FOT Forum
The Best Show on WFMU => Dear Tom => Topic started by: chrisfoll577 on March 26, 2008, 06:40:25 AM
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Hi Tom,
I've read in a couple interviews that you consider the Bob and Ray (http://www.bobandray.com/) comedy team a major influence on Scharpling and Wurster. I heard an interview with Bob Elliott (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88761223) of Bob and Ray on NPR (yeah, I know...) a couple days ago that I thought you and my fellow FOT's might like to hear. In the interview he noted that there's not a lot of long form comedy routines with slow buildups, deadpan delivery and big payoffs like his today. I'm personally glad that you and Jon are bucking the trend and continuing what Bob and Ray started.
Thanks,
Chris
p.s. oh yeah, In addition to discovering Bob and Ray's routines, it was also pretty cool to find out that Bob is Chris Elliott's dad.
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It was very nice to hear this. I learned to love Bob and Ray from my mother and my aunt. The latter named a cat Mary Margaret McGillicuddy after one of their characters and owns some ancient records of theirs that I covet deeply. I should start lobbying to inherit them.
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The latter named a cat Mary Margaret McGillicuddy after one of their characters
I had a houseplant that I referred to as Matt Neffer: Boy Spotwelder. So funny. (the routine, not the plant or my naming the plant.)
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I don't know, I think it's a pretty amusing name for a plant. I'm disappointed to hear that the plant wasn't funny, though.
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It took us years to come to terms with it, but eventually we all have to learn that some things are beyond our control.
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All of my plants are hilarious.
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My plants' spirits are broken from years of abuse. They just cower and hope for the best.
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I just told my dad about how I make a point to buy seasonal chocolate the day after the holiday so I get it for half price. I don't care about chocolate on Easter; the holiday is the week after for me.
I referred to them as Chocolate Wobblies, and it made his day.
/saccharine-sweet story
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My plants' spirits are broken from years of abuse. They just cower and hope for the best.
Years? Plants live for years?
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I hope Tom is serious about Bob and Ray. You know how sometimes he says things, and you know from the inflection in his voice that it's a put-on? Well, that wouldn't always translate into print. I haven't heard/seen that much of their work, but what I have seemed very good. I could see why Tom would consider them a major influence, if he's sincere about what he said.
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Oh, and I like plants too. Don't have any right at the moment, but used to. And they were hilarious also
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I'm absolutely sure he's serious in his liking for them, Fido.
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I hope Tom is serious about Bob and Ray. You know how sometimes he says things, and you know from the inflection in his voice that it's a put-on? Well, that wouldn't always translate into print. I haven't heard/seen that much of their work, but what I have seemed very good. I could see why Tom would consider them a major influence, if he's sincere about what he said.
i recall interviews on the sound of young america and ast radio where tom mentioned bob and ray, and he sounded sincere.
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While Tom and Jon's thing is wholly and completely their own, you can see (IMHO) the seeds of Newbridge in this classic Bob and Ray routine:
[youtube]6u6yrZNIaa0[/youtube]
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While Tom and Jon's thing is wholly and completely their own, you can see (IMHO) the seeds of Newbridge in this classic Bob and Ray routine:
Thanks Rainer. That was very funny.
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Funny, Pop Matters just ran (yesterday) a pretty good article on the history and cultural context of Bob and Ray:
http://www.popmatters.com/pm/features/article/55398/bob-ray-the-two-and-only/
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I just found this site (http://nakedgord.blogspot.com/2006/12/bevy-of-bob-and-ray.html) that offers a lot of Bob and Ray downloads.
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I just found this site (http://nakedgord.blogspot.com/2006/12/bevy-of-bob-and-ray.html) that offers a lot of Bob and Ray downloads.
There are a bunch more here:
http://www.archive.org/details/otr_bobandray
and here:
http://www.freeotrshows.com/otr/b/Bob_and_Ray.html
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What a treasure trove, Man Machine! I'm going to download 'em all and burn two sets of CDs, one for me and one for my mummy.
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I'm into my six or seventh hour of Bob and Ray. Wonderful. I'm posting, though, because I just started listening to a bit where Wally Ballou is interviewing a guy who hangs around a department store dressed like an official floor walker and spends his time misdirecting people. So much like something that could be on the show, right down to the maniacal laughter of the perpetrator.
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Thanks everybody for these links. I've listened to far fewer hours than Sarah, but I have heard quite a bit of this audio, and it's fun. It's great to discover comedy antecedents from my parents' or grandparents' time when it doesn't suck. Bob and Ray's material doesn't suck. I'm having fun.
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Aren't they great, Fido? I'm having so much fun. Only 197 shows to go, plus the rest of the contents of that other voluminous archive.
(Have you come across the title of the Fathers' Day song yet? "You May Be a Jerk, but to Me You're My Old Man." I've got to remember that come June.)
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Sarah, that bogus storewalker bit is one of their best. I think my absolute fav is a rather subtle piece that's an interview with a man who tests fingernail clippers, and you hear him slowly count off as he clips the nails on one hand "that's one...two...three...four...five...and, six."
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I also like that in the various interviews with product testers, when the tester fails somehow, the interviewer invariably asks whether that particular item will tossed. The kazoo interview is an example.
And I love, love, love Ray's irritable women.
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One of my favorite bits is the "One Fella's Family" series. It's worth the search.
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A very irritable woman indeed in that bit. And no wonder--those rose bushes constantly getting pruned down the ground.
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I listened to a bunch of episodes today. Top quality comedy!
There's a short bit about a wrist-watch owner towards the end of 1973.03.16 episode that was so funny I had to listen to it over and over again. I can easily imagine a JW character saying "Well, the ticking is not really supposed to provide entertainment."
http://www.archive.org/download/otr_bobandray/bray.1973.03.16_WOR.mp3
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Awesome thread, guys! I found very little on YouTube, but now I got some stuff to sink my fangs into!
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Awesome thread, guys! I found very little on YouTube, but now I got some stuff to sink my fangs into!
agreed! between all the bob and ray, 'just a minute' and best show podcasts and rips, i have enough comedy to keep me sane at my mind numbing job for at least the next five years.
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That's so crazy! My mom/grandparents turned me on to Bob & Ray years ago and I'd listen to them on cassette every night... for some reason I never really made a strong connection between them and Scharpling & Wurster. I've also heard they were a huge influence on Bob Odenkirk.
I also enjoy it when they present "classic literature" in radio play form, and it always ends up being the same scene of a sea captain continually getting pissed off at his first mate and punching him. "Whyyyyy youuuuu...."