Warner Brothers

From time to time I post a link to something Mark Evanier posts that I find funny...his home site is here.
http://www.newsfromme.com/
Many people who don't even know they know about Evanier know about him. I first saw his work in the Groo series of comics which to this day I think are some of the funniest things ever written. But he has done a lot of other things...including writing for Garfield and Friends, the Dungeons and Dragons cartoon, and many, many others.
However, this is not about my fanboy Evanier fetish...it is actually about a link he posted about Peter Tomarken, the philanthropist-cum-gameshow host who tragically died in a plane crash today. And this one is also not about Tomarken, although it is about a dead guy...Mel Blanc.
Of course, most people know Blanc as the voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Speedy Gonzalez, Sylvester, Tweety...well, name any Warner Brothers voice, it was probably Blanc. Not to mention Barney Rubble.
But I know him as so much more than that. I thank Dad for introducing me to the joys of Old Time Radio. Jack Benny has long been my favorite comedian...no blue material, just solid situations and characters. And Mel Blanc was a lot of those characters.
If you have never heard Blanc as the Maxwell or Carmichael the Polar Bear or Professor LeBlanc, Jack's poor, suffering violin teacher...ha, I love the Income Tax episode when the auditors knock on LeBlanc's door. "Mr LeBlanc?"
"Yes."
"We're from the income tax department."
"Eeeencome tax...eeeencome tax..." well, I will cut this bit short because it really has to be heard to be believed, but when it talks about how he makes his shirt collars, followed by a gasping, wheezing, groaning "income tax!!!" I bust up laughing every time. And I have probably heard it a hundred times. His voice, his character was that strong.
Income tax dude: "Professor, control yourself! We are here to talk to you about one of your pupils, Mr. Benny."
"About Mr. Benny? Come in, come in, perhaps I can help you send him to the Bastille."
He played the character so well. And the classic Christmas episodes where he has to wrapi, unwrap, rewrap various gifts repeatedly...some of the funniest bits ever filmed.
He also had a short lived, funny, but unsuccessful solo show, the aptly named "Mel Blanc Show". It was essentially a vehicle where ever more outlandish scenarios had to be developed to allow him to show his various voices. And if you ever hear me say "Ugga ugga boo, ugga boo boo ugga", this is where I got it from...the secret saying of their club. Classic.
Well, the clip where he does about 5 of the voices in thirty seconds is worth the grainy, cheesy video. Long live Mel Blanc.
I am not a huge art purchaser...actually, my wall decorations currently are scholastic awards and a few cards from friends and family...but if I ever see it again, there is one poster I would be very tempted to buy: It showed a dozen or so of the characters he voiced...Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam, Bugs Bunny, etc....in the background with a light shining on a microphone in the center with the words "Nothing left to say" and the dates of his life under it. He brought a lot of laughter to a lot of people. And he did it clean. I wish there were more like him today.
B-dibdibdibdib That's All, folks