Standup Comedy “Your Host and MC” Bonus Episode: In Memory of Bob Saget
Bob Saget was instrumental to the start of my comedy club, Laughs Unlimited. This tribute shares some stories, a little history, and some TV and stage shows Bob did for me.
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Podcast Transcript:
Scott Edwards:
Hey everybody, happy new year. This is your host Scott Edwards. And before we get into this week’s show, just wanted to mention there’s some old shows you may want to catch. First off back on August 7 of 2020, the guy that started it all our first headliner, George Wallace was interviewed. It has no show number, but if you go to that date, you’ll catch a great show. And then Larry Wilson comment magician extraordinare. On show seven. We have Mark Schiff on show 14 Steve Bruner, one of the cleanest and funniest guys out there and show 26 Don’t miss out on Willie Tyler and Lester show 48 And from Germany, Lois Bromfield, on show 50 And from New York, very funny gentleman who now teaches comedy writing Ross Bennett on show 56. So I just wanted to mention, you have the opportunity to go back and catch some great interviews. Now let’s get on with this week’s show. Here we go.
Announcer:
This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee. Celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here’s your host and emcee Scott and words.
Scott Edwards:
Hi, and welcome to this week’s special bonus show an audience of one. Now normally I present fresh humor by one of my comedy friends. But this week’s kind of special a couple days ago, an old friend of mine, Bob Saget, passed away unexpectedly. Here are some of the facts. Bob was on a national tour and performing in Florida. And on Sunday, January 9, at the age of 65. Passed away. I was shocked and saddened and it hit me harder than I thought. Bob left behind a beautiful young wife named Kelly and two adult daughters. He is best known for his career in show business. He was the star of Full House from 1987 to 1995. He was the host of Funniest Home Videos starting in 1989. And more recently, he starred in a re do a full house called Fuller House. But a lot of people don’t know that back in the very early 80s. He was the warm up guy for a TV show called Bosom Buddies, the star of which was Tom Hanks, and a blessing to me. Bob brought Tom up to my club to work on a comedy set, and I got to train Tom Hanks and how to perform stand up comedy and Bob wrote material for him. The set that he worked on ended up on the bosom buddies show a couple of weeks later. But that’s a side story. What I wanted to share with you today is what Bob brought to me in my career in comedy. I consider him a great friend. But I have to be honest, we haven’t been in the same room together for over 30 years. My friendship with Bob Saget started when Dave cool yeah, a a young comic that I met at the Comedy Store in Westwood. introduced me too, Bob, back in mid 1980. In August of 1980, I opened my first Comedy Club, and I was guided by the friendship and knowledge of Dave QA, Bob Saget, Gary Shandling and George Wallace. All these young comics share their opinion on what made a good comedy club and helped make me the success. I am today. I’ll always be appreciative for that. But for this special tribute podcast, I wanted to share what made Bob unique. For me, it was my first introduction to the strange world of stand up comedy. One of my great stories I like to share was It was late 1980. And it was after show. And Bob Saget Dave kuya. and I were sitting in a table, a small cocktail table, having drinks after the show. And Bob and Dave, were just cracking each other up and giggling. And I felt like such a third wheel. I finally said, hey, hey, what is so damn funny. And Dave pulls up this piece of paper that was folded up. And inside was some table lint from under the table. And Bob had written on the note, Dave, here’s some of my pubic hair. It’s special for you. I mean, it was just such a thing that that comics do that when you live in the world of comedy. It’s the stuff that’s over and above that that makes you laugh and And that was just a great early example of his sense of humor, the great friendship he had, what they’ve created, and how unique and different the people in this industry are. Anyway, with their help, I was able to open my club in the Delta Queen restaurant in a small banquet room. I was trying to get the club known at the time and I invited in a local TV news channel to do a special segment on my new club. And luckily for all of us, Bob was there. Here’s the audio from that. channel three, TV news short.
TV Host:
You know, as we mentioned last night, there’s a club in old Sacramento laughs unlimited, and it features up and coming comedians. The headliner this week is Bob Saget, and Michael Connelly spoke with Bob and caught his act
Bob Saget:
so I bombed for like a year straight in the beginning and bombing is only thing that teaches you how to do well. And I bombed it to club because Philly audiences are terrible to me and rightfully so because I was real bad
TV Host:
well, that first year is over. And Bob is hopefully on the road to the big time long range goal is to produce right and possibly starring films. Right now though. He’s a stand up poking fun at himself in finding a foil in the crowd.
Bob Saget:
And others Gumby my father’s poking beer you’re like I can see you’re sure that you have like more hair on your chest Bob is mine too
TV Host:
the audience becomes the butt of Bob the comedians, jokes. Jokes, we can’t show you because they’re a bit off color. Bob Zack isn’t dirty. But it’s laced with claims of sexual deviance.
