December 26, 2019
Volume 49 - No. 52
By Friedrich Gomez
It’s the middle of December, 2019, and I’m volunteering some of my time at a local senior retirement dwelling here in Escondido. In the recreation lounge, a large gathering of seniors are in a spirited debate on some of the old-time comedians, ‘back in the day.’ And how they measure up to the British comedians across the pond. In their aged eyes, they are no The Paper - 760.747.7119
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longer in their 80s and 90s as they talk of their greener years, during the height of vaudeville and the early days of radio – when you had to use your imagination, instead of having television do that for you. But even America’s great comic, Fred Allen, found radio to be an intrusive piece of furniture found in every American’s living room. Allen rebuked radio as if a demon: “I don’t take to furniture that talks.”
This particular day, verbal swords are drawn as senior citizens debate the barometer of greatness of American comedians versus the British giants, such as Charlie Chaplin.
In the mist of this heated debate, celebrated names are thrown about like confetti: Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Benny Hill, Peter Sellers, Cary Grant, and so on.
As a volunteer on this particu-
lar day, they turn their attention in my direction and ask of me: “Friedrich, you write for The Paper, do you think the best British comedians are as funny as American comedians, like Bob Hope?” Suddenly, the entire recreation room became cathedral silent. My reply fell upon the gathering like a World War II bombshell.
American Humor vs British Humour See Page 2