Red Skelton

[ Home ] [ Eric DeCamps ] [ Meir Yedid ] [ Scott Morris ] [ Tony Blanco ] [ Jeff McBride ] [ The Amazing Randi ] [ Ron Wilson ] [ Red Skelton ]

Red Skelton

When I was in the fourth grade, Red Skelton had his own show on TV, and I worshipped him. I loved his jokes, his sense of humor and his incredible timing. And when the fourth grade variety show came around, I volunteered to do magic and jokes.

At the time of the performance, I was not thrilled with the way the act was going. When the curtains began to close, I stepped forward through them and back into the spotlight, and said, "Before the curtains close on me, I would like to tell another joke."

"Uh-oh," said my teacher who was sitting in the front row alongside my parents. I then proceeded to tell a joke I had heard Red Skelton recite on television the night before. I did not fully understand it. It dealt with three men who had died and gone to heaven and were explaining to St. Peter why they should be allowed to enter the pearly gates. I don't remember how the joke goes, but it turns out the joke was about a bigamist.

Well, by the time I finished the joke, the audience of teachers and parents was weeping and wetting themselves. The kids laughed because their parents laughed, and the parents, mine included, were absolutely dying from the shock. It was a truly funny moment for PS 162.

My grandmother decided to write Red Skelton a letter to tell him what I had done, and he was gracious enough to send me an autographed photo and signed personal letter which I have stored away.

Both Red and my grandmother are now gone, but I'll always remember my night of infamy, and their influence upon my life.