Bob Saget:
By a great agent in Los Angeles, I’m guaranteed like $300,000 a year only problem is my contract is an etch a sketch so I can talk about my career, he said, Bob, and I’ll be right there. After seven nights a week you really become it’s a script in some ways I act. I act as a lot of ad libbing and yet it all pulls together every night. So sometimes even though you’re not thinking of what you’re saying. It comes out miraculously, but Bob
TV Host:
continually plays the crowd getting the folks to laugh with him or Adam alone which is as good a way as any to introduce that guitar that’s hanging around Bob’s neck. But don’t expect the songs to be serious either. Sacramento Water one weeknight, I’m Michael Cromley.
News Anchor:
Hey Adam in stitches anyway. It’s great to have a place where new comedians and get a start besides going on The Tonight Show, and then if they bomb there, you never hear from him again. But at least they have a chance to build up to there. You know, they’ll go in there sometime and have a good laugh. Bob and Jeff the heart the comedian that Michael Connelly profile last night will be appearing through Saturday at laughs unlimited.
Scott Edwards:
Well, that right there shows you some of the unique comedy that Bob brought to the stage even back as early as 1980 in that little new spot on channel three locally, helped put my club on the map and I’ll always be appreciative of that. A couple years later, I was lucky enough to work with Bob on the first TV commercials that I produced to promote my new and growing club. And when comedy was really taking off, and we were having huge success, I produced my first TV commercials to be released locally and being helpful. Bob Saget helped write and starred in these TV commercials. So I have the audio from those right here. You’ll hear our co star comedian, Carrie Snow, who was the female part of these two commercials. But they’re mostly about Bob and I interacting in a way to promote this new comedy club. laughs unlimited. So here’s those two TV commercials. Back to Back. Enjoy.
TV Commercial:
laughs unlimited commercial take three action my hair, okay. Oh, my name is Bob. You know, some people say there’s not much to do in Sacramento and that’s just not true. There’s a lot of wonderful things here. There’s a bridge there’s a tree. There’s there’s a beautiful woman. There’s the Railroad Museum. Excuse me. I’m making a commercial. I think we have a problem here. Okay. Oh, well, let’s go down and pick up the pieces guys. Okay.
Bob Saget:
Thank you. Thank you. Geez, I don’t believe this last unlimited all comedy show room 108 K Street old Sacramento. Sacramento. That’s right here. We can buy our tickets. We can get a few laughs
Scott Edwards:
Yes, that’s laughs unlimited. Sacramento’s only all comedy nightclub for information call 4465905 appearing at laughs unlimited through Thursday evening. It’s bad Paulson for showtimes and reservations call for 4.65905.
Bob Saget:
Here we are an old sack. I’m bored. I don’t know. What do you want to do? I don’t know. What do you want to do? I can sure go for some comedy. You won’t go to movie. No. We can always go to a movie. I want to laugh. I’m in a mood to laugh Wait a minute. Look. Look at this. laughs unlimited. All comedy show room. 108 K Street old Sacramento. Let’s go. Okay, we’re here. Stop. We’re here. Let’s go. Let’s go in and see the show. We can buy our tickets. We can get a few laughs
Scott Edwards:
That’s laughs unlimited. Second, there’s only old comedy nightclub. That’s laughs unlimited. Sacramento’s only all comedy nightclub for information call 4465905. Scott, waste of life. Wow, that brings back so many memories. It was such an incredible day getting a chance in front of a film crew to put together those two spots, we had to do several takes. And the big secret behind the story was I was so intent on making me getting hit by the car realistic that one of the times I jumped up on the windshield, I actually broke my windshield. And that that was my car that they were in. So I broke my own windshield and trying to be dramatic and make this commercial where he and Carrie snow hit me by the car. It was so memorable. And Bob was so gracious of his time. And he never charged me for any of this. It was all just two young guys working together and doing something fun and just just unique. It was great. Anyway, let’s get back to some comedy. So what’s important to me is besides all his success, Bob Saget worked for me from 1980 to about 1991. And we had many, many occasions, to have him live on stage and to do special projects like TV reels, and TV commercials. He also did a lot of radio for us back then. And it was just so much fun. But I also wanted to share a little bit of his live comedy. So coming up is a set that was recorded for a new year show in 1990. And you can hear how well Bob interacts with the audience and how funny and unique his comedy was. So sit back and enjoy Bob Saget live on stage
Bob Saget:
that’s all that matters and there’s no earthquakes are you guys scared of a quake in the great Californians are like they don’t care it’s like oh look the grounds opening up my house my wife and kids my car my femur oh how am I gonna get the word? There it goes war all right. I’m scared. This gave me like a major question. It all began with a secretary at the time, you know, something important. was a 7.3 and a 4.1 7.3. Thank you comedians can embellish. I can embellish that right. I think again, I think the smartest thing actually the stupidest thing I have is earthquake insurance. And it’s based in California companies based in California. Here’s your policy or this role. Here’s your agent Barney. Barney Rubble thank you and I have a thing in my in my deed of sale called an easement in my home, which means that I think the phone company can party at my pool whenever they want. But I’m happy I own a home and in our shows can be back on the air which is nice and everybody’s twins babies twins. I’m twins Dave’s twins there’s another Bob backstage in case I got sick. It’s true story. Having a break? What the hell is that sound? What is that sound is either slipping have a drink or there’s some gastrointestinal problems. Was that this woman? She’s literally embarrassed to death right now. She said she turns her head the other way she can make her date so damn happy. Why don’t you just pick her head out? Oh my god. What’s happening here? She’s literally crying with her head stuck on the end of the table. I’ve never seen this have a finger cut up. You’re gonna be okay. It’s gonna be fine. Just read the butterflies coming through this. Come on. You were to slip in the end of a drink. And I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything that loud in my life are you okay? So sorry. You’re gonna have to go hard and it comes out of your nose because we don’t have it here. There’s no milk here. I don’t know where you get it. Oh, it is coming in her nose. I’m sorry. No, it’s really gross. Just work? Is there a battery in it? Yeah, you okay? She’s crying and weeping. I mean, what we do that a long time. Man What are you gonna do now? Let’s script negative screen. What do you want to be apart? We have a lot of creativity at work right here.
