Wannabe Wursters

[crumbum]

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.

[Omar]

Gordon from North/South Dakota -- aka The Payola Guy -- is a prime example of a "character" who brought it. 

[Gibby]

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.

[CurtBlair]

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.

[Emily]

Frederick Douglas!

Though I would just put this call into the category of "Successful Characters"

[emma]

Frederick Douglas!

Though I would just put this call into the category of "Successful Characters"

Biggie tomatoes! Biggie cucumbers!

[John Junk 2.0]

The best one I remember was Petey 4.0

Too many bad ones to remember any.

[Andy]

Leader was a good one.

[masterofsparks]

MC Steinberg?

[dave from knoxville]

Stevie Blue

[WavyGravy]

Butter Swells, Governor of Alabama sounds pretty funny.  I never heard that guy's call.

[masterofsparks]

Tugboat Richie!
Fred from Queens!

[buffcoat]

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.

[WavyGravy]

Ha ha Ok.  Thanks.

[KickTheBobo]

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.