Looking ahead to Lucy Fest 2012...

[Brock]

So, now that LucyFest 2011, what would you like to see in Jamestown in 2012?

 

I am not opposed to making this thing a full-blown festival of comedy, but as MaryJaneFan and I have said in the 2011 thread, there has to be a happy medium found so Lucy fans who have been supporting the Center and coming back to the Festival every year do not feel alienated. If they insist on doing away with many of the aspects of the Festivals we Lucy Fans have come to love, enjoy, and look forward to annually cold turkey that is going to alienate so many regular festival patrons. If that is their goal, I only hope they phase that out gradually over several years. That will not only keep the Lucy Fans coming back but in the mean time get used to the idea of a true Comedy Festival and what a comedy festival can be over time.

 

In the meantime though there are several comics and others with Lucy connections that could still be worked into the festivals, whether it is a comedy festival or not.

 

We know we have Whoopi Goldberg coming to town next year, but here are some other ways to integrate Lucy-related people into the festival over the next few years, which would also appeal to their pillars of comedy:

 

• Don Rickles, who guest-starred on TLS, can be brought in to do his act much like Joan Rivers this year.
  
• Carol Burnett, of course, could be brought in to do her show.
  
• Bring in Betty to do her An Evening With Betty White program.
  
• Fly in Bill Cosby to do his Routine.
  
• Have a 95th Birthday Tribute to Phyllis Diller next year and whether she can appear in person or via video link, have a Question & Answer session.
  
• Book Tim Conway & Friends.
  
• Bring in Bob and Tom Schiller for seminars on comedy writing.
  
• Book Andy Griffith to talk about his show, his pre-Mayberry comedy career, and his time on Here's Lucy.
  
• Bring together Ruth Buzzi and Arte Johnson, two Laugh-In comedians that worked with Lucy, and people like Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin who worked with Desi on SNL to do seminars on sketch comedy.
  
• Fly in Bill Asher to talk about being a pioneering comedy director.
  

 

 

Sure, Betty and Carol may not be stand-up comics, but the audience is encouaged to ask questions. Personally, I can't think of a better comedy masterclass! The possibilities for finding a fantastic middle ground are practically endless. What are your suggestions?

[JoeySanJoaquin]

So, now that LucyFest 2011, what would you like to see in Jamestown in 2012?

 

I am not opposed to making this thing a full-blown festival of comedy, but as MaryJaneFan and I have said in the 2011 thread, there has to be a happy medium found so Lucy fans who have been supporting the Center and coming back to the Festival every year do not feel alienated. If they insist on doing away with many of the aspects of the Festivals we Lucy Fans have come to love, enjoy, and look forward to annually cold turkey that is going to alienate so many regular festival patrons. If that is their goal, I only hope they phase that out gradually over several years. That will not only keep the Lucy Fans coming back but in the mean time get used to the idea of a true Comedy Festival and what a comedy festival can be over time.

 

In the meantime though there are several comics and others with Lucy connections that could still be worked into the festivals, whether it is a comedy festival or not.

 

We know we have Whoopi Goldberg coming to town next year, but here are some other ways to integrate Lucy-related people into the festival over the next few years, which would also appeal to their pillars of comedy:

 

• Don Rickles, who guest-starred on TLS, can be brought in to do his act much like Joan Rivers this year.
• Carol Burnett, of course, could be brought in to do her show.
• Bring in Betty to do her An Evening With Betty White program.
• Fly in Bill Cosby to do his Routine.
• Have a 95th Birthday Tribute to Phyllis Diller next year and whether she can appear in person or via video link, have a Question & Answer session.
• Book Tim Conway & Friends.
• Bring in Bob and Tom Schiller for seminars on comedy writing.
• Book Andy Griffith to talk about his show, his pre-Mayberry comedy career, and his time on Here's Lucy.
• Bring together Ruth Buzzi and Arte Johnson, two Laugh-In comedians that worked with Lucy, and people like Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin who worked with Desi on SNL to do seminars on sketch comedy.
• Fly in Bill Asher to talk about being a pioneering comedy director.

 

 

Sure, Betty and Carol may not be stand-up comics, but the audience is encouaged to ask questions. Personally, I can't think of a better comedy masterclass! The possibilities for finding a fantastic middle ground are practically endless. What are your suggestions?