Scott Edwards:
Wow. He was certainly unique and special. And always did great with the audience’s. It was so much fun, calling him friend and working with him all those years. But one thing that a lot of people don’t know is that Bob is a good musician. And back in those days, he had a lot of music in his act. So I wanted to give you a little taste of that. You’ll hear his kind of raunchy, fun way of doing comedy with music by making fun of some of the songs in that era. So once again, this is Bob live on stage. New Year’s Eve show. By the way, his co star for that show was Dave cool. Yay. That’s right. We had Dave QA and Bob Saget. This was after full house had been out for a couple of years as the stars of my New Year’s show. 1990 It was just such an incredible week. Anyway, here’s Bob live on stage with some of his music. I know you like this. Here we go.
Bob Saget:
Thank you for flying TWA. Your drinks can be used as a flotation device. Next 60 seconds in case there’s any problems honey roasted peanuts will shoot into my nose and go right through the windows. Don’t use the laboratories we never cleaned them. And the men’s room are fun because you can get on your knees and use the shoe buffer is a lot of fun. This is a this is something I like to do right now. This is a this is one of my favorite songs. This was a Harry Chapin song and he was one of my favorite people. And this takes place in a taxicab in San Francisco. This think about that just taxicab San Francisco Here we go. It was raining hard in Frisco one law fair to make my head wave the flag. She got it set away you gone too late. to shame you ruined the rain. She just lucked out the window and she said 16 Parkside lane so about her was familiar. swear I’d seen her face before. She said I’m sure you have a snake and turn around. So to
Unknown:
say anything more glanced at the license for my name to come to us
Bob Saget:
she said how are you Bobby said how are you? I just got back from Sweden had an operation yesterday should I change my boys to now My name is so remember it’s kind of gross but I don’t want to offend anybody. I won’t do it if I offend anyone tell me about offend you. I won’t do it. Okay, but of course we really did. I noticed it was women that actually asked me to do it. Tonight and Eric Clapton song and you know, 70 chords, and I know seven and here’s my bed room, don’t listen to this series, and lands on the bed, forgive me. I’m serious. And then I go in the bathroom. I’m real sorry. She gives me a very sorry. And then I asked her she said.
Scott Edwards:
Wow, he is so funny. And he was such a good musician. And it was just such a thrill to be able to work with him. I know you enjoyed that. I just have to tell you that one of the huge takeaways that I want to share, in this tribute to my friend, Bob, is that we all have this special love for stand up comedy. It’s a unique and challenging art form that you really have to work at, to succeed, but it really gets in your soul. And proof of that is it Bob was on his national tour. At a time when he had a successful podcast. He had had several TV shows more money than he knew what to do with. And just like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld, he went back out on the road to do live stand up comedy, because that’s really where you connect with the audiences and share this art form stand up that we all love. Bob’s certainly going to be missed. And again, it was just shocking to have him pass. So suddenly, I actually expected to be able to work with him again. I want to end this by saying that I was very blessed to have a strong foundation in the art form of stand up comedy as a producer, because of people like Bob Saget, Dave Couturier, and many others. But it was Bob and Dave, especially, that went out of their way to teach me important aspects of the industry, how to treat comics, and most importantly, keeping the audience is laughing. At this point, I won’t be able to personally thank Bob. But hopefully this short tribute shows my appreciation for all the wonderful things he did for me, and why I consider him my friend. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, this Sunday, another new episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee.
Announcer:
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