It was on this date in 1950 that Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis made their debut as hosts of the TV show “The Colgate Comedy Hour”. Of course, they were well known to America by then, having first teamed up in 1946.
With the “Jay Leno Show” making an attempt to bring a comedy/variety show back to prime time, I can’t help but notice that ‘ol Jay is going it…ALONE.
In fact, I was trying to think of the last time a comedy DUO made it big! With the proliferation of comedy clubs and Comedy Central on cable, it could be said that comedy itself is in it’s “Golden Age” right now---TONS of funny people out there, men and women, but are there any comedy twosomes?
I don’t think so.
After all, the reality show is called “Last Comic Standing”, not….”The Last Two Of You Left”
Since the turn of the century (and by that I mean TWO turns ago), we have enjoyed the antics of :
Laurel & Hardy
Burns & Allen
Martin & Lewis
Abbott & Costello
Bob and Ray
Rowan and Martin
Hudson and Landry
The Smothers Brothers, even
Cheech & Chong
It seems there is a HUGE hole now for a great team to emerge. Maybe two funny guys/gals/one of each--like George & Gracie, who perhaps can’t make it on their own, but maybe as part of a team.
Enjoy this tribute video to Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNxRdYihOa0
Martin & Lewis suffered through a bitter public break-up-and certainly each was successful afterwards, although Jerry Lewis’ primary association would be through his work with Muscular Dystrophy-“Jerry’s Kids”. Neither was as popular alone as they were together.
A TV sitcom might be the best launching pad for such a duo—as the “variety show” route has been nonexistent for years—let’s hope Leno revives it!
If you’d like my blog in your box, just holler at me! tim.moore@citcomm.com
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