FOT Forum
The Best Show on WFMU => Dear Tom => Topic started by: crumbum on October 23, 2008, 10:05:10 PM
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Dear Tom,
It seems like every other week you get a call from a stranger who fancies him or herself an up-and-coming improv comedian and wants to try out a routine on you. Clearly these people are misguided fools who deserve the heave ho treatment, but I'm curious -- has anyone ever come out of nowhere with a truly funny and sustained call that was obviously in character?
Thanks,
Crumbum, a.k.a. Geoff in Toronto
P.S. For the rest of the FOTs, I'd like to hear your votes for the worst-ever attempted character by a new caller. The HIV/Downs Syndrome woman from last week would be pretty high on my list. Most of them never cross that threshold into the truly offensive.
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Gordon from North/South Dakota -- aka The Payola Guy -- is a prime example of a "character" who brought it.
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I'd be interested in the answers to this because I suspect a lot of people of trying to be characters, but can never pinpoint any of them.
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On the election night 2004 show, a guy called up as "Excelsior the Warlord." Now, the caller was directly riffing on Tom's claim (restated throughout the night) that if Bush won, he (Tom) would establish and rule his own Mad Max-like fiefdom somewhere outside the law. But the caller got a few legitimate laughs out of Tom, funny voice and all.
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Frederick Douglas!
Though I would just put this call into the category of "Successful Characters"
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Frederick Douglas!
Though I would just put this call into the category of "Successful Characters"
Biggie tomatoes! Biggie cucumbers!
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The best one I remember was Petey 4.0
Too many bad ones to remember any.
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Leader was a good one.
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MC Steinberg?
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Stevie Blue
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Butter Swells, Governor of Alabama sounds pretty funny. I never heard that guy's call.
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Tugboat Richie!
Fred from Queens!
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Butter Swells, Governor of Alabama sounds pretty funny. I never heard that guy's call.
It's "Buddy," wavy. It's in the XFL special episode, and, uh, it's not a random guy trying to do a character. It's one of the other frequent contributors in the early days of the show.
That's actually one of the best episodes - it has three contributors, all doing very funny calls. Check out "Gerald Perlmutter" at the end.
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Ha ha Ok. Thanks.
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I've always heard those names as Buddy Swayles & Gerald Parlnwater. I think it's about time for me to do another bottom-to-top relistening of the archive.
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I always hear "Gerald Carmichael" or "Gerald Carminer"
Yeah, I need to listen to that episode.
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Speaking of Alabama governors:
Charles Barkley To Run For Alabama Governor in 2014
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said he's going to run for governor in Alabama.
"I plan on it in 2014," Barkley told CNN's Campbell Brown on Monday.
When asked if he was serious, the former Philadelphia 76er said, "I am, I can't screw up Alabama."
He added that his native state could only improve. "We are number 48 in everything and Arkansas and Mississippi aren't going anywhere," Barkley said.
http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2008/10/28/charles-barkley-for-alabama-governor-in-2014/
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Speaking of Alabama governors:
Charles Barkley To Run For Alabama Governor in 2014
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley said he's going to run for governor in Alabama.
"I plan on it in 2014," Barkley told CNN's Campbell Brown on Monday.
When asked if he was serious, the former Philadelphia 76er said, "I am, I can't screw up Alabama."
He added that his native state could only improve. "We are number 48 in everything and Arkansas and Mississippi aren't going anywhere," Barkley said.
http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2008/10/28/charles-barkley-for-alabama-governor-in-2014/
I hope that even if this comes to pass, Sir Charles will continue to hold down his sports commentary gig -- just as Gov. Jesse The Body did with the XFL.
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The best one I remember was Petey 4.0
YES.
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Gordon from North/South Dakota -- aka The Payola Guy -- is a prime example of a "character" who brought it.
I loved that guy!