Snowing? The Show Must Go On!

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If you have been keeping up with the weather in the Northeast, you know that if you live in North Texas, you are grateful for the beautiful weather we have had lately. But the weather in the Northeast triggers a story told to me by comedian Rich Little.

Back in the 60's, Rich was booked to perform live on The Ed Sullivan Show, Sundays at 8pm ET/7pm CT. Sullivan, a homely looking newspaper columnist with unusual diction and rather awkward gestures, brought to live television a vast variety of entertainment from the late 1940's until its last telecast on June 6, 1971. The night that Rich was to appear on the Sullivan show, the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area was hit with a major snow storm. Airports were closed, trains not running, and driving into the city was not an option either. Sullivan had strict rules of conduct and guidelines for talent appearing on his show as did Lawrence Welk on ABC. Screw up with those guys the least bit and you were asked never to come back. You were finished!

Anyway, Rich arrives to the studio for the live broadcast but misses the appointed time as set by Sullivan. When Sullivan sees him, he starts in on him…."You're LATE!!"  Rich replied, "But Ed, there's a major snow storm our there…….planes and trains aren't running….cars can't get in and out….what was I supposed to do?" Sullivan replied, "You should have planned better!".  Rich told me that Sullivan was by nature a paranoid individual which explained some of his eccentric behavior. Sullivan also was one of the few on-air talents on the CBS Television Network that had a direct line of communications with CBS Chairman William S. Paley, like Lucille Ball. Jackie Gleason, Arthur Godfrey, and the main CBS News talent: Edward R. Murrow, Eric Sevareid, and Walter Cronkite.

So every time we have bad weather here in the DFW area, that story comes to mind!

See you next time.