A unique trip to New York City; and that it's likely that anyone who is under 40 years old is probably asking "Who's David Brenner?"
The simple answer to that question is David Brenner was a stand up comedian who was Johnny Carson's most frequent guest on the Tonight show during the 70's and early 80's. He was among the group of a dozen or so comedians who served as guest hosts for Johnny. You can find out more about David Brenner on the internet.
In 1995 I stuffed the entry box for a contest being held by a talk radio station, WKAP in Allentown, PA. It was no surprise that I won a two day/ one night trip to New York City. The trip included: one night hotel accommodations; two tickets to a Broadway show, the opportunity to meet 2 celebrities who each hosted their own syndicated talk show that the station carried, and limousine transportation to and from New York City. It was the first time I ever rode in a limousine. It was also the first and only time I've been to a Broadway show.
I made the trip over Thursday and Friday May 25 and 26 just before the Memorial Day weekend of 1995.
Thursday night I walked from our hotel, down Broadway to the Virginia Theater on West 52nd street (not all Broadway theaters are actually on Broadway) to see that night's performance of "Smokey Joe's Cafe". It was a musical review of the songs composed by the team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. I really liked the show and still listen to the soundtrack.
The next day, Friday, along with our chaperon from the radio station and a PR person from the syndication company (I don't remember the name of the company) I rode the New York City subway to the broadcast facilities of AM radio station WFAN.
That's where I met morning talk show host, Don Imus. At the time Imus was still just a New York City radio celebrity. He had just gone national with his "Imus In The Morning" show.
He was a real...well I can't use the expletive I want to because but it's part of the anatomy. He gave me a signed copy of his newly released book, "God's Other Son". It was nothing but printed blasphemy. I never even opened past the title page where he had signed it. Once I got home, I just gave it to the Goodwill store the next week.
I have a picture of Imus and me but I'm not going to post it. I The jerk put his two fingers up over my head. I wasn't aware of it at the time. My encounter with Imus was something I'd like to forget.
After lunch with the producer of David Brenner's radio show in a small midtown restaurant, I went to the broadcast studios in Manhattan to meet the comedian turned talk show host in person.
I remember having to wait about 20 minutes in the lobby before we were taken back to the studio. I don't remember anything specific about the meeting in regard to the conversation. Brenner had just had a child with his girlfriend so I took him a personalized baby gift.
Here's the picture that was taken. It is proof that I met David Brenner.
As a side note his radio show didn't last past that summer. It was off the air by September 1995.
I remember a lot more of the details and have some unique stories about that trip to New York City in 95. If you're interested ask me about it sometime. You know how I love to share personal stories.
Although I had not seen or heard anything about him in a long time I was sad to hear about David Brenner losing his battle with cancer at the age of 78.
I always liked his style of comedy. I don't have any of his recordings in my stand up collection. I'm going to have to get some and include it in this year's Ron Havens Rewind Soundtrack show for this year.
The thing I will always remember about David Brenner is that on one of his 158 appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson he told one of may top 10 all time favorite jokes. It's about the army. I tried to find video of Brenner telling it himself but I couldn't. Here's a text version that's as close to Brenner's version as I remember him telling.
David Brenner's Army Joke
Thanks for the laughs, David Brenner
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