George Wallce Repeat Anniversary Show Vegas Star Comic Interview & Set

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 MC, Scott and words. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this week's show. It's a special anniversary edition. That's right August 7

Good evening, good afternoon. Good morning, wherever you might see it is 2020 And we started back some time ago at the world famous Laughs Unlimited though. It was Laughs Unlimited and we were in the basement of a restaurant in old Sacramento. The opening act was Garry Shandling. And then we had comic magician Peter DePaula in the middle and then our first headliner was you sir Mr. George Wallace. Now that has changed to Dr. George Wallace because I know what I'm doing now.

But most importantly, thank you for having me back in the day to be your opening headliner. What a wonderful time what a wonderful audience. What a wonderful city. It was to be coming to Sacramento and company was very, very new. And you may not remember this but it was very sold out every show if we did not ask those. I think we did three shows on a Saturday. It was crazy, but it was fun. We were all new. And I just can't imagine. Most importantly, I was just watching a photo yesterday.

That's true. He was actually already starting to headline but it was his first show. If you I don't know if you knew this. George. It was the first show out of his hometown Phoenix, Arizona that he had done. And he was so good already that even though you were the headliner, the first week and the grand opening of the laughs unlimited chain. He was the headliner the second week, he stayed through and headline the next week by Gary Shandling was definitely one of the best. And

so wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Now you're telling me that the first week I had mine, and then second week, he was better than me. So you thought you'd bring him back the second week, that headline. Now No, I'm just finding this information. Now. Let's say may be the right thing to have done. Because Gary sharing was certainly and still today. He's not weathered, but man and see a good friend of mine. Was he a great comedian?

There was a real excitement about stand up comedy at the time. I feel like I was really blessed to get into the business at that time. And just to give you a little history, George, the reason we're the way I met you was that I had initially hooked up with Dave couturier and Bob Saget. And they were given me a lot of advice on how to open the club. And it was actually Bob Saget. They introduced me to you and said, Man, you got to have this guy be your first headliner. Bob

other day, he has always been an idiot. He always will be an idiot. And it's amazing that it took him 14 years here and we're still kids. We still kids day to day. Oh, my God, you're talking about some kind of camaraderie that was established back in the day. And you put up second name and we all still love each other just like Scott it we got together today we talk about each other like a dog we have no, I don't know what it

you were so you were so funny. George, you were moved moving up through the ranks and doing TV shots ahead of some of these other guys. I mean, they're all famous now. And they all have a reputation. I mean, Seinfeld, Saget, Larry Miller, Dave Korea, you can't top these names. But at the time, everybody was an unknown. But you George would already starting to get some TV spots and doing some of those early drop in

everything before they were good years.

Right. Right. And I think that was we were just lucky to get in on that. Now, besides opening the club in 1980, you did work for me several times in the early 80s. You did have a really strong career path because you were opening up for in concert for people like Diana Ross and Smokey Robinson, you were doing a lot of big shows. Tom Jones, you name it.

My ultimate goal was to my ultimate goal has always been to work Las Vegas and headlining Las Vegas, I was never the guy that wanted to do TV shows or do movies or anything like that. All I wanted to do was go out and do a PA personal appearance, and kind of live audiences. And when your Club opened, it was the place for me. I don't know these people. And they line up to see me. And we all we have a lot of fun. And what my personality I know my personality is about having fun. And loving

It's amazing. George, you've had a great career. So let's catch the audience up in the 80s. You were doing a lot of clubs on the road, which is a hard way to live. But then you succeeded in getting a lot of television spots. Like you mentioned, the Tonight Show, The Letterman Show, and many, many others. You were doing it right. And then you were opening up for big names like George Benson, as we mentioned. And then you also did

Well, I think it's more like 3536 now really that many men you look start looking back and going holy. Oh, man, your birth to your pool. A good friend of mine died. Call Ryan. I hear a movie want to make come in and do a few lines of food. We got oh my gosh, you can just start naming them. George Carlin work on trash with George Carlin and Ben Stiller.

Wow, Ben Stiller and George Carlin. That's a great combo.

We could just keep going in. I could just name everybody. And just finishing up a movie right now with Adam Sandler. He'd be Halloween and did a movie with the I've done so many movies. I can't even that's a good thing, George. I bought the one with a guy that I never liked. Never, never ever, like get rid of a guy called Morgan Freeman. Oh, yeah. Morgan Freeman. And Morgan Freeman and Trump totally Jones. I get to meet

And I was doing a little research getting ready for today and everybody listening out there. There is a great George Wallace website that has his history, some videos, some audio, there's some CDs you can get. So make sure you check it out. George Wallace, just Google it. But I want to take you back a few years. And I want to ask you a question. You remember I know you remember that your catchphrase in your early career was? "It's a crazy world".