Great ideas all, Brock and if I didn't post it elsewhere, THANK YOU for your running reportage and commentary from Jamestown while you were there, you really have a great writing style and to be commended too for making us feel almost as though we're there with you! Thank you for making me really miss going this year like I wanted!

 

Now on to the topic at hand, but with no disrespect whatsoever, and this is perhaps largely because you're still quite the youngin' yerself but to think that most of the people on your list at this point in their lives could be persuaded to make the trek to Jamestown is well, just downright silly. Travel for most is a challenge these days and when you add advanced age on top of the equation, you're asking for trouble. Most of the folks you listed are well into their 80s or 90s and really have to want to go from point "A" to "B" to endure a trip like you're proposing -- and having done the trek here from LA to there, I'm here to tell you it ain't no picnic (and I like to travel and am half their age!).

 

Plus, I saw firsthand last week that Mr. Schiller is now utilizing a wheelchair and I'm not sure he's walking at all under his own power or with a little assist -- I didn't see him but seated all evening; also sad to report that Mr. Asher was put in a Palm Springs area nursing home in the last few months; not sure how "with it" or whatever he is but was told he's doing okay, not "great." (Mrs. (Meredith) Asher was in attendance, however.)

 

I hope I'm not coming across as rude but just trying to make the point that many of these folks may still be viable, with it and working but I'm sure at this point for many of them (say, Rickles and Bets, for example) pick and choose when and where they wanna work and unfortunately, I doubt a schlepp from LA to Jamestown is tops of their list.

Just my two centavos.

[C L A U D E]

So, now that LucyFest 2011, what would you like to see in Jamestown in 2012?

 

I am not opposed to making this thing a full-blown festival of comedy, but as MaryJaneFan and I have said in the 2011 thread, there has to be a happy medium found so Lucy fans who have been supporting the Center and coming back to the Festival every year do not feel alienated. If they insist on doing away with many of the aspects of the Festivals we Lucy Fans have come to love, enjoy, and look forward to annually cold turkey that is going to alienate so many regular festival patrons. If that is their goal, I only hope they phase that out gradually over several years. That will not only keep the Lucy Fans coming back but in the mean time get used to the idea of a true Comedy Festival and what a comedy festival can be over time.

 

In the meantime though there are several comics and others with Lucy connections that could still be worked into the festivals, whether it is a comedy festival or not.

 

We know we have Whoopi Goldberg coming to town next year, but here are some other ways to integrate Lucy-related people into the festival over the next few years, which would also appeal to their pillars of comedy:

 

• Don Rickles, who guest-starred on TLS, can be brought in to do his act much like Joan Rivers this year.
  
• Carol Burnett, of course, could be brought in to do her show.
  
• Bring in Betty to do her An Evening With Betty White program.
  
• Fly in Bill Cosby to do his Routine.
  
• Have a 95th Birthday Tribute to Phyllis Diller next year and whether she can appear in person or via video link, have a Question & Answer session.
  
• Book Tim Conway & Friends.
  
• Bring in Bob and Tom Schiller for seminars on comedy writing.
  
• Book Andy Griffith to talk about his show, his pre-Mayberry comedy career, and his time on Here's Lucy.
  
• Bring together Ruth Buzzi and Arte Johnson, two Laugh-In comedians that worked with Lucy, and people like Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin who worked with Desi on SNL to do seminars on sketch comedy.
  
• Fly in Bill Asher to talk about being a pioneering comedy director.
  

 

 

Sure, Betty and Carol may not be stand-up comics, but the audience is encouaged to ask questions. Personally, I can't think of a better comedy masterclass! The possibilities for finding a fantastic middle ground are practically endless. What are your suggestions?

Sounds absolutely terrific, all ideas and suggestions terrific, HOWEVER, i dun't thin they have the money to pull those things off and obviously YOU should be running things there next year as you've come up with all these great ideas and they came up with Ms Goldberg, period!

[Brock]

HOWEVER, i dun't thin they have the money to pull those things off...

