On Sunday, my pal Jeff Abraham and I drove out to Glendora, which is about an hour's drive from my area, to see a fun matinee event. It was called The Jonathan Winters Show but it was really a variety show featuring four acts, the last of which was Jonathan. It took place at the Haugh Performing Arts Center on the campus of Citrus College but it did not draw a college audience. Matter of fact, though I'm pushing sixty (as in "end of this week"), I felt like I was among the younger attendees.
First up was our host for the afternoon, comedian Pete Barbutti, an old friend of mine who's among the funniest people I've ever seen on a stage. And if you have any sense of how many funny people I've seen on stage, you know that's high praise. Pete lives and often works in Vegas and he's one of the best storytellers I've ever encountered: One of those guys who's worked with everyone in show business and has an anecdote about every last one of 'em. I'll post a couple of Pete clips here in the next few days. If you don't remember him from this eighty thousand appearances with Johnny Carson, you'll see what I mean.
Following Pete was a singing impressionist named Paul Boland who I'd always heard good things about but had never had the chance to see. The guy's pretty darn good. He has sharp material and a way of ingratiating himself with the audience as himself…a skill many impressionists lack. You know, if you come out on stage and mimic superstar after superstar, it's real easy for you as yourself to be the least interesting person on that stage. The audience loved him and not just because he does a great Dean Martin. Anyway, Boland sure lived up to his reputation.
The third act was The Golddiggers — six of the ladies who graced The Dean Martin Show (speaking of Dean…) and toured Asia with Bob Hope. They've come out of retirement — and in most cases, motherhood — with a nostalgia-based act that the audience also loved. They still look pretty good and sing pretty good. Back in my later teen years, I had the kind of crush you get at that age on a couple of those ladies so it was with conflicting emotions that I see them today. I have a feeling I'm not the only male in my age that feels that way…but they do know how to entertain.
Finally to close the show, there was Jonathan. He's 86 and recovering from a broken shoulder so he was confined to a chair with Barbutti acting as his straight man. They gave Jonathan a variety of hats and a few premises and he took off from there, weaving and winging it as only he can. He was very funny but for the life of me, I can't quote a thing he said and make it sound like anything. There's always been something in his rhythm and the odd connections he makes from one concept to the next…something unique and brilliant. I don't think there's a more respected comedian alive today. (Tim Conway, who's no slouch in the comedy department, was in the audience to see him.)
Jeff and I went backstage after the show and it was especially noteworthy to see Tim greet Jonathan, who hadn't known he was out front and seemed flattered by the presence of the other great comedian from Ohio. They bantered a bit and everyone posed for photos with everyone else and talked about going home to watch the Oscars. Jeff and I hung out with Pete for a while and it was just a very nice, pleasant afternoon. I'm not writing this so much for you folks but so that I can remember what a good time I had. It's so nice to see people who do what they do well. And nice to see an audience enjoy themselves as much as that one did.
