Podcast episode 565ish: Dwight Slade

We can't leave the house, but new episodes keep on coming. This week in the What's So Funny? Isolation Studio, we've got Dwight Slade! He joins us from his study in Boise, Idaho, surrounded by toilet paper. We talk about the situation and whether it's covid or corona. We also talk about his days as a 15-year-old standup comedian in Houston with his partner and best pal Bill Hicks, moving to Los Angeles, then steadily moving farther and farther away from show business: first to Portland for 23 years, and then on to Boise. We even talk about UFOs. Or at least, one specific UFO.

To help keep you from going stir-crazy, have a listen. We're here for you. You can click down below to listen, or simply go download us wherever fine podcasts are handed out. We'll be there, too.

Podcast episode 285ish: Dwight Slade

I had an absolutely great talk with Dwight Slade a few weeks ago and humbly offer you the proof today in the form of a podcast. It was funny, heartfelt, cynical, sincere, and deep. Everything you'd want in a conversation. We talked about death, drinking, aging, comedic relevance, forgotten Tonight Show comedians, cruise ships and a lot about his dear, departed friend, the legendary Bill Hicks. Brought to you from the third precinct of Baltimore. At least it sounded like that at times.

Click below to listen or download it at iTunes (or wherever you get your podcasts). What's So Funny? – ask for it by name.





As mentioned, we talked a bit about some of Dwight's and Bill's favourite Tonight Show comedians in the late 1970s. Since we're all the same age, and I was watching Johnny regularly, it surprised me when I didn't recognize the name of one of them: Billy Braver. Dwight and Bill loved him. I decided to use the old Google device thingy and I found this great 18-minute film on the guy. Turns out he quit show business while he was riding high and went on to sell cars. Yes, he was a car salesman. But when that tanked a year or so ago, he decided to give stand-up comedy another go. Have a look. It's not quite a sob story; it's a Saab Story:


SAAB Story from Max Joseph on Vimeo.


And while we're on the topic of old Tonight Show comics, I thought I'd root around for clips of some of the others we mentioned. I guess Johnny's estate has their claws on everything so I can't find their appearances on the actual show, but these will give you a taste of who we were talking about:

Ed Bluestone:


Bobby Kelton:


Kelly Monteith:

July 1: Dwight Slade

Happy Dominion Day, Canada. (I'm old-school.) Seeing as it's the birthday of our nation, I couldn't get any Canadian comics. Thankfully, the Americans don't celebrate their big day until Wednesday so Dwight Slade came through.

Okay, so the holiday has nothing to do with our guest. This interview with Dwight was recorded a few weeks ago when he was headlining the Comedy MIX. It came about quickly, too I went to see him on a Thursday night and we decided then and there to meet the next morning to record the show. Easy-peasy.

It was wonderfully dark and poignant. Some of the themes we touch on are death, drinking, aging, comedic relevance, his dear departed friend Bill Hicks, forgotten Tonight Show comedians, and cruise ships. It's a good one.

So tune in tonight at 11 until about 12:15 PST (it runs a little long but it's worth it). Tomorrow's a stat holiday so you can sleep in. As always, we're on CFRO 102.7 FM in Vancouver but you can livestream the show at coopradio.org.

March 28: Jy Harris

It's been a few weeks. What can I say? Sometimes I just get lazy... Sometimes? Okay, I'm pretty much always lazy, but sometimes I'm lazier than others. Plus I was sick. That's a legit excuse, isn't it? Sure, it was just a cold, but I'm a guy. Those things can lay me out for weeks.

Oh, and I went to Portland for a few days a couple weeks ago. While there, I took the chance to take in some professional men's comedy at Harvey's. I was told it's the most popular comedy club in the city. Judging from the packed lounge prior to the show, I don't doubt it. And they do three shows on a Saturday night, 5:00, 7:30 and 10:00! We were greeted outside by three huge headshots on the side of the building. I have no idea who two were, but the middle was Portland boy, and friend of What's So Funny? (and former guest), Dwight Slade. Unfortunately Dwight was performing in Minneapolis the night we were there.

With a two-item minimum, I decided to have a beer and a burger. You can't go wrong with a burger, right? But there will be no confusing Harvey's the comedy club with Harvey's the hamburger joint. Trust me, at Harvey's comedy club, they definitely do not make your hamburger a beautiful thing. Worst burger I've ever had.

