Illuminati-R-Us

Here There Be Llamas :: Steve Allen

Author: Enzo
Subject: Steve Allen
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:59 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 0

My personal hero. I just started a book I got for Xmas -

Inventing Late Night
Steve Allen and the original Tonight Show

When I was a kid I watched Steve religiously. I used to hide in the basement with a blanket over me and the TV set so I could watch his late night show when I was supposed to be sleeping. Steve Allen originated the Tonight Show and really is the one who came up with the format all the late night talk shows now follow. Dave Letterman's show is a direct descendant.

Steve Allen was a genius. He wrote and performed songs, has many albums. Wrote for others as well. He has written many books. But what I appreciated most was his wit. He was sharp as a tack and fast. he was always self-aware too. he often observed humor in just how we speak. And he was the absolute king of the ad lib. I owe a lot of my sense of humor to Allen.

Steve Allen liked the way some words sounded, and he sometimes made words up, especially when making prank phone calls on his show. he once was enamored of the brand name "Marfak" which was at the time a Texaco brand of lubricants. He just liked the way it sounded, and for a time he would just use Marfak instead of some other word. I found this sort of thing amusing, went down to the local Texaco station and bought a little can of Marfak axle grease. To me I had a little Marfak on my shelf. I was somehow a part of things. Mom could never see it as Marfak, she was not into silly. She only saw grease. Over and over she'd ask, "Why do you have that GREASE on your shelf?" It's not grease, mom, it's Marfak. Blank stare. I may even still have that can out in the barn with the remains of my old chemistry set.

Allen used to give young performers a break, he made Steve Lawrence and Edie Gormet. he made them regulars on his show at a time when no one would hire them. They were Jewish, and at that time to many in the business that was not OK. He booked many black performers when TV was still Lily White, a lot of Jazz greats

Allen spoke out against McCarthyism on the air as well.

I remember one fellow he had on now and then. Cheyenne Shatz. This guy was some sort of comedian. His act would appear to be some sort of prop based humor - think Carrot Top or Gallagher - and he'd come out and start setting his stuff up on stage. Steve would introduce him, and he'd say Hi Steve, just a second, I am almost ready. Shatz would procede to unpack stuff and move things around, all the while bantering with Allen. Allen acting the straight man, "Oh you still need some time?" I'm almost ready says Shatz. This goes on for some time until Allen says, "Gee, Cheyenne, I'm terribly sorry, we have run out of time. Can you come back another day soon?" Of course he could, he'd nod, and they'd play the music and out they'd go.

This was the guys act. A sort of absurdist view of prop humor I guess. I found it hilarious. It wasn't so much what he was doing as it was the fact he was doing it that was funny. He was on several times, and that was his act. He'd come out pretending he was setting up an act that of course he would never perform. I never saw the fellow anywhere else, and for all I know he was a staffer doing a bit - in the way Letterman has staffers doing bits now and then.

Steve Allen died in 2000.

Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Happy New Year

Author: Enzo
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:29 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 16

Mmmmmm, heated to perfection on rotating pipes. Fresh chopped onions, mustard (of course), and a pile of jalopeno slices on the side. Were I not working, a beer would go nicely with all that.

You got Speedway stations out your way?

Current Events and Politics :: RE: RIP Ron Asheton

Author: Enzo
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 4:27 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1

We're dropping like flies.

And a side note, which will mean nothing to anyone but Scott. They razed "The Dollar." Gone. Empty lot. Former Silver Dollar Saloon, The Brewery, Gandmothers, and other things. We used to play there a lot back when.

Baba O'Riley :: RE: The Last One to Post is the Winner

Author: Halcyon Dayz
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 3:06 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1657

_________________
An idea is not responsible for the people who believe in it.

Baba O'Riley :: RE: 1,000,000

Author: Halcyon Dayz
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 2:13 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 3198

996,802
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Baba O'Riley :: RE: Post an outrageous lie about the person who posted last game

Author: pmcolt
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:11 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1358

^ briefly dated the Mayor of Munchkinland ^
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Baba O'Riley :: RE: The Alphabet Game

Author: pmcolt
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:10 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 2708

Nuts to that. I'm pretty sure Arneb called you a commie lozenge model with an odor.
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Baba O'Riley :: RE: Word Association Game

Author: pmcolt
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:01 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 6704

shadow
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Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Happy New Year

Author: pmcolt
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:59 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 16

Little late, but wishing everyone good health and lots of money.

And since everyone's going to be feeling good and have money burning a hole in their pockets... how's about taking me out for a drink? And maybe one of those Pole dogs that Enzo is bragging about.
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Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Button-Fly Jeans

Author: pmcolt
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 12:53 am (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 15

Wow, my thread has attracted women comparing their curves. Too bad it's worthless without pics...

I'll give the jeans a try -- just as soon as I lose enough holiday cookie weight to squeeze into them. (I swear, cookies with macadamia nuts ought to be more strictly regulated than crack.)
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Current Events and Politics :: RIP Ron Asheton

Author: Blue Monster 65
Subject: RIP Ron Asheton
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 10:45 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j5jMR8oKNjdD2lBQRVK3z5R-L9hQD95HV1800

What a drag. Used to run into him on occasion in A2. Nice, unassuming guy. TV Eye is playing loudly tonight ...

Scott
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Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Button-Fly Jeans

Author: hippietrekx
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:52 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 15

Lance wrote:

troubleagain wrote:

OBVIOUS curves

How "obvious" are they?

Not nearly as obvious as mine...
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Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Happy New Year

Author: Enzo
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:03 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 16

Well I am flush with cash today, so I am about to go get my fist gas station hot dogs of the new year. They would go well with bier, wouldn;t they? Actually they are Polish dogs.

Here There Be Llamas :: RE: Button-Fly Jeans

Author: Enzo
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 9:00 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 15

I dress like a 12 yo myself. I find it easier to pick up dates on the playground.

Baba O'Riley :: RE: The Last One to Post is the Winner

Author: Lance
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 4:49 pm (GMT -5)
Topic Replies: 1657

Hoof Hearted
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WOW!
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"Some things are false no matter how many people believe them, while others are true whether we believe them or not."