It's a crazy world. Jay Leno, get to me about that all the time. And it's coming back. It's because back in the day is coming back. I'm not sure what I want to do that I wasn't doing the Reverend George Wallace. And I put on a robe And I became a preacher. And I had a bookcase with my Bible in the briefcase, and the Bible was a Yellow Page telephone book. It's a call book a bell, but put whatever you want. Look it up in the book, your awesome shoes is

But I know I was able to see you and visit you in Vegas at the Flamingo a few times. And I know that that kind of faded off. It wasn't the same. You weren't using that catchphrase later in the late 90s and into the 2000s. But for about 10 years. It's a crazy world was your catchphrase and you made that kind of famous

everywhere and the name of my company the company that I worked for embed our own. It's called crazy world, Inc.

It's don't really, that's perfect.

If you go to my website, it's crazy dw, that my website all of my stationery crazy will.

So it's still out there. That's good because I always thought that was a really good way to bring everybody in again, it speaks to the quality of your comedy and how inclusive it was. Everybody was involved and when you would talk about what a crazy world and then do a joke. It was something everybody

It's a crazy world no matter what, then it could relate to. changes the overtoun I think I'm sick. Sick. So sick now. typically don't. But that could be thinking, I'd be thinking I'd be thinking about everything. But that's typically the world crazy world was number one. Yeah. You remember that? That's good, are we we have great fond memories of you, George. And not only from what we were saying go back a week, we went video more more back then. But we didn't have the cell phones and we

Well, I appreciate that. It was something that I took a lot of pride in. In fact, it was ingrained in me by cool yeah, and Sagat and people like Seinfeld that you if you want to succeed in stand up comedy treat the comics well, and respect. And I did that from the beginning. I was a really young kid at the time. But I went into it eyes open and learned and listen from everybody. I could try to bring that through. And I

Well, you gotta admit that comedian, people don't know. But the entertainment will always get better club owners. Because we don't like club owners.

We are kind of the opposite end of the business.

Yes. You know, your job is to make as much money as you can. And our job is to think that they've taken all the money they can from them. But But we always remember they got a big ball. I'm talking to you, right? Yes. They are 44 years of comedy is still less than 10. Good comedy clubs.

That's It's incredible to be included in that. Thank you.

I didn't say you weren't doesn't mean that people only do feet now you got me. I'm at home now. But if I could just man, you feel right now if I could, just the middle right now I can meet you at the club and help people to come out to the club. And listen to us do this. Oh, man, it'd be good to just have you on stage talking about it. And oh my God, that we have fun just sitting on stage. Not necessarily a set man, but it will become a it will become a great

A lot of fun. And George who would be the perfect guest because you have a world of experience, from live stage to television to movies. There's not an area of entertainment you haven't touched. And I think that's where the term the godfather of comedy comes from. You really have done it all and been there and been a good guy the whole time. And that's rare.

But now, you don't have to tell me that I'm a good guy. I know I'm a good guy from day one has nothing to do with me. Let's make that clear. Had the best parents in the world. I come from a communication and totally respect and has nothing to do with race, color. Younger. I just love people. I just love happy people. When I see happy people. It makes me it makes me happy here. It was so good. I have the best job in the world. And I believe in people right now. How blessed I am. God has

Well, I've always thought what was amazing about stand up comedy, two quick points, is I think we're both blessed with being able to make a living, it's something we really love doing. And then two, was stand up comedy is really the only art form or entertainment form, where it's just you. In your thoughts. There's no prompts. There's no

no, I look back and say was made right. on me. Yeah. And that's, that's really not an easy thing to do. But once you have it, and you have it, it really can be special. And to have you be our first opening act in 1980 was the really, I can't tell you how much it meant to me to have the right start to my comedy. History. Now. It's been history. But in the beginning, we filled out all of those lines, just because you could vote in the club. And me being on all of the TV show. Tonight Show and a

Well, it changed. Yeah, it changed from being a side gig in a jazz club to being I mean, I was when I opened George. It was the eighth full time comedy club in the entire country. There weren't there weren't that many.

Yeah, Catch a Rising Star, the Improv. The Comic Strip at New York, the Comedy Store, at the Comedy Store, and you had maybe, what was that? Like was the punch line in San Francisco at the time? Yes, the punch line open just before me in San Francisco. And then they came into Sacramento about 10 years after me. Cobbs wasn't even there.

