97 Rock & Comedy

Back about a twenty years ago, 97 Rock had me on their show to talk about one of my books. I had a great time joking with Larry Norton and Rob Lederman.

They were generous with their time and spoke kindly about my writing. I appeared again a few years later and then, after writing a book about my brother, we went to a benefit for Women & Children’s Hospital at Rob’s comedy club.

It’s a great story but with the place packed and no one onstage yet again, I ran into Rob and said, “You want me to warm up the crowd?”

He said, “It’s not easy.”

I said, “It’s not brain surgery either.”

Ten minutes later, Rob was on the stage and he told the packed house that he was changing things up because he found another guy to go onstage.

Kathy just looked at me. I shrugged, but then thought about it.

I had to prepare a little!

So, I went outside and paced the parking lot, writing my act. Rob passed me and asked if I was nervous.

I said, “No.”

He said, “It’s going to be the worst ten minutes of your life.”

“You don’t understand,” I said.

I didn’t do ten minutes. 

I did 40.

Had a blast.

Rob stepped up and said:

“He did an HBO Special!”

And it was one of the best nights. I loved the laughter and the roar of the crowd.

So, I was disappointed to hear that Rob was fired for making comments that were just dumb.

I’m sure that he certainly would not have said it if he’d thought it through. It was simply insensitive racially and to women.

Howard Stern has talked about how difficult it is to talk for so long and not say dumb stuff.

And there has been a seismic shift of what can be said in the name of comedy.

I’m sure that I said some crazy stuff in my long set.

I certainly didn’t work clean!

And I’ve always thought that comedy is kind of a ‘say what you want to say’ sort of profession.

Eddie Murphy had a great bit where he made fun of white people.

Archie Bunker attacked all ethnicities.

Chris Rock? Richard Pryor? George Carlin?

Would they even be stars now?

I’m not excusing what got the 97 Rock crew fired.

I don’t know how it might feel to hear that goofy crap and take it only as a joke.

It was dumb.

But I can say that what I knew of Rob - it wasn’t malicious.

It’s hard to prove that you AREN’T a racist when you say something dopey...

...it’s all a shame...

...and it’s more complicated than just saying it’s not right.

Either way.

It’s not an attack on free speech...

...and it’s not the worst thing ever said.