From the hallowed halls of the University of Iowa back in 1975 came the Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre, a five man comedy troupe who found fame through great character and ensemble work -- plus some choice exposure on NPR and MTV. Bill Allard, Dan Coffey, Merle Kessler, Leon Martell, and Jim Turner comprised the Ducks -- though they may be more familiar under the names Dr.Science, Ian Shoales, Randee of the Redwoods (and others). The Ducks were a popular touring act, but in their adopted hometown of San Francisco they ruled comedy with appearances at top nightclubs throughout the 1980s. The Ducks put the troupe on hiatus as the 1990s arrived but they did reunite on occasion and mounted a celebratory 40th Anniversary farewell show and documentary. As always find extra cuts below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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One of the Duck's breakout stars was Merle Kessler's Ian Shoales, a mile a minute talker who could throw down the snarky truth about anything. Here Ian's take on the history of popular music. https://youtu.be/_ZjYndaMGW8?si=VvMG7GoSevmCC6kE

The Duck's had major exposure on MTV, partly through the musings of Jim Turner's Randee of the Redwoods -- we're pretty sure we saw him in the crowd at Autzen for the Dead back in 93. We're pretty sure he won't remember! https://youtu.be/NXFTIlhvUdY?si=rcgCO7cwhx1wuAmR

Because the Ducks had such strong characters it's easy to overlook their fine ensemble work -- this fun bit comes from a show at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.https://youtu.be/IuRCdfRkgtI?si=ktiaZ5sP6U33u5TL

Can you tell a good joke? Sure! How about can you make a puppet tell a good joke? Yes, indeed. OK, so can you tell a good joke and make the puppet banter with you -- all without moving your lips? And that's what separates Willie Tyler (and his dummy Lester) from the rest of us! A ventriloquist since his school days, Willie Tyler brings top notch skills to his act which he has been performing since the 1960s. From early work in Detroit clubs, to recurring spots on Motown tours in the 1960s, to joining the cast of Laugh-In, Willie worked his way to becoming the most successful African-American ventriloquist act in history. A frequent opener for top Vegas headliners, as well as a reliable guest on tv variety and game shows, Willie also managed to branch out into guest roles on tv and he was the first act to take the stage when David Letterman held his Late Night "Ventriloquist Week" in the early 2000's. Now in his mid-80s Willie and Lester keep trucking along, recently appearing in Adam Sandler's 2024 Netflix special. Not too bad for a dummy from Detroit! As always, find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows.

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Willie Tyler and Lester weren't a musical act, but that didn't stop them from appearing on Dick Clark's American Bandstand back in 1976. https://youtu.be/L0rnH99cNVA?si=Cfo_lVgZ-f3E4_Px

When Willie and Lester were added to the Laugh-In cast in 1972 it introduced the duo to a whole new audience. https://fb.watch/Fb6NonKmKn/

When David Letterman held a "Ventriloquist Week" on his late night show back in 2006 the first act to appear was Willie and Lester -- and, as usual, they killed. https://youtu.be/6Q1JkAa5ksc?si=KeyaLwQxzJ4MhoHi

This episode we meet Kevin James, a practitioner of "blue collar" comedy, mining everyday life for laugh on television, in movies, and on the standup stage. Originally Kevin was on track to be an athlete (he was a high school wrestling buddy of WWE superstar Mick Foley), but injuries made him shift gears into standup comedy. Moving to Los Angeles to enhance his career opportunities, Kevin became friends with fellow legend Ray Romano, guesting several times on his Everybody Loves Raymond sitcom. Eventually Kevin scored his own sitcom -- The King of Queens -- with was a stalwart of the CBS prime time lineup from 1998-2007. Kevin also has carved out a fine movie career with roles ranging from Paul Blart: Mall Cop to Zookeeper to the Grown Ups films with his pal Adam Sandler. And Kevin's recent standup specials on Netflix and Prime Video show he has lost none of his timing and wit. As always find extra clips below and thanks for sharing our shows!

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Kevin first climbed the comedy career ladder as a standup comic. Here's a longer look at some of his early routines. https://youtu.be/9nYRIFt1EGE?si=s_35ii6-ACh4Y9e9

Kevin's most famous role is as Doug Heffernan, a blue collar delivery driver in The King of Queens. https://youtu.be/bL09Jri9bzw?si=K3deIb2z0_bUjGtJ