Footnotes for the Introduction to the Book:


Seinfeld, "The Van Buren Boys" Ep. 148. Aired Feb. 6, 1997. Seinfeld is in my top 3 of all time comedians. (I have seen my other two in concert: #1 Jim Gaffigan and #2 Stephen Wright). They have inspired me to take my act on the road, although my family would prefer I just take my act away somewhere else...

  

Groucho Marx. A quick wit and his double entendres earn him a spot in my all time top 10 comedians.

“The Gong Show" originally aired from 1976 to 1978. The American Idol show of the 70's. My last name and not-so-funny jokes earned me the nickname "Gong Show" in high school.

“Silent Night” cover by Deliverance. Deliverance is one of my favorite Christian heavy & progressive metal bands out of the 80's. They cover Silent Night on their 1991 "What a Joke" release. My air drumming was so awful, I'm surprised they didn't call a squad to check on me...

The Addams Family aired from 1964 to 1966. I watched a lot of reruns in the 80's and this was in the rotation. As I grow older, I am turning into Cousin Itt.

 

Air Force One, a 1997 movie, was partly filmed at the Mansfield Reformatory (the same prison that was featured in Shawshank Redemption). I was paid as an extra for one day to rattle a metal cup with 200 other inmates as the movie's villain was released from prison. I was at the beginning of the cell block so my hand is probably not in the movie but they did feed me.

Jim Cantore\Ben Bailey. I look more like Cash Cab with a little hair stubble up top. I get asked at least once a month, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like that guy from Cash Cab?" I say, "Who?" I went to high school with one of the main weather channel forecasters (Mike Bettes). It's almost like I work there too...

 


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