REShow: Tom Dreesen - Hour 3

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That's 877-ASK-DELL to save up to 48% on our latest technology. Earlier on the show, from the HBO drama Barry, Emmy Award winning actor Henry Winkler, NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill. Coming up, legendary comedian Tom Treason. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number three of the Rich Eisen show is on the air.

My gosh, what a fun first two hours we have had on this program. Henry Winkler was here for damn near half an hour, or longer than half an hour, an hour number one. If you missed any of his stellar appearance, where we went from Happy Days, Lords of Flatbush, Night Shift, all the way to Barry. And his love for Patrick Mahomes is remarkable and unfounded until now.

Incredible. YouTube.com slash Rich Eisen show, maybe one of the best celebrity true or falses we've ever had. And Waiting in Our Green Room is a legendary comic who has been on, name any version of The Tonight Show he's been on it. And we could not be more honored and thrilled to have Tom Treason here in studio in hour number three.

That's in about 20 minutes time. Grant Hill, last hour telling stories about Bill Raftery and Michael Jordan, Coach K and Dan Patrick, that famous SportsCenter commercial with him at the piano. And Tom Pelissaro giving us an update on what's going on with the Cleveland Browns and how the Rams are fitting everyone under the sun under the salary cap.

YouTube.com slash Rich Eisen show for all of that. And we're honestly I'm still buzzing from Henry Winkler being here in hour one. Terrific TJ's big ass grab bag, top five coolest characters in the history of television.

Spoiler alert, Arthur Fonzarelli tops that list. That means a lot coming from you because sometimes you crap on the grab bag. So excuse me, I don't ever crap on the grab. Really?

Have you watched the last Boy Scout yet? It's got nothing to do with crapping on the grab. Well, you brought that up the other day. No, no, no.

Excuse me. I don't crap on the grab bag. The grab bag is a terrific segment.

I crap on what's in the grab. All right. I'll give you some things you get mad because Brotman hasn't seen your silent movies from the 50s. Silent movies from the 50s. They're not silent. These are post talkies.

I know, I'm just joking. Pierce Brosnan as Remington Steele. Oh, yes. There's so many.

I could have done the 20. Mrs. Hart, she's gorgeous. Come on.

Remington Steele's pretty good. OK. From our Twitter feed? From our Twitter feed. Oh, at Rich Eisen Show. We always love suggestions.

TJ likes them until they crap on his grab bag and then he doesn't like it. Doesn't like it. Let's take some phone calls here on the Rich Eisen Show. 844-204-rich, number to dial. Conrad in North Dakota. What's going on here, sir? Been hanging on for a while. What's up, Conrad? Hey, how's it going today? Thanks for calling in. What's going on? Just had a two-part question for you.

I'm not sure if you're able to answer it or not. The first one I have, I'm a Los Angeles Chargers fan and I was wondering what your odds are for Justin Herbert to win MVP. And then the second part of the question is my hot take all the time is the Chiefs are going to miss the playoffs this year. And I just want to see what your take is on that.

OK, let's take it before we part ways and you go about your North Dakota day and I answer. What do you mean odds? I'm not Danny Sheridan over here. What do you mean by the odds for Justin Herbert? What do you mean by odds? Conrad, I got you. Justin Herbert, 11 to 2 to win.

Oh, what does that mean? That means if you were to bet $2. I think he's going to win the MVP. But what do you think? Is it 80-20? Is he first or second?

What do you think? Well, I mean, for Justin Herbert to win the MVP, the Chargers have to win the division. And I don't think they're going to win the division. I mean, when was the last non-division winner to win the MVP of the NFL? I mean, that's I'm not asking you to look that up.

Don't worry. But those are the questions I ask NFL Network researchers during a commercial break. I honestly I think the Chargers, he's going to have to go 35 touchdowns, fewer than, bigger than that, right? 40 touchdowns or something like that.

You'd have to be like 40 and 10, 5,000 yards. Rogers doesn't throw those men. Rogers has set the bar.

Different planet, though. Rogers is playing a different game. I think if Herbert goes 40 and 10, 5,000 and they win the division, he's probably going to win the MVP. Those are the numbers. But I think, as you know, sir, the Raiders are winning the American Football Conference Western Division. They're 20 to 1. Thanks for the call, Conrad.

