(Ft. Lauderdale News, March 30th, 1980) In 1980, for the first time, comedy clubs began to spring up around the country, in both national franchises and local operations. When The Comic Strip opened in Fort Lauderdale, our paper's unfairly persuasive and attractive features editor, Kris Montee, assigned me to work up a first-person feature on what it was like to perform during the club's amateur night. The piece would have been funnier had I bombed, but I actually did okay - my admittedly hazy memory of the night has one of the evening's "real" comics, a tall young man named Bob Saget, encouraging me afterward to give the comedy circuit a try. Instead, I considered it beginner's luck, and never, ever gave it a second try. (Read Story)
Sidebar: Ray Recchi review of stand-up act
When I got to the Fort Lauderdale News in 1977, I knew Ray Recchi only as the older brother of Sal Recchi, a fellow classmate at Nova High School in Fort Lauderdale. When I left, three years later, Ray was not only my former boss, and a very close friend, but an incomparable role model as both a columnist and a family man. He actually jumped off the management fast track, intentionally, to pursue instead what he saw as a more enjoyable path, writing about raising a family. Ray was a very funny guy who wrote brilliantly original stuff, and with enviable ease. He touched so many readers, over the years, that the line of mourners at his memorial service literally went around the block. To have him in the audience that night, reviewing my stand-up act, seemed at the time to be one more level of torture. Now, looking back, it's more like an honor. (Read Story)
Bianculli Ft Lauderdale news 043080.pdf
Recchi-Bianculli Ft Lauderdale News 0580.pdf