Back from a winter break, there’s no shortage of blog-worthy material, from North Korea’s latest ICBM test…err, space launch, to Hillary’s ever-escalating e-mail scandal and of course, the “official” start of the 2016 presidential campaign (at least the part where caucus and primary votes are actually cast).
But that stuff can wait, at least for a moment. There was a notable passing during our absence. Bob Elliott, one-half of the legendary comedy duo of Bob & Ray, passed away at his home in Maine last week at the age of 92.
Almost eight years ago, our colleague George Smiley wrote an appreciation of Elliot and his long-time partner Ray Goulding, who died in 1990. Definitely worth another read, as we remember one of most original teams who ever worked behind a microphone…
ADDENDUM: After migrating from WHDH in Boston to their first network gig at NBC, Bob & Ray almost immediately ran afoul of the federal government. No, the angry bureaucrats weren’t at the FCC or the IRS, but rather the Smithsonian Institute. At the end of a skit, the duo casually informed listeners that anyone who wanted a home dismantling kit (like the “model” they touted on the air) could obtain one by writing to the Smithsonian. Thousands did, and the feds weren’t amused. Undeterred, Bob & Ray closed another show by announcing that copies of their script were available from the Library of Congress, provoking another flood of letters.