Appreciate it. I'm also with Conrad on Chiefs missing the playoffs. Chiefs are not missing the playoffs. How dare you say that about Henry Winkler's favorite quarterback. I know.

Come on, man. It's still Mahomes. They still have that offense. They don't have that offense. They do have that offense.

How about this? I'm going to go in the direction of what Brett Veitch was selling and other people were selling. That they needed to make a change on that offense anyway.

Which was what? Are you the best player? I think Tyreek Hill, when the Chiefs might be down 10, 14 points, you might miss them. Their explosiveness may be a little bit different, but maybe they don't need that.

Come on, man. It's still the Kansas City Chiefs. They're missing the playoffs. Missing the playoffs. They're finishing second in that division at the very least.

Statistically, half the field misses the playoffs the following year. Any one of them. Who are you going to pick? I don't know. I'm not prepared for that question yet.

I don't know. Chiefs missing the playoffs. Chiefs missing the playoffs. I'm just going on the numbers.

If you're using the Buffalo Wings style of grading, that's medium hot right there. But if you think the Raiders win the division, and we think Herbert is going to have a good year and they make the playoffs, that's two. Three teams make the playoffs. I think three teams make the playoffs as a wild card.

I think two come from the West, and then it's a toss-up where the other one comes from. Remember, the Broncos fan base is already mad at you for a few months. I know it. I know it.

They're going to be a whole new team, too. I'm not backing down from what I've talked myself into already. Tell them Tom Petty. I won't back down. I'll say it with my chest, my Petty chest. You're going to stand your ground and you won't back down?

Part of our Friday fun. We already just had a big-ass grab bag from T.J. Jefferson. It's now time for an NFL version of What's More Likely.

You're in the middle of June. Hit it, please. Hit it. What's more likely? Never say never, but never. We've kind of already started a little What's More Likely with that conversation about the Kansas City Chiefs.

Go for it, Christopher. I don't have the Chiefs in this week, so What's More Likely? That's good. Here we go. Let's talk a little about Seattle.

They've been in the news this week. We're going to D.K. Metcalf.

How about this, guys? What's more likely to be on the field week one for the Seahawks? Yes. Week one, Seahawks on the field. You're going Mayfield or Metcalf? Mayfield or Metcalf.

Oh, great one. D.K. Metcalf. D.K. or Baker?

D.K. will be on the field. That's more likely. You know how I feel about all these holdouts. You know how I feel about the holdouts, that eventually it's going to get done. Certainly since it's post draft, they're not trading them.

I always pounded the table for the count. By the way, that resonated a little bit in the Metroplex saying that that was such a Jerry Jones move. It would be a Jerry Jones move of the past to go get D.K. Metcalf right now and say F the picks, let's go. I have no idea what the hell's happening with Mayfield.

None. Remember when this first started to happen? Remember when it first started to go sideways? I'm like, this is going all the way to the draft, gents. And then it went through the draft, it's now going all the way to the summer. It could go all the way through training camp.

At the end of July. I think Baker should just hit the rock up and say hey. I'm just wondering if the front office, lined up in the front office of the Cleveland Browns, are these cupid dolls of all the other starting quarterbacks in the NFL, and they're putting a hex on them and they're sticking pins in them to see which one can actually get hurt so they can get Mayfield the hell off their roster finally. Little voodoo action. Little voodoo.

He's better than Geno and Trulock. I get it. Come on. I get it.

Make the move. DK, what's more likely? DK will be there. Week one.

You gave me that choice. Alright, we've talked a lot about Tom Brady this week, too. So what's more likely, TB12 edition? Brady duplicates last year. Yes.

40 TDs, 5,000 yards again. I'll say yes, I don't even know what the next one is. What's the next one? What's the choice?

Or Buck's struggle and he misses the playoff. GTFOH. Get out of here. Come on, man.

What are we doing? To quote you. Yes. He's 45 years old. That's not true.

I wouldn't give up Zach Wilson for him. By the way, an inaccurate quote. What are you talking about? He's omitting more inaccurate than that quote.

