Friday, June 23, 2006
My Favorite Showbiz Story
From Jay Leno's book, Leading with my Chin...
"There are technical nuances in television that took some getting used to. For instance, at one point, I found myself booked on Dinah Shore's syndicated daytime talk show. That day, I went in and met with the talent coordinator, who said, "Okay, what's your last joke, so the band knows when to play you off?" In showbiz parlance, this is called the outcue, which mainly serves to cover any dead air. So, as soon as a comedian ends, the band always jumps right in--ba daaah! baaam paah! daaah dooo! Comedians hate this because it steps on the laugh and drowns it out. Which is like a check not clearing at the bank. Very embarrassing. And, certainly, unsatisfying.
So I said to the talent coordinator, "Listen, do I have to give my last line?"
"Well, how's the bandleader going to know when you're done?"
I said, "Well, I like to hear the laugh, How about if I just say, 'Thank you, thank you very much!' Twice, okay? And that'll be the cue.
He agreed to this and went to tell the guys in the band. During the show, I waited backstage for my introduction from Dinah Shore. Finally, I heard her say, "Now we're going to bring out a very funny young man from Boston. He's got a unique brand of comedy. Please welcome, Mr. Jay Leno. Come out here Jay!"
Because Dinah was such a warm presence, she tended to infect audiences with her own enthusiasm. And this audience took her lead and responded with a long, wonderful round of applause. It was almost unnatural. They even went, "Wooooo! Wooooo!"
I walked out, surprised and feeling like hot stuff.
I started with: "I'm from the United States! Are there any United States people here!"
This got a huge ovation--much more so than such a lame joke deserved.
So I said, "Oh! Thank you! Thank you very much!"
At which point, the bandleader looked up in a panic, threw down his magazine, stubbed out his cigarette--and started playing me off!
"BAAA DAAAAH! BAAAAAM PAHHHH! BAAA BAAAHH! DAAAAH! DAHHHHHN TAAAAAA!"
And I stood there stunned.
Meanwhile, Dinah, who had been reading through her notes, looked up, smiled broadly, and started applauding. Which started the audience applauding wildly!
Now she was waving me over to her: "Come on over here, Jay! Come on over here!"
So I shrugged and walked over to her couch.
Still beaming, she said, "Sit right down! That's some of the freshest material I've heard in a long time!"
Was anyone paying attention here?
So I just sat down and said, "Well, thank you very much! At this rate, I could do this show eighty, ninety times a year!"
And, naturally, no one seemed to know what I was talking about. It was the most ridiculous shot of my career"
I'd kill to see a tape of that episode.
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