[Groop]Chuck McCann

[Larry Steller]

(I originally addressed this only to Mark Evanier, but since at
the end I accidentally Wandered on-topic, i thought I'd post this
to The Groop instead. This was inspired by Mark's comments in his
NEWS FROM ME column at: http://www.povonline.com/News061602.htm )

My very first Chuck McCann memory involves his portrayal of
Little Orphan Annie (wearing white cardboard discs in his
eyes!!!) on NY Channel 5's classic kiddie show "Wonderama",
starring Sonny Fox. Frankly, I must have been around 4 or 5, (I
was born in November 1961) so I don't have an awesome anecdote to
insert here, just the fact that his performance REALLY stuck in
my head as being wonderfully SILLY for all these years! 

Even at that tender young age I remember being enthralled and
mildly disturbed at the same time. There was just something about
this giant loveable lug wearing a dress and big cardboard discs
as eyes that I found hysterical! 

McCann was the first of many comedians who were TOTALLY
IRREDEEMABLY SILLY who made quite an impression on me. Others who
struck similar chords early on were Jonathan Winters & Avery
Schreiber. There's a difference between being funny by telling
jokes or doing skits, and simply being an incredibly SILLY
person. 

Now that I think of it, ALL of my favorite comic acts have been
those who were Masters of the Art Of SILLINESS: Laurel & Hardy,
Abbott & Costello, The Marx Brothers,  Monty Python, Robin
Williams, all to some degree rely heavily on sheer silliness,
nonsense & non sequiturs. Sure, Williams can be political and
tell intricate jokes, Abbott & Costello were brilliant with
clever word play, all were versatile and funny in a variety of
ways, but their Shared Strength was a natural capacity for
SILLINESS.

I really, truly believe Chuck McCann was my first taste of
silliness for the joy of silliness!!! THANKS CHUCK, for helping
inspire my sense of humor during my formative years!!!

Hmmm, I definitely must include Aragones & Evanier in there as
well; I mean, what's sillier than your average GROO GAG? Not that
I don't appreciate the stories, the messages (both meaningful and
hidden), the characterizations, but the stuff that makes me howl
the most  is when the silliness gets out of control. Groo as a
fish! Groo running into the ocean to pursue pirates! Pal's oft
quotes "What Pirates?" Hey, just look at the stuff The Groop
tends to latch onto and repeat, it's all of the SILLIEST STUFF!!!


I'll end by stealing a joke that my friend Mike once hit me with
out of the blue. In the middle of an involved conversation he
sudddenly blurted out: "MOO!!! HAH!!! NON SEQUITUR MAN STRIKES
AGAIN!" Silly works best when you catch us off guard, folks. Say
goodnight, Dick...

=====
-Larry Steller

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