A Bit of Personnel History from Johnny Dark..................................................Part 10. I cant tell how funny it was to see, (on that first night at the Comedy Store), the MC Jack Knight take off Joe E. Ross with a big round of applause and watch as the people started to get up to leave. (After all they had been there a very long time). As they were making their way to the door, Jack would announce. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, Mr. Redd Foxx! The crowd that was leaving stopped immediately in their tracks and rush right back to their seats before the waitress could clear it off, hoping to avoid another cover charge. Jack love to do this and I saw this happen on several occasions with Richard Pryor, Freddie Prinze and Flip Wilson. You never knew in those days who was going to show up.. And if it were a big star who wanted to go on, Sammys orders to Jack Knight was. Put them on next! If you had that next spot you either lost it or had to wait until the Star was done. And in those days before the line-up and the light, they could go on for as long as they liked. Generally it depended on the mood they were in. I saw Richard Pryor do forty five minutes one night and five minutes the next night, he was a loose cannon, seemingly uncomfortable and irritable before he went on, and in no mood for small talk. When he finished his set, made his way to the back of the Club and into the parking lot, where he might have a little shop talk with Paul Mooney and dabble in..... what ever.The length of the set depended on his liking the crowd, if they were cool, he was cool, if they were rowdy, he was gone. He always had two or three guys with him and they would clear the way through the crowd and the comics as he made his entrance into the Club. Sorta like the Rappers of today. On this night Redd was in a great mood, supporting his friend Sammy Shore in his new venture, a comedy club something he was very familiar with. Murray Langston and Freeman King, (who were both hanging out with us that night), had already known Redd from working in his Comedy Club, REDD FOXXS on La,Ceinga Blvd. in West Hollywood. They were a black and white comedy team and sorta regulars there along with many others. Well, what can I say,.. Redd left nothing to the imagination and he went off doing the stuff that had made him famous on Laff Records and on the Chitlin Circuit and it was, no holds barred. ( This being before Sanford and Son, which would make him a Superstar.) He told the stories we guys would tell later, at the pool hall, or in the mens room, or at a poker game or the fights. At a stag party, or a Bachelor party, or in the barracks while showering, or perhaps to your Boss, and his Boss and their golfing buddies. If you were going to hang out with the guys, you would probably get around to telling one of his jokes. They were all pretty nasty, laced with four letters words set in place to titillate and stimulate the male ego, without pomp and little circumstance, with or without a point of view, meant to shock and surprise and generally reek havoc with your girlfriend and most of her gender. We loved it. But quietly. He would also pick on guys from time to time. But, he always had his tongue in his cheek and for the most part was never taken seriously, those who had heard his records or seen him on the circuit were thrilled to jump aboard the BLUE LINE and travel down south with him, way down south, if you get my drift. He had a masters in Bodily functions and he could describe with great accuracy, the sound and fury, that your innards would make, from eating to many pork ribs and musk rat ,washed down with a gallon of Ripple and Cherry Soda. (To cut the taste). He took no prisoners and he dealt with hecklers by simply showing them his knife, right on stage, in front of everybody and it would have made Jim Bowie, Blush. Wow that was a big knife. I wish I could tell you some of his jokes but Im sorta cramin to get into Heaven, (not that theres anything wrong), but with all this crazy shi_ hitting the fan everyday, you never know. So, maybe its best you just look him up on line. And here in lies the Problem. Redd Foxx never expected to be a huge TV star, lateral to Caroll O Connor! So consequently he never cleaned up his act. And after he hit pay dirt with Sanford and Son, he soon got offers from the Main Showrooms in Las Vegas and Legitimate Theatres through out the country , only problem was they expected a warm and sweet Old Man Sanford and what they got was a knife wielding, foul mouth saloon comic who could clear a room with three well placed jokes. He was like a drone of his time, and he never missed. So with all the big money dates suddenly not available to him he went back to the Chilitn Circuit and making records. Until, my childhood friend, Paul Louden,( who I had met in Wildwood, N.J.), and now was the sole owner of the Hacienda Hotel, in Las Vegas made Redd an offer he couldnt refuse. In an effort to work his hotel, Paul would put up three huge XXX signs posted in front his main showroom, warning that this late, late show was indeed X rated! Attend at your own risk! NO REFUNDS! But Redd would have to gamble to, and on himself. This would be a four wall deal and the first Ive ever heard of at that time. Meaning... the Hotel would not pay Redd for performing there but he would get the tickets sales and whatever money he made from that was his to keep. This four wall deal has now become common place, but back then it was unheard of and Redd jumped at the chance to work a main showroom in Las Vegas, NV.and on his own terms. Meaning simply, to do his act! His whole act, and nothing but act.........SO HELP ME GOD! to be continued...........4Missy&Sophia&L&D&theuniverse..........share if you like. History buffs I hope you can check out Johnny Darks Lincoln on U tube. Twenty half hours . For some original songs you never head before, check out Johnny Dark Sings on U tube. And of course The Oldest CBS Page on Daivd Letterman u tube as well. Hope your able to find the sequence of all these stories there all on my page just scroll down. love u friends, thanks .......johnny
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 05:57:56 +0000