Thursday night or Fri morning early... I was booked to do the Joey Reynolds radio program on WOR radio 7-10am. Joey has on nightly many of the top NY comics, musicians,actors and cabaret performer's in the NY area and the world. So you can just imagine how excited I was to do this show. The program is aired nationally and has the largest rating in its time slot in the USA. Unfortunately it airs from 1am to 5 am in NYC. Hey I'm prime time in Hawaii. I was fortunate that Sal had booked me at his club the Comedy Hole for 11pm so I was able to double up the fun on one car trip in to the city.
I had a good set and went after the show out for coffee with my friend and fellow comic Adrianne Iapucci. I love talking with other comics about the craft of comedy and bouncing around thoughts and ideas with each other. Adrianee is a funny woman and I thank god I could shoot an hour with her before the show to not be nervous. The time was now 1:15am and I needed to be at the studio by 2 am. I got in the car and turned the program which had started and Joey was talking with Jackie Mason. He had called in to the program. I followed the directions they emailed me and made my way across Chambers Street to Broadway and headed south. The area at this time was desolate. Even so there were no parking spaces to be found in-front of 120 Broadway ...all were taken. I drove around in circles it was now 1:30 am. I find a spot 3 blocks away on Liberty Street. I guy backs down in his car from halfway down the block and says that it was his spot. He looks kinda nuts so I say I think there is room enough for us both I back in and he gives me this nasty look and pulls in after me in the spot in-front of my car. I fiddle with my phone pretending to talk to someone as he walks away. I am now an official Telo-phonie. I run up the street to Broadway go to 120 Broadway and the door is locked. A sign says to go around the corner. I have already dodged one rape chance now for the second. Three men are walking up the street and I'm calculating if I can get to the door before they get up the street to me. I run to the door and get inside. Rape chance number 2 averted. I see the guard at the desk announce myself and he knows NOTHING. I give him the number to call and they say to come up to the 3rd floor. He shows me to the elevator. I get off and the entire floor is dark except for small construction lights and there is framing and steel beams and nothing else. I look at the elevator and I got off on the 5th floor. I push the elevator and the light doesn't come up. I panic I am now in Rape chance number 3. Finally I think to try the elevator across the way and it lights up and takes me to the Third floor. I get off and the sign say Welcome to Elliot Spitsors offices of Consumer affairs. No sign of the station anywhere. I call them they say wait we will be right there. I am roasting...no air conditioning at 1:40 in the morning. They don't come I take the elevator to the lobby and as I re-read my directions they say "we are across from 120 B'way" not in 120 B'way. I am outside almost in tears it is now 1:55 am. The producer is standing in the street calling my name. We go to the stations offices and she puts me in a room to wait...the Green Room It is 2:01am.
The station is very nice and yet the green room is kind of plain. It had a small table with 4 hard chairs around it. On the table were 2 industry magazines...and a phone. The station is piped in to the entire office every except the green room. I want to follow the show so I have some continuity when I get on. I ask if they have any bottled water? I am pointed to a hallway were there is a small kitchen with a cooler. It is very hot and there is once again no air conditioning..... I am told the show studio is air conditioned. I am nervous. I call my mother who is waiting in her home and has told every Yentta she knows over 70 to hear her daughter on the radio.
I am brought into the studio at 2:35 and Joey is interviewing a singer and another man. They are playing cuts from her new CD. Joey shakes my hand and when they come back on the air he doesn't introduce me. I sit quietly. I don't have headphones on so I cant hear any callers, to the station. After the break he introduces me an says I stopped in for a few minutes and I talk for a second ...where I'm from that's about it. Joey asks me if I am spiritual...they were discussing this before I came in. I look at him and say " Religion is for people afraid of going to hell......Spirituality is for people who have been there already." He smiles and says he never heard that before and loves it. He is in recovery for many years. Then he invites me to come back another night soon. They go to break. I am informed that the rest of the show is with Judy Collins and she came in early and they pre-recorded the show. So I'm done. Jackie Mason being on pushed the entire show out of kilt. In addition to the fact that the singer who was to be on before me came in late...such is LIVE programing. Joey is very nice and gives me 2 books one he autographed for my mom...his biggest fan. I head out to my car for rape chance number 4 and make it to my car safely. I drive to the Holland Tunnel it is now after 3 and sit in an hours worth of traffic. I am home at 5am. I am re-booked to be back on the show this coming Friday night at 1am. I can't wait.
Comments are below
I Liked It...
Posted on 08/06/2005 at 02:52 PM by Al Wagner
Nice line! You made the most of your fifteen seconds...no wonder he wants you back! I am not even that quick on my feet while running...:)
Not so fast
Posted on 08/07/2005 at 12:39 AM by Robin Fox
The line is from a 12 step program and I mentioned it to Joey. It was just in my brian....along with all the names of the Brady Bunch kids....and the lay out of every sitcom house. Thank goodness it popped into my head.
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