Posted 2:21 PM by Gene

I finally figured out how The Most Overrated "Comedy" "Stars" of All Time, Bob and Ray, lasted so long. They started on radio in 1946 as a Boston local act, and only came to the national air in 1951, as the medium began its slow inexorable decline toward three-song playlists and CHEAP CHANNEL; surely a two-man "comedy" act with stock music or an organ (not even that sometimes) was far cheaper to procure than the expensive series still dominating the waves. By the late fifties they had it made; with the biz now All-Freed-All-The-Time there were nonetheless plenty of outlets for their ultracoy witlessness, notably NBC's Monitor, a parade of tiresome greasy radio personalities famous for its irritating theme music, and WOR, which was even greasier. With increased exposure came Sondheimization, the notion that when a very few people in very elite parts like you it means you're good, and they became "cult" performers, which doesn't seem to have improved their "act." We can be sure its cult had no sense because each Bob and Ray sketch sounded just like 5,000 others, assuring a comfort zone for the cult's ego. (That they starred in a pretentious Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. space-"comedy" on public TV didn't hurt.) In the meantime they secured their fortunes with an ad-voiceover empire. The act ultimately became a ward of public radio, guaranteeing its tiresomeness would be total. We aren't surprised to see the NO-SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN SPIN ZONE's archenemy reveres their memory, which tells us that in time his rep will fade too. (Interesting that his Bob-and-Ray-worshipping shtick gets its name from a Bob and Ray shtick inspired by a pan of John Simon's -- the one man among thousands of fanny kissers with sense.)

P. S.

Like most old-line broadcasters, they are indefatigable throat-clearers, and when they are in the same room the ceaseless coughs, harrumphs and roars are almost deafening.

No further comment.

(Monitor theme link updated 2/18/2009; NPNTR link updated 5/1/2009)