Soon after I started going to comedy clubs regularly in the early 1980s, I realized it was a crapshoot. That is, you never know if the performers are going to be either up to snuff or to your tastes. I've always figured if I come away having liked just one of the performers on a given night, it was a win. So let's see how it played out:

One of my pet peeves is when friends see a comedian somewhere, rush back to tell me, then can't remember the comic's name. And now I'm going to do the same thing. The host's name was Doug. It's possible his last name was Edwards. Doesn't really matter. He was extremely rehearsed and there was no original thought to his pieces. He grew up with five sisters, so of course we got lots of menstruation jokes. And on this night it was the 1oth anniversary of his divorce. Maybe. Shades of Andrew Grose's wedding anniversary every time you see him. So we started off the night oh-for-one. No biggie. On to the middle act.

J.P. Linde was introduced as a Portland legend. Okay. But it's obvious to see why he never became a legend anywhere else. Longevity in any given place is laudable, but there should be other factors that get you legend status. He mentioned the airline crew that was caught drunk "three weeks ago". Forget the fact that story broke much longer than that, is having the pilot singing a rendition of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall over the P.A. really worth keeping that joke in your repertoire? Good Lord. He also broke the comedy lid off the notion that the seat cushion can be used as a floatation device. Finally! I've been waiting years to hear a comic expose that silly idea. Linde looks a bit like Andy Kindler, but he's the anti-Kindler. I don't want to be too mean, though. The guy retired that weekend from stand-up.

Okay, oh-for-two with one last chance to save the night. And headliner Steve White did just that. What a breath of fresh air. The guy apparently has been in five Spike Lee movies. I didn't recognize him, but I'm sure going to watch for him. Great energy and an infectious spirit. And naturally funny. That always helps. He entered by acting as if we were all surprised that he was black based on his name. "Negro!" he said, pointing to his face. "No refunds!" He remarked on the whiteness of Portland: "It's like they build [white people] here. I've never seen so many fucking Subarus in my life."

Other good lines I jotted down:

• "I have ADHD: Attention Deficit in Hi-Definition. I'm very clear about what I'm fucked up about."
• On thugs needing to maintain that macho facade 24/7 even if their mom dies: "I'm gonna miss that 'ho. She was my bitch."
• "Obama made history twice: First black president... and last black president."
  

Even when making a groaner, he celebrates it with fake bravado. "Kobe beef? What's that? Black beef that comes in a white bun?" Then he mimes hitting one over the fence. "That's comedy gold!"

So was the evening a success? Damn straight, it was. One-for-three, but the one more than made up for the others. I tried to embed a clip of White for you but for some reason it isn't working. But he's got a few short ones on Rooftop Comedy you can check out on your own.

***

Now, on with the show. We've been on the air for over five years and surprisingly we've never had stand-up comic Jy Harris on before. But that's all about to change. He'll join us for his debut tonight at 11. You know him perhaps as Crop Sitter in episode one of DaVinci City Hall, or Clerk in episode one of Life As We Know It. Or maybe you've seen him on the Jerry Springer Show. The Red Rocket is all over the map. I see he's also a lead in the future cult classic Bong of the Dead (see trailer below). Jy is one positive dude and it should be fun talking with him.

More podcasts, as promised

As reported on these pages earlier this week, the promised podcasts are upon us:

• from January 27, 2008, we've got the creator and producer of CBC radio's The Debaters, Richard Side (who also happens to be a very funny guy himself).
• from February 3, 2008, we've got American Dwight Slade, who was also the very first stand-up partner of the legendary Bill Hicks. Among other things, Dwight talks quite emotionally about his late friend.
• from July 22, 2007, we've got stand-up comic, writer and stay-at-home son, Phil Hanley, in a feisty tete-a-tete.

New Podcasts!

It's been a long time coming, but we've got two more podcasts up and running. The last one was from the end of December, 2007. But today starts a long process of getting caught up. We begin with a April 20, 2008 return visit from the Tony Randall of What's So Funny?, Graham Clark. Graham now hosts his own podcast (with lackey Dave Shumka) called Stop Podcasting Yourself, but to really get to know the man they call "Graham" you have to listen to our program, which you can do right here.

The second new podcast up is a very fun, and interesting, visit from first-time WSF? guest, Joel Walmsley. The Wombat dropped by our studio on February 10, 2008 and talked about street performing and Brent Butt's first ever time on stage, among other things. Hear that show right here.

Thanks to Raegan Birch over at comedycouch.com for getting these shows uploaded and for hosting them on her site.

Coming soon: Richard Side, Phil Hanley and Dwight Slade.