The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-02

A few years ago, Phil Baker was classified as c radio comedian, ana he had two stooges heckling him, Today he's listed as e qui2lnNster and everybody heckles himl
 He used to go in for situation comedy. Now, you should see some of the situations he gets Into.
 Back before his "Take It or Leave It" days Sundays would be "Take It Or Leave It" days, from 10 to i0:30 D. m,, c. W. t., over CBS) his staff of vagabond Voltaires would get together with him at Lindy's or in Q smoke-filled hotel room to quaff unrRtioned eoffee, while striving and straining, and eventually put on paper the great est number Of laughs they consid.. cred 1t humanly possible to crowd into half an hour of air time. Then they'd rehearse, polish each line until 1t glistened, get on the ar with their fingers crossed, worry through the show .. and then start to work oil over again on next Weekb bCEAPW
 Now, it's just Q matter of getting on the air with Q large supply ot questions and making the most or every comedy opportunity offered by the contestants. h other words, the worry that Baker and his wFit' CTS used to spread out over aa on. tire week now is concentrated into Q single half hour
 Naturally, there is Q Dig differ: ence between situation comedy ana the sort of laughs that 90 Into idTake It Or Leave It." For one thing, the insult always was Q DE laugh getter, when Beetle and got' tie were bouncing ell over Baker, casting aspeTsionS on his mental powers, his appearance and his n. ilaneiai habits. They even accused Baker of being c cheapSkate . Baker, who has given away more than S50,000 not to mention 2,000' odd pens and peneilsI All right, it's not his money or his pens, but who has time for teehnicalitieS2
 "Take It Or Leave It" scrupulotlS- ly avoids any suggestion Of getting laughs at the contestants expense. The idea is to get him relaxed and friendly, so that he'll enjoy hiins self and be that much more en- tertaining. You don't get that feel- ing of geod will by making the con- testant feel inferior, Instead, the humor tends to the topical, and 70 the laugh opportunities opened up by the contestants.
 But insults are out unless Baker happens to Do wrong on the answer to c @04 question:
 Through the offices of George Hicks, WATR Blue Network War Correspondent with the American Forces on tho Western Front, the first two villages in the NetheFlands liberated by American troops were enabled to send messageB Of loyalty and affection to queen Wilholnlina of the Netherlnads and the Dutch royal family, it was disclosed today in A cable from the Blues London headquarters to c. W. Johnstone, Blues director of News and Special features,
 Hicks, according to the cable, was ct Allied Advanced Headquartors when . Dutch gendarnie entered and asked him If he could get to the Queen, in London, q message from the populace of the village of Noor' beck, Hicks agreed, and through the Blues office in London, transmitted to her Majesty the following Esiess sage;
 "T'he population Of NooFbeek, first village in Holland liberated by American paFatroopeTB, wishes 70 send good luck to her majesty the queen and her family and wish to demonstrate their loyalty. They aaxIousIy await the return Of the royal family (sIgned) DuFgemeeSteF Nahon."
 A few minutes later, second Dutch dendarfne arrived ct allied headauaFters with Q request that Hicks foFward the same message n tae name of BuFgeEneesteT Beckens for tho village Of Mheer, eight miles distant from Noorbeck.
 Hicks arranged for delivery Of the messages to the queen through Loils don. Promptly upon their receipt by Queen Wilhelnina, the Blues Loil' don Headquarters received the fols lowing message from Jonkheef Q, Q. ". Van piete Van K0udriAaii, pTifls clpai secretary to the Queen;
 'TIey Majesty, the queen Of the MetheFIandS, hag commanded fsie @ convoy t0 you and MF. Hicks her sincere th0nkg Tor % kindly tFaiie- hitting the messages from her loyal slibjecls. Her Majesty hes been deeply impressed hy taeif warm sFastltlgg and also bK your friendly aee,fe to deliver c llessngo from heg C them. am to 4Npfses tne