I grew up loving stand-up comics. As I kid I would see them on Ed Sullivan and on variety shows like The Smothers Brothers and Sonny and Cher. Plus, I would get to hear them, as I laid in bed trying not to laugh so my parents wouldn’t know I was still awake, while they watched Johnny Carson. It started with some of the old school comics like Buddy Hackett, Shecky Green, Don Rickles, and Moms Mabley. However, as a few years passed, the “new” comics started tickling my funny bone. Rodney, Flip Wilson, David Brenner, and yes, Bill Cosby. By the time I was in High School I was buying albums by Carlin, Pryor, Robert Klein and Steve Martin.
So, when the stand-up comedy BOOM of the 1980s hit, I couldn’t have been happier. Late Night with David Letterman gave national exposure to a whole new generation of comics; Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Wright, Elayne Boosler, Andy Kaufman, Rita Rudner, George Miller, Jake Johannsen, Margaret Smith, Richard Lewis, Bobcat Goldthwait, Wendy Leibman, Sam Kinison. I could go on and on (and probably already have).
One of the comics that really stood out for me in the early days of Letterman was a peculiar young man from Downers Grove, Illinois; Emo Philips. Emo affected a persona that might make you think he just arrived from another planet (not Ork, that was another comic genius of the era). Emo was and is an amazing joke writer and uses his off-beat persona to help sell those brilliant one-liners the same way Steven Wright uses his flat, monotone voice to drive home his equally hilarious one line jokes and that today, the remarkably friendly and sweet Anthony Jeselnik uses his worst human-in- the-world act to make his sick but funny one liners work for him.
I was so blown away by how funny, smart and twisted Emo’s jokes were the first time I saw him on Letterman in 1983, I taped his appearance and brought the VHS tape into the station to show everyone else who worked here. I did the same with each of his two other Letterman appearances before he got banned for telling a joke NBC told him not to tell. Emo said he lost his virginity to a girl he met while working at a morgue, adding, “She was ALL woman, from the tip of her head…to the tag on her toe”. I’m guessing it was the only time NBC (or any other TV network) has ever bleeped the “toe”.
Others I exposed to Emo here at WAPL were equally enamored of his brilliant but off-beat act. So much so, that in March in 1985, then morning show host Laura Morgan convinced the powers that be around here to pony up the dough to bring him to town. This was years before there was an actual venue for comedy anywhere in the area. We staged it at a club in Grand Chute that is now a church. It sold out very quickly and so we added a second show. Not being familiar with how comedy clubs work, many people bought tickets for both shows expecting two completely different sets. Learning this before hand, Emo probably did 80% different material in the late show. It was an extraordinary night that ended in me laughing so hard I think I pulled muscle and drinking so much I swore off alcohol for over 5 years.
I’ve seen Emo a few times since and every time he has been fantastic. I am so excited to see him again this weekend at Skyline Comedy Club in Appleton. I hope you too take this opportunity to see one of the greatest joke writers of our generation. He will make every bit of you laugh, from the tip of your head…to the tag on your toe!
[Photo supplied to us by Emo Philips…in 1985]
