3 4   Next: Who I've met, some stories, Vietnam.