No, no. Comedy Castle, all those places. Zany's is all opened up after but it was it was the right start. And you are the right guy. And I just wanted to celebrate that. This the 40th anniversary of Laughs Unlimited. Thank you, George. What I'm going to do is play a set that I have from back in about 1983. And let the my audience hear you entertain on

A lot of people will call me names right now. That all fits in the face and all find God in his family. So I hope you got something funny on there. Oh, yeah. Okay. You're always funny, George, and we appreciate you. And I know you're in Atlanta, and you're going to be back there for a while. Back. When you get back out in the west coast or get back to Vegas. We'll hopefully get a chance to hook up. What about Sacramento? Do you still live in Sacramento? Well, we I still do some fundraisers and

I know it's crazy, isn't it? We don't want to say how old we've gotten. But you and I are about the same age and it's been a great run and comedy and so much younger than me. I think it's just audio tricks.

Is that? Is that what it is? Oh my god. So we'll be good get together and do. I hope we can do something a revival of the hour,

that would be a great idea we should do, like a special show.And get you in some of the guys. Oh, that would be a blast with J. J. Johnson

J. He's still around a puppet. It was a monkey on it. That was a monkey job. There's a monkey joke. He used to freak me out, you know? Oh, I didn't know that. I could not get on stage, luckily would drive me laughing

We met Jay Johnson through our friend Harry Anderson and Jay worked for us for many years. In fact, I did a short television pilot with him. And he's a great guy. And the "monkey joke" was one of his best bits. And it's great that you remember that?

If I got "Monkey Joke"

All right, George. Okay, man, I talk a lot. Okay. Oh, because we'll be doing a whole show. Just talking on the phone. Well, I'm going to shift it over to some stand up right now. I want to say thank you so much for doing this. It's been a real honor and a pleasure to talk to you after all these years. And thank you, you're always very hospitable to my wife and I when we visited you and at the Flamingo that was a really successful 10 year run for you. And I just know that you're going to continue

let's make it clear. I am still in Las Vegas. I headline at the Westgate. I've been there for four years now. I'm still doing television. I'm doing a project with Jamie Foxx and Netflix. Also working with the great Norman Lear Norman Lear. His birthday was yesterday. It's a brand new show with George Wallace. And the burn cops in Norman Lear. It's called clean slate. It's a version of serpent and son. If you know Laverne Cox, he became the version of Sanford and Son.

That's great news. We'll come out and see you. And so we'll definitely get a chance to hook up, George. Thanks so much. That's great information. Everybody. Go see him at the West West Gate, right? Work gate are not allowed to hear the clip. But he just won't say that later. Say that again. Sir. Am I gonna hear the clip that video of me doing that back home? It's gonna be it's an audio clip, and I'll edit it in I'm sorry, George. I don't have it right here for

my time. I don't even get to do all of those don't do a big move for me. I get to do those jokes over now.

That's true. Well, I'll make sure you get a copy of this when we release it. And you'll get a chance to hear it and revamp your material. Make sure I'm serious, because that's always dreaded, right. Gary Shilling and I always talked about trying to write evergreen material. You can go back somebody's gonna come and tell me today. What I heard you do 20 years ago.

And I put it back in the news. And the kids that come to the come the show today. They didn't they were not even born when we started. Oh, I know. It's crazy. It's a crazy world. I love you. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it. Because anybody that's up to date will be doing this. And you will be seeing me sitting here in my underwear talking to you.

Well, maybe that's why I don't do zoom. That's great. Well, yeah. And you know, you mentioned something that was interesting. One of the reasons I'm doing this podcast is that to me, funny is funny, it doesn't matter if it's five minutes old or 25 years old. And you were funny, and it's gonna be it's just as funny hearing it today as it was back in 1983. Well, thank you so much.

Looking forward to it. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, we want to thank George for being on the poker podcast today. Stay tuned. We're going to hear a set from him and 943 George Wallace, George Wallace, ladies and gentlemen, George Wallace. All right, folks, sit back, relax and enjoy some great comedy from the godfather. comedy. That's right. George Wallace. Here we go to Dr. George Wallace DC Dr. Comedy. Oh, you feel better.

All right. Here we go.

Don't find nobody. That's I don't buy I say that every year and always wind up spending 10 or $15 I went to Bloomingdale's and I bought some underwear for nine out. That's what I paid $9 Because he drove. Now I know you're saying for $9 take my pants off. There's nothing here but a tattoo that says okay. But when I get excited to save Oklahoma you wondering why we have birth control pills but i did i bought underwear for Bloomingdale's. $9 I know he was like she said I shouldn't be wearing them

Well, that was George Wallace live on stage from back in 1983. I'm sure you enjoyed that set. And we really appreciate George taking the time to come on this podcast on this special anniversary edition. Celebrating August 7 of 19 at the grand opening of laughs unlimited my comedy club. And what led me into a really important period in my life. And I'm so happy that I've been able to share it with you, the listening audience on this podcast. I know you enjoyed it all. Thank you so much for