26 North Shore Towers Courier n January 2017 MEN’S CLUB BY PAUL NETTLER Imagine, if you will, being in the same room with both Jack Benny and Bob Hope. Well, that’s what it felt like on December 22nd when our speaker, Sal St. George, transported us back in time via old film clips to what might be called The Golden Age of Comedy. Sal is a very personable gentleman and has an encyclopedic knowledge of his subjects. To demonstrate different types of comedy, Sal started by showing a film clip of Buddy Hackett telling a joke on the Johnny Carson Show. It involved a duck and Hackett pretending to writhe on the floor in pain. Don’t ask. Benny and Hope were great friends; yet you can’t imagine them trying to tell each other’s jokes. Hope had a machine gun style (he wore out several writers), whereas Benny was more languid. You all probably recall Benny’s expressions and body movements. He was asked once how long he could keep his audience clapping and laughing upon being introduced. He did it for eight minutes without saying a word. Seeing Dennis Day, Rochester and the rest of Benny’s “family” was also a treat. And though he really wasn’t a cheapskate, and was well over thirty-nine for many years, those were two of his trademarks and a treasure trove of his comic routines were built around them. Hope had been on Broadway and was an excellent dancer before he went into comedy. Sal showed us a clip of him and Jimmy Cagney doing great tap and soft shoe routines, which were worth the price of admission. I had to hold myself back from giving them a standing ovation. And as a note to all would-be Hopes and Bennys, they attained greatness without those four letter words that so many comedians today feel so necessary to generate laughs. Instead of a speaker at our January 12th meeting, we’re going to have music. The Lucky Tones Trio will play for us again. We may also get one or two singers. It’s too bad that we don’t have a dance floor. Coffee and cake will be served and guests are welcome for a $5.00 fee, payable at the door. The discussions at the last Current Events Group were lively ones, to say the least. At times, voices were raised to make certain points… in a gentlemanly manner, of course. There was a discussion of Richard Rorty’s 1998 book, “Achieving Our Country,” which in a Nostradamuslike manner, predicted an election like 2016 was imminent; that the downtrodden would wake up and a psychology of fear would invade the land. The proliferation of Fake News was discussed. Should it be regulated and by whom? Obviously, our new President Elect became part of the discussion. His positive opinion regarding “Enhanced Interrogation,” a mealy mouth euphemism for water boarding, i.e. torture, brought a negative reaction from the group. He was also described as a marketing genius, which one would have difficulty denying. On the whole, our current events discussions are most stimulating and the participants well versed in both current and past historical events. Come join us. You will not be bored. The next meeting will be held on Monday, January 9th, at 10:30 a.m. in the Coleridge lounge. November brought us two dining experiences. The first, at Crabtree, gathered 25 members and guests in a private room for an evening of good food and efficient service. There will definitely be a future visit. Many thanks to Art Rose for handling the event. A much smaller dining event occurred when 8 of us drove to Arthur Avenue in The Bronx for a “typical” Italian lunch. It was a fun afternoon, but because of the rain, we were denied the pleasure of walking around to absorb the aromas and sights of its famous neighborhood. Many thanks to Arnie Rabinowitz and Erik Kroll for doing the driving. As a warmup for the Benny and Hope Show, a group of members braved the cold, had lunch and enjoyed some humor at a Comedy Club in Levittown. No comparison of course, but everyone had a good time. January’s activities include the Club’s monthly meeting on January 12th, dinner at Café Cardini on January 17th (call Joe DiGiovanni at 516-965-9225, if you’d like to go) and a once-in-alifetime educational experience on January 24th, when we will learn the subtleties and nuances of how to play Texas Hold ’Em Poker from a master of the art: Arnie Rabinowitz. As this is strictly an educational experience, no money will be involved, just chips. The lecture is open only to Men’s Club members. And, of course, there is Bingo Night on January 29th at 7:30 p.m. in the large card room. Guests are more than welcome. As a reminder, our informal breakfast schedule has reverted back to the old one; that is, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:15 a.m. at Buffy’s. If you have any questions about our activities, please call our President, Arnie Rabinowitz, at 718-819-8070, or if you would like to join our club, please call Joe DiGiovanni at 516-965-9225. Jack Benny and Bob Hope 26 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ December 2016
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