Evening star., 1951-01-22
lon the Air
Somebody
Really Does
Want Jerry
By Harry Macarthur

BY Harry Macarthur
Old Beanbag has his staunch
admirers, all right. Old Beanbag.
as his staunch admirers don't have
to be told, is Jerry Lester. pixie
graduate of the Borscht Circuit
in the Catskills, who conducts a
nonsense television session Tues
day, Thursday and Friday at II
pm. over NBC-TV (WNBW).
Broadway Open House" has
been suspected of being a fair
example of what happens at one
of those resort hotels on a rainy
afternoon when the recreation
director is making certain that
every guest has a good time
whether or not he wants to have
good time. It is not precisely a
comedy show, but rather is a hap
hazard session of fun-and-games
which makes a f1ttingly relaxed
close to television'S day.
Mr.. Lester is good enough at 1t
that the sponsors are having an
uncomfortable time trying to find
someone to carry the show on
Mondays and Wednesdays. when
he sits back to count his new
found loot. Someone, that is. who
can achieve an equal amount Of
nonsense without being offensive
ly brash, which is the trick Mr..
Lester manages.
Mr.. Lester took his cast to "The
Comedy Hour" (WNBW-Sunday,
8 p.m.) a week ago. however, and
fell fiat on has beanbag. 1t was a
debacle which Mr.. Lester hasn't
mentioned publicly since and
which NBC seems to be hoping
everyone will forget. Taking note
of this, however. has brought
down the Lester fans in droves-l
droves, that is, of several irate
people. Fortunately, the defense
briefs have arrived at the. same
time.
One of these irate customers
demands-just as if the answer
were available here-what was
Fred Allen "a guest on the show
trying to do-SHOW OFF? Some
one else sends the report Of a.
Boston televiesion reviewer, who
found the only palatable moments
of that show eight nights ago
those when Mr.. Allen was at work.
That's Boston's Fred Allen, Of
course.
Then there is Miss Helen Hill
of Arlington, who became so irate
she sent back this columns report
on the Lester Comedy Hour" af-
fair. She does not say what to do
with it, but she makes it fairly
clear that there is no place in her
home for anything taking dim
view of any Of Mr.. Iester's works.
Jerry has something that, comes
along once in a lifetime" she
writes,
Yes er, ah Miss Hill.
meet the Wells Family. neighbors
of yours in Arlington. to wit:
eve have had a television set
for 212 years and never has our
set been on for a more useless
hour than was the Comedy?
Hour this past (January l4 Sum-
day. A bunch of o-littles
doing nothing. If this Is what
(the sponsor) is going to resort
to, well go back to brushing with
salt and soda
It was not the original intent
today to devote this entire space
to 1.-THE Comedy Hour" but it
seems only fair to warn you at
the earliest possible date that
Spike Jones will be on it on Febru-
ary IL. Radio tubes will be getting
scarce now, you know, so keep
that volume turned down. Mr..
Jones is a great man in his field
indeed he probably is the only
man in his field-but he does not,
as some people do, arouse the
maternal instinct. It is safe to
find fault, if necessary, with his
musical interpretations. The critic
might get a derisive, comic and
friendly note from Spike, but he
will not be pelted by irate read
ers.
Washington, you will be happy
to know, is not to be sighted any
longer. You have heard, no doubt,
of disc jockey named Lonesome
GAL" who sits in her home out in
California and whispers love stuff
into microphone all day. This
is transcribed, sent to radio sta
tions throughout the country
almost 100 of them-and broad
cast late in the evening. Lone
some guys, according to report,
sit swooning as Lonesome Gal"
runs her soothing words through
their hair. So far. all of this has
been only legend and it is pos
sible - likely, even - that you
haven't believed a word of it, but
you can learn the truth tonight.
Tonight Lonesome Gal" becomes
a regular WTOP feature at 11:15
pm. Nobody, apparently. has
given a thought to how Eddie
Gallaher's audience is going to
occupy itself during that Is min