 

Well, I'm not suggesting they do all of this in one shot! LOL

 

 

Great ideas all, Brock and if I didn't post it elsewhere, THANK YOU for your running reportage and commentary from Jamestown while you were there, you really have a great writing style and to be commended too for making us feel almost as though we're there with you! Thank you for making me really miss going this year like I wanted!

 

 

Thank you, and you're welcome!

 

Now on to the topic at hand, but with no disrespect whatsoever, and this is perhaps largely because you're still quite the youngin' yerself but to think that most of the people on your list at this point in their lives could be persuaded to make the trek to Jamestown is well, just downright silly.

 

I don't think so. I agree that we shouldn't try to put too much pressure on these people, but all the people on my list -- with the exceptions of Bob and Bill A. -- are still travelling regularly and playing sold out shows in places much further off the beaten path than Jamestown. And if Phyllis Diller is trekking off to the depths of Hawaii to handle Rosanne's nuts, setting up a video link with Jamestown doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.

 

 

Plus, I saw firsthand last week that Mr. Schiller is now utilizing a wheelchair and I'm not sure he's walking at all under his own power or with a little assist -- I didn't see him but seated all evening; also sad to report that Mr. Asher was put in a Palm Springs area nursing home in the last few months; not sure how "with it" or whatever he is but was told he's doing okay, not "great." (Mrs. (Meredith) Asher was in attendance, however.)

 

Aww, I've very sorry to hear about Bill. I was wondering how he was after not seeing him in any of the photos from the Hollywood event. Not to downplay any mobility issues Bob Schiller may have, but he was largely in a wheelchair as well at his latest Jamestown appearance.

 

I hope I'm not coming across as rude but just trying to make the point that many of these folks may still be viable, with it and working but I'm sure at this point for many of them (say, Rickles and Bets, for example) pick and choose when and where they wanna work and unfortunately, I doubt a schlepp from LA to Jamestown is tops of their list.

 

If Rickles can make a schepp to play the Lower Slobovia my father calls home, Jamestown would seem like Madison Square Garden!

[C L A U D E]

If Rickles can make a schepp to play the Lower Slobovia my father calls home, Jamestown would seem like Madison Square Garden!

I was thinking of the great Rickles when they said some Jamestown people walked out of Joan Rivers' show finding it offensive in some way, imagine if Rickles had been playing, Rickles was offending stars forty years ago, nowadays Ricky Gervais throws a few barbs at 'em and they go into shock. Times have changed people, get with it!

[jab5983]

I hope they don't elminate all the lucy events. There are a lot of lucy tribute events that they could do that wouldn't be that expensive to pull off and make the fans happy. I still doubt that the regular festival attendees will but into attending a comedy fesitval with no lucy events.

[C L A U D E]

I hope they don't elminate all the lucy events. There are a lot of lucy tribute events that they could do that wouldn't be that expensive to pull off and make the fans happy. I still doubt that the regular festival attendees will but into attending a comedy fesitval with no lucy events.

It's Jamestown, a festival without ANY Lucy events defeats the purpose and i would NEVER go there for THAT! A comedy festival should be in LA, NY or even Vegas, not Jamestown.

[Eddie Grant]

I guess I'm a few paces behind, as usual, but is there truly talk of turning Lucyfest into just a Comedy Festival with no Lucy focus? I hope not. I have been to The museum several times but sadly have never made it to one of the festivals, usually due to work. I wanted to come this year in the worst way because of it being Lucy's 100th birthday and I Love Lucy's 60th but sadly it wasn't in the cards. Still I would like to make it one day and plan to shoot for next year. I'd hate to think this is no a possibility.

[C L A U D E]

I guess I'm a few paces behind, as usual, but is there truly talk of turning Lucyfest into just a Comedy Festival with no Lucy focus? I hope not. I have been to The museum several times but sadly have never made it to one of the festivals, usually due to work. I wanted to come this year in the worst way because of it being Lucy's 100th birthday and I Love Lucy's 60th but sadly it wasn't in the cards. Still I would like to make it one day and plan to shoot for next year. I'd hate to think this is no a possibility.

EXACTLY, i would love to attend next year but i certainly won't if the festival has no focus on Lucy but instead on comics, i can get those here anytime i want with OUR local comedy festival.