Larry "Bud" Melman's Christmas in July
Roy Green
the first honest-to-goodness time I saw Late Night (the first was a
brief glimpse during a date...) it was "Larry 'Bud'" reading "Twas the
Night Before Christmas" to a bunch of kids, only the reading material
given him was NOT the famous poem, but a catechism book. Calvert
recited the first couple of lines from memory, but then faded into an
embarrased frustration. It was hilarious!
The next night, Dave "scolded" Merrill and (IIRC) another staffer for
the gaffe.
When was this broadcast? had to be summer of 82.
Second question which probably can't be answered by anyone but Merrill
or Dave or Barry...... Was this done on purpose to see what Calvert
would do???
Roy Green, Atlanta
http://www.roygreen.com
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Donz5
>I'm almost certain that Donz can rip this off without blinking, but
>the first honest-to-goodness time I saw Late Night (the first was a
>brief glimpse during a date...) it was "Larry 'Bud'" reading "Twas the
>Night Before Christmas" to a bunch of kids, only the reading material
>given him was NOT the famous poem, but a catechism book. Calvert
>recited the first couple of lines from memory, but then faded into an
>embarrased frustration. It was hilarious!
>The next night, Dave "scolded" Merrill and (IIRC) another staffer for
>the gaffe.
T'was Barbara Gaine and Jude Brennan.
>When was this broadcast? had to be summer of 82.
July 9, 1982, taped the day before.
>Second question which probably can't be answered by anyone but Merrill
>or Dave or Barry...... Was this done on purpose to see what Calvert
>would do???
From AOL Late Show Online site 5/19/97: Employee of the Week, Barbara Gaines:
Q: One of our favorite moments from Late Night is when Calvert had to read Twas
The Night Before Christmas. Can you give the real behind-the-scenes story
about what happened back then?
Barbara: ...The story is this: It was July 9, 1982, and we'd only been on the
air 5 months or so. It was our Christmas in July special. The Guardian Angels
were on singing carols and we had this character, Ed Subitsky, was Santa. Stuff
like that. Calvert was supposed to recite T'was The Night Before Christmas and
give out gifts to a bunch of little kids. I put on the prop list that we needed
a book. However, I was not specific as to what book. During rehearsal the book
wasn't in yet so I just handed Calvert my script. Jude, figuring I had ordered
the book, didn't worry about it being on cue-cards. That evening Calvert opens
the book and it's a French catechism book熔f course Kathleen [Ankers] the
scenic designer went and found a pretty book耀o Calvert says "Oui vey vous. Oh
my God!" I laughed but Jude came running out on the floor and said we're in
trouble. After the show the producer Barry Sand called us in his office and
screamed at us and Dave came by and said he thought it was really funny so
Barry had to stop yelling but Dave said we had a choice葉o tell the story of
what happened on the air or be fired. So of course the following day we went on
the air but they kept the lights down to protect the guilty and then at the end
of the segment they put up mine and Jude's resume.
Roy Green
Donz5
>Above and beyond the call of duty! thanks Donz!!!
Simple copy/paste job. No biggie. :)
FOXYSCRIBE
Roy Green
Ken McMonigal
As the old joke went:
The boiler repairman says, after applying
one whack of the hammer, - "That will be 500 dollars".