Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1909-06-17
NOBODY LOVES A FAT MAN
Not True of Ralph Bingham, a Lead.
ing Chautauqua Funmaker.

"S
The man who wrote Nobody Loves
a Fat Man" didn't know Ralph Bling
ham. Bingham is fat-not too fat, but
just comfortably "stout"-and every
body loves him who has a smile left
in his makeup. Bingham has no time
for chronic pessimists, and as for him
self he hasn't a pessimistic drop of
blood in his veins. Big, good natured,
as full of funny stories as a p%orcupine
is of quilts, he is one of the surest
cures for the blues on the Chautauqua
platform today,
Bingham's mission on earth is to
stir into the beverage of life the sac.
charine, and make the cup of earthly
existence, which is sometimes stale,
e~ffervesce and bubble with the very
JOY of living. He is funny because he
can't help it. He was born to drive
dull care away, and he has had that
Somber parsonage on the run for 10
these many years. He is a doctor who
cures by the good old rule of laugh
and grow fat" and he is one OF the
lSN uoSlOlo II oSOl1l 4 tdhS thSll
W medicine. On the platform or off,
with an audience of one or five thou
sand, if Mr.. Bingham's hearers are not
shrieking with laughter you may take
it for granted TIA the audience is
composed Of deaf mutes who have not
yet learned to read lip movements.
Mr.. Bingham's entertainment is not
a lecture, a speech nor a concert.
What does he do? Well, he mono
logues and he plays the fiddle. How
ever, he isn't a fiddler, but a violinlst
and there's a great difference be-
tween the two, you know. His mono
logues are original and they are rem
dered in a manner that is absolutely
inimitable. His face changes with
every shift in the humor, and he has
one OF those broad, expansive faces
that has lots of room for changes. You
hardly need to hear the story, for you
can see it.
Mr.. Bingham excels as a humorist
in four different and difficult direc.
tons. He dramatizes music with his
voice; makes the piano an instrument
of rare humor; recites funny sketches
till the tears of laughter run down
ones checks, and plays the violin
like Ole Bull. He sings ballad poetry
and he recites dramatic or pathetic or
humorous sketches i'll a name that
brings down the house.
While he is reciting his auditors
feel that hat is his forte. He steps
to the piano and that instrument be.
comes a vehicle of humor as well as Of
harmony, and you think he misses his
calling when he ties himself up to
anything short of music. Especially
is that true again when he takes up
the violin, fos then he makes O
think of the old masters as the in
strument sobs and sparkles to the
magic touch of his expert fingers.
When his program calls for song you
wish he would sing all the while.
Bingham's record runs something
like this: Born in Richmond. Va,
1870. First appearance in public in
1876. From 1876 to 1896 famous as
the Boy Orator of America" Thirty
consecutive years before the public.
Eight thousand appearances on the
American continent; 1000 appearances
alone in the Empire and Keystone
states; 100 entertainments In the
Quaker City; So times in the metrop.
oils of the western hemisphere-New
York city; roc, 900 miles travelled since
six years of age; 500 towns in Uncle
Sans domain have given him, each,
five, some of them six. seven and
eight audiences, in repeated recogni.
ton, confirmation aid commentator
of his unequaled artistic and natural
accomplishments, skillful platform
methods and his inimitable public
demonstrations of wit, wisdom, humor,
poetry, sentiment, tragedy, music,
melody, drollery and mirth.