Admit it, things you just don't like in the show

[grittys457]

1. Kenny Baker. It is almost painful to hear him after how great the Dennis Day years were. He probably paved the way for Dennis but most of it is lame.

2. Andy Devine. Can't hack his voice to hear through to the funny.

3. Jokes about Jack's toupee. It's not just that they joked about it almost once an episode, it was the same damn joke angle everytime.

4. Jack doing the hillbilly character with the hee hee. I hate that accent when he does it. Think it's the same voice he uses during a lot of New Years Eve shows.

5. His publicity agent.

6. Phil's voice on the earlier shows. Lol, it's just creepy and slow. Hard to believe it's the same man in the middle to late episodes.

7. Bob Hope guest appearances. Five thousands jokes and maybe one lands. Talks all over everything. On the other hand, Fred Allen guest spots are always some of the funniest segments on the show.

8. Dennis is probably the funniest person on the show but I wish I could cut out his songs from each episode. Don't get me wrong I love music from that era, it just seemed like Dennis was singing the same song every episode. Great voice, just would rather hear another number from Phil and his band.

9. This one is 50/50, but Mary's extended laugh before telling a story or joke about Jack.

10. There is no number ten because everything else on the show in funny to this day.

[jbennyfan39]

O shut up!! Maybe you can post your list to Fred Allen's fan club website.

[grittys457]

I...will...NOT!

[Mister Kitzel]

The New Year's Eve shows are sometimes too somber. The comedy of the show stepped aside to take a look at the real world.

To say I do not like the New Year's Eve shows is not accurate, but rather they break up the fun just a little.

[grittys457]

Yeah, the NYE segments just don't blend in with the rest of the episode usually. Sometimes they are depressing in general with Jack spending it by himself and Rochester staying home with him. It's not his fault, Gladys couldn't get the night off of work from the diner most of the time.

Thanksgiving shows are my favorite holiday ones.

[mrdj]

1. Kenny is Ok with me. Dennis I enjoyed more though. The only running gag with Dennis that I didn't like is the "......Ooooooh, fill in the line" thing. That was tiresome to me.
2. I'm OK with Andy, too. Although I can see how he could annoy.
3. Toupee jokes were some of my favorite. Examples: Joan on a scavenger hunt. She asks for something very personal. Jack says she must need a lock of his hair, and she responds that no, she needs the whole thing.
He gets a big scare and says his hair must be standing on end. Rochester asks if he should go in the bedroom and look.
4. Agree
5. Agree. I only remember Steve Bradley on a show or two, but he was irritating.
6. His character developed so well, but I haven't listened to his early shows for a while to remember.
7. I haven't heard Bob a Benny show, but his later years, especially the Bob Hope TV specials were to me, pretty much just mailed in. I almost feel embarrassed for him.
8. Frank Nelson was my favorite. I would loved to have more of the show format from the late 30's with more whole songs from the orchestra.
9. I liked the early wise cracking Mary the best.
10 Agreed

[Mister Kitzel]

1. Kenny is Ok with me. Dennis I enjoyed more though. The only running gag with Dennis that I didn't like is the "......Ooooooh, fill in the line" thing. That was tiresome to me.

Dennis' "...OOoooooh..." gags should have been left at one episode and it would be great. It seems that joke set up was stretched a bit a couple of times.

[helloagain]

I can agree with about half of your points, but the shows overall are so good that I can tolerate the weaker stuff. I love Dennis but I must admit I fast forward through his songs. I also like the toupee jokes. Maybe it's because I wear one myself. "The hotel is returning your toothbrush and your toupee. The one with the handle is the toothbrush".

[LLeff]

The Si-Sy routine

*DUCKING UNDER THE TABLE TO AVOID FLYING OBJECTS*

[grittys457]

"The only running gag with Dennis that I didn't like is the "......Ooooooh, fill in the line" thing. That was tiresome to me. "

Come on, that's my sign in every post! I thought those were great because it was always when Jack sounded like he was calmly talking to Dennis about a money issue then you hear "Ohhhhh, you're hurting my arm", then Jack calmly says...oh, oh sorry.

See, that's the exact reason why old radio shows were so great, for what you play out in your mind as you listen.

As far as Phil, sometimes I click random play on my Droid Old time radio app and I get a real early show. Seriously, he sounds like a sex offender. It's creepy.

[Greg]

This was discussed recently in another thread, but one's appreciation of Kenny vs Dennis really stems from which character you're more familiar with. I just started listening to the show about a year ago, and I've listened to every [available] show in chronological order up to January of 1940. Dennis has just joined the show and so far I am really, really missing Kenny. I quite liked his character. But I'm sure I'll come to love Dennis.

Just like M*A*S*H. If you've only ever seen episodes with Col. Potter, then you switch to Henry Blake episodes, you're bound to prefer Potter over Blake.

-Greg

[Maxwell]

The Si-Sy routine

*DUCKING UNDER THE TABLE TO AVOID FLYING OBJECTS*

You'll be pleased to know that a few days ago I downloaded three TV versions (Jack leaving his bags with Sy, the vocal group on amateur night, and the Tijuana strings) and one radio version (Captain Horatio Hornblower) on my facebook page.

I was visiting my son and daughter-in-law Sunday night and they looked at one of them when I was there, the bag-checking one. My daughter-in-law had never seen the bit. She loved it.

In your defense, everyone is permitted one lapse.

[grittys457]

" I just started listening to the show about a year ago, and I've listened to every [available] show in chronological order up to January of 1940. Dennis has just joined the show and so far I am really, really missing Kenny."

I started a couple years ago somewhere in 1936 or 1937 and I'm all the way up to 1951. I remember thinking in the 1939 year that I must be listening to the peak of the show and that they couldn't get any funnier. They get far funnier in the mid to late 40's and you'll find out exactly how much better dennis day is. I'm sorry but there is no arguement between him and Kenny unless somebody has nostalgia with Kenny.

On a side note, I never watched any of the tv episodes until I was a year into the radio shows and I think the tv shows are nowhere near as good as the radio. In fact, if I started with the tv shows, I probably would have never became a fan.

[Yhtapmys]

I just started listening to the show about a year ago, and I've listened to every [available] show in chronological order up to January of 1940. Dennis has just joined the show and so far I am really, really missing Kenny. I quite liked his character. But I'm sure I'll come to love Dennis.

I don't look at it as an either/or situation. Both were different characters and by the time the mid 40s roll around, the shows they were on really weren't the same kind of show.

Ytapmys

[helloagain]

I've been listening to a lot of Benny shows in the past few days...actually trying to find something that irritates me. I didn't think I'd find anything worth mentioning except..."When you say 'I beg your pardon', then I'll come back to you". That lousy song ( and it really is ) really gets under my skin. It was a great idea, and something that truly fit Jack's character, but it was run into the ground. They did so many shows about it on radio and even into television. I think it went on too long and wore out it's welcome. Even Jolson could not have made it listenable. I'd like to go somewhence whence I can't hear it anymore.