We did a whole segment yesterday about it. The only thing more inaccurate than the quote. Uh-huh. Is what?

Is the voice he used. You sound like my children. Come on. I wouldn't give up Tom Brady for that half a week. Dude, that is a total mischaracterization of what I'm saying.

If you just remove the fact that the Jets don't have to develop a young quarterback, that they put all the draft capital into GoGet and all the draft capital. We're not doing this again. No, no, no. Stop it. No, no. You're the one who mischaracterized it.

That they put all the draft capital into GoGet and all the draft capital into now Protect and Supplement. If you remove that from the equation, of course I'll take Tom Brady this year for the Jets. Are you kidding me? That's all I was asking yesterday. But you cannot. You cannot remove the fact of what the.

Yes, you can. No, I'm saying that if bringing Brady in derails what's currently there and the plans for the long term derails it or pushes it back or even defraze it because you're, you're, you're stunting the growth, then no. You get it? You last won the Super Bowl win. Oh, God.

Brady throws for forty and five thousand or the Bucks miss the playoffs. The former, not the latter. All right.

All right. We were just talking about Tyree killing the Chiefs. Tyree kills now on the Dolphins world alert. More TD receptions this year. Tyree kill or.

Yes. Devante Adams. Oh, boy. I like Devante's quarterback a little bit better. Sorry to and on, folks.

Oh, boy. I think Devante it's it's it's old school. It's back to school.

Whatever school you want. They're gone. I mean, Derek Carr and Devante Adams, baby, as long as Derek Carr stays healthy. I'll take I'll take that. I'll take that one's got a McDaniel's and another's got a McDaniel, which is an interesting thing.

You know, back in the east, you leave off the last S for savings. So I'll take as much as I love Mike McDaniel and I love what he's going to bring to the equation. And I already like I like to be insulting, as you know, and I think he's probably getting that from McDaniel a little bit. I think McDaniel is going in there and saying, come on, bro. You're to hear what everybody's saying about you, man. I love it.

I like it. Still, I'll take Devante Adams. He's the best receiver in the National Football League, and he knows the quarterback better.

And Josh McDaniel's is a guy who's been through this war before, said H.C. and a much longer play caller in the league. So what else is East? Let's stay there. More likely to win a playoff game this year, Matt Jones or Zach Wilson? I'm getting I'll say I'll say I'll say Mac Jones, just because, again, that's the way things have always been and gone. You know, asked and answered.

Dayenu, as as we say in the Jewish world. So that said, I'm beginning to feel good about my Jets. Jermaine Johnson. I've got I've got I've got a couple more weeks to marinate on this. I'm going to do this before the summer break, if you will, because schedule. Yeah.

No, not the schedule. I'm just going to I'm just going to start talking about it because it's it's an internal conversation about me and the Jets that I'm having. It's very private because it's very sensitive because I've been hurt before I've been scarred and and I don't mean to share my personal beliefs when it's going to make me more vulnerable. But I'm beginning to feel really good about what I'm hearing and feeling.

And normally that's when things really get stuck right in my gut. So for the moment, I'll say Mac Jones is what's more likely. But I reserve judgment. I'm going to keep my finger on that chess piece for the next few weeks, if you don't mind. All right. That's fair. That's fair.

All right. Like I said, it's Matt. Patricia, call in place. It's Joe Judge. Call in place.

Who's calling place for Mac Jones? And I mean, I don't mean I don't mean. No, I don't mean. What are you going to the World Series for Earl? Fing up World Series.

All right. I love that. Here we go. We've been talking a lot about both of these teams over the last couple of weeks. NFC wildcard team from last year to make the leap and win the division. More likely 49ers or Eagles. Great question, Chris. I'll go Eagles.

I'll go Eagles. He's too busy looking at the front front card damage. I don't have the patience to jack with you today. I knew as soon as the question came out, I knew what the answer was going to be. He's too busy lost in whatever he's looking at over there. He goes, I'll go Eagles.

I'll go Eagles. I already knew. As soon as you open your mouth. Hey, man. This is Trey Lance's first. You've been talking so much about Trey Lance. You keep on mischaracterizing what I'm saying. I'm saying it's Trey Lance's team and it's time for the Niners to believe in him and go through the ups and downs. That's what I'm saying. There has to be a down year.

