A Pair Of Show Biz Losses

For me personally, today was a very memorable day. God flipped a switch and turned on light on in my head and something in my life has become very clear. I planned on sharing this epiphany with you in today's post. But for a couple of reasons I am going to hold off. Look for that post later this week. 

Having decided what not to write about I was stuck for a subject for today's post. I was clueless right up until about 8 o'clock this evening. Then, sadly, I saw a pair of stories on the internet that unfortunately gave me my post for today. 

News of the deaths of 2 men who were in show business. One of them is an entertainment industry icon and the other one of my favorite stand up comics. 

Actor Mickey Rooney died today at the age of 93. Rooney had been in show business since the age of 6. In 1937 he landed the starring role in the Andy Hardy film series. As a teenager, along with actress Judy Garland, he was part of the optimistic on-screen couple that became famous for their "Let's put on a show" Hollywood solution to their problems. 

But for me there are two things I'll always remember about Mickey Rooney. One is a story Jeff Dunham tells about Rooney when he was part of the cast of stage show, Sugar Babies. 

When Dunham started becoming popular with the audiences and was receiving what Rooney considered a little too much applause the veteran actor called him into his dressing room.  

He gave Dunham a dressing down by reportedly telling him, "The only reason you are even on stage is so I have time for a wardrobe change." That may not be the exact quote but it conveys the general point of a story from Dunham's autobiography from a couple of years ago. 

The other, and probably most sustaining, thing I'll remember Mickey Rooney for is being the voice of Kris Kringle in the Rankin Bass stop motion animated Christmas special, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." 

The timeless holiday classic has been watched by kids for the last 43 Christmas seasons and will continue for generations to come. While Fred Astaire is billed as the star, it is Rooney's performance as St. Nick that makes the hour long special an enduring tale. 
RIP Mickey Rooney

The other story I read tonight that really disturbs me announced the sudden death of one of my all-time favorite stand up comedians: John Pinette. The 50 year old comic/actor was found in dead in a Pittsburgh hotel room on Saturday afternoon from "natural causes."

He was known to have heart and liver issues and was in rehab for addiction to prescription pain pills back in August of last year.  

Like me, Pinette had a life long battle with food addiction and being overweight. Ironically, that battle, obsession with food and suppressed anger issues were the main things that made his self-deprecating stand up act hilarious. 

Although he's recognized by most media outlets as the "chubby" actor who played the carjacked driver in the last "Seinfeld" episode, I'm including this picture of Pinette because it shows him at his best, on stage doing stand up. 

  A few weeks ago I wrote a post series that included recollections of my experiences at the Zanies comedy club in Nashville. The first time I ever went there was to see John Pinette. 

I saw him 3 times. The last time was about 3 or 4 years ago. He was a bit off his game that night. We were very close to the stage and could tell by his outward physical condition, something was not right with him. He was also not as funny as he was the other times. 

I never got to meet John Pinette personally but I still enjoyed his comedy. He has given me hours of guffaws. Some of his routines, no matter how many times I hear them just makes me fall over laughing. When we watched his 2011 DVD, "Still Hungry", it made my wife laugh so hard tears came out of her eyes. 

I am not totally surprised about the news of the death of John Pinette because of his lifelong battle with his weight and health. I had no idea of the toll his demons had taken on him.

I will morn his loss for a long time. I am truly sorry that I will never ever again be able go see him at Zanies. Now that he is gone most others will probably soon forget him. But to that I say "nay nay." 

From now on, every time I listen to his albums on my Ipod I will shake my head at the irony of the applause his audiences give him when he utters his trademark catch phrase "Show Me The Buffet." 

Good-bye John Pinette, I am going to miss your  "cherub like demeanor."