What about Bob?

It’s not often you get to see a genius but I was lucky enough to see one Friday after work. He’s part of two of the greatest sitcoms to ever grace the TV screen. And, in my personal opinion, has the best series finale that ever was or ever will be (Newhart). I’m talking about Bob Newhart. He was signing his new at Borders which is right around the corner from where I work.

He spoke for about twenty minutes and then signed books. He talked about how he got started. A friend of his played a tape of his routines to some record executives. They liked them. They then wanted to have a live recording done of them. The only problem was Bob had never done live stand-up. So he had to quickly book a gig somewhere. Once that was accomplished they recorded the shows. The only problem was that at the first show there was a lady in the front row who was drunk. She kept saying that’s a load a crap and that was all you could hear on the recording. Fortunately they had two other show to use.

He talked about the comedians who influenced him most notably Jack Benny. He talked about writing the book. While he was writing it, one of his daughter’s came for a visit with one of his grandsons. He’d just gotten to the part in the book where he was talking about the Bob Newhart show and how they would have to write several shows for Suzanne Pleshette because he would be with his wife waiting the birth of his daughter. The same daughter who’d come down to see him.

He added it just goes to show where’d the time go. And you need to stop and smell the flowers. He said he’d gone to a cast member’s husband funeral. And they’d remarked how the dead husband had never stopped to smell the flowers during his life which was odd because he was a florist.

With that he ended and went to signing books.

I’ve started reading the book and it is very funny. He has a section where he talks about potential titles to the book and why they were rejected. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

Here are a few pictures that I took. I wish they were a little bit better but digital cameras seem to have a great deal of trouble focusing and shooting a picture when there is any sort of movement.