“It’s My Birthday, It’s My Birthday, I’m-ma Spend My Money”

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

In my haste to avoid thinking of The Beatles’ songs either about birthdays or the number 64, I settled on this goofy Will.i.am song from a few months ago, and it got so stuck in my head for the ensuing hour that I started thinking of the Beatles, but even doing that, the only other […]



Not Gloating, but Wow anyway!

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

Actually the reason not to gloat about the team I’ve loved and followed for 44 years and who has won the World Series three of the last five years is they did it without any help from me. Sure I cheered them on, while having to explain to virtually everyone around here the unlikelihood of […]



Another Dead Person, Another Story

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

Actually, this is not completely about the person in particular. I just read that Tim Hauser, the founder of the Manhattan Transfer, died Thursday at the age of 72. OK, Name Drop away, but for a brief time in 1980, Rick & Ruby and the Transfer totally connected, and in various shifts, all four of […]



No One Died This Week, Except Me, a little

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

That’s not totally true, just no one I knew personally. I certainly admired the work of Jan Hooks, a great improvisational comic actress, and that of Paul Revere, leader of one of the most underrated 60’s bands, both of whom have passed on in the last couple weeks. But I’d never met either of them, […]



And now, a name drop about a LIVING celebrity!

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

So Bill Murray turned 64 this week. How did I know that? Facebook reminded me, and even suggested I send Bill a gift! I am currently Facebook friends with Bill Murray, Russell Brand, Christopher Lloyd, and baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda, but these connections are probably made or approved by some personal assistant who’s […]



Oh No! Not ANOTHER Dead Celebrity Memory!

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

Not completely a household name, but certainly a BIG name, as I got to meet Richard Kiel, the 7 foot 2 actor who played the villain Jaws in two James Bond movies, “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker.” Since I was never a James Bond fanatic, a) I didn’t know his character was the […]



Bizarre Show Biz Encounter 1975

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

I swear this will be the last thing I say about Robin Williams. My partner and I met a vast number of celebrities on the Robin tour, and in the case of Diana Ross and The Jackson family, they actually chose to hang with us after the show in Chicago because they didn’t want to […]



A Genius and a Friend

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

On Easter Sunday, 1979, we (meaning my act Rick & Ruby) had just completed a week at Manhattan’s Copacabana opening for Robin Williams, who with one season of “Mork & Mindy” done to great critical acclaim and high ratings, had become comedy’s biggest star of the moment. We were all gathered in a basement of […]



There’s NO Good Guys Here

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

When I did the original Pee Wee Herman show back in the early 80’s, there was a segment in the show which never made it to the TV broadcast. It was a segment entitled “Pen Pals From Around The World,” in which Pee Wee read supposed “fan mail.” One was from a child named Shlomo, […]



On Being A “Genius”

Published by Rick on Tagged Uncategorized

When I was five years old, I could name all (then) 48 US states and their capitals, plus be able to spell them. I also knew all (then) 34 US presidents and could spell them as well. A local paper wrote a one paragraph article about how sensational this was, for where I was living, […]