Excuse me. He said it's time to start Lance, that it's his team and they're already turning that page in this whole thing. He may not be ready.

That's what you have to deal with when you trade all that draft capital and you've got to get to it sooner because getting to it sooner means less of it later. That's what I have been saying about Trey Lance. I thought you said you said Trey Lance was going to be a symbol. Excuse me.

As I would say to my children, excuse me. Hertz made the playoffs last year. They got him a big time beast of a wide receiver. The running game was stupendous last year. They got two dogs, figurative and literal, in Jordan Davis and Nicobe Dean, who's going to be healthy, knock on wood for them. Eagles have vastly improved from last year. They made the playoffs.

I will choose that team as what's more likely. Thank you. That's how we play the game. And if Jalen Hertz makes the playoffs and proves me right, there's a terrific chicken ricotta dish with a great reduction that Henry Winkler and his wife makes that will be available to him. All right. Last one. Once Mahomes is done with it and he gets the leftover.

Last one. These two teams were at the top of the draft. They each won three games last year. More likely to double their win total from last year, Lions or Jaguars?

Oh, great question, Chris. I'll go Jaguars. Jaguars. I'll go Jaguars.

I love Dan Campbell and what he's buying and selling and whatever. But as you know, the greatest addition in the National Football League by subtraction has been conducted by the Jacksonville Jaguars. We have no earthly idea what Peterson Peterson can do because of how great he is and how terrific he is. And Philadelphia fans can complain all you want about the way it ended. But he won the Super Bowl there, man.

He did what he had to do. And he is addition by addition. And then that's Doug Peterson. And he's also not Urban Meyer, too.

He's not staying back. He's two people. He's Doug Peterson and he's not Urban Meyer.

And not someone else. Those are two very important additions and one by subtraction for the Jacksonville Jaguars. That alone. I would say the Lions if Urban Meyer was the coach of the Lions last year, that Dan Campbell comes in. He's Dan Campbell and he's also not Urban Meyer. That's the big differential. Being not Urban Meyer is really important.

Oh my goodness. Really important. But me being wrong about this is absolutely possible and could also be determined by the Jaguars' decision to not draft Aidan Hutchinson. We'll see how it goes with Javon Walker. Correct? Correct. I mean, what a huge decision that was.

They also kind of got a second first round pick back with Travis Etienne returning this year after. Yeah, that's also true. Right. So it could be helpful for the Jaguars that Doug Peterson is not Urban Meyer.

And unhelpful that Walker is not Aidan Hutchinson. Correct. Get it? I got it. I got it. Well done. Terrific Friday segments from you two guys.

Thought provoking, food for thought, excellent execution, stick in the landing. I also might just be still walking on air from Henry Winkler's first hour appearance. And now here comes a legend in the talk show panelist, panel interview business and comedian. Can't wait to chat.

Go down memory lane with Tom Dreesen next right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Does your antiperspirant keep you dry all day? Dove Men Plus Care Dry Spray goes on instantly dry for a cleaner feel and offers 48 hours sweat and odor protection.

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Goes on dry, clean feel all day. We are back on our terrestrial radio outfit. Tom Dreesen still standing my journey from streets and saloons to the stage and Sinatra and where all books can be acquired. The forward by David Letterman just told a great story about Amazon. By the way, you can have it to your house in two days.

It's got I don't mean to brag, but it's got over 400 five star reviews now because it's a story of triumph. I grew up on the streets and I had eight brothers and sisters. I grew up in the south side of Chicago, a suburb called Harvey. And I shined shoes in taverns. I set pins in bowling and I caddied in the summertime.

I sold newspapers on the corner, all to help feed my brothers and sisters. So it's a story of triumph. Still standing. I've been a comedian for 52 years, 52 years, so I'm still doing stand up.

But also I've been knocked down a lot in my life and I kept getting back up again. And so that's why I'm so happy that the book is still standing and then obviously standing at a microphone on a stage. I love the title. I love it.

Fantastic. What was the first gig you had stand up? Tim Reed and I were America's first black and white comedy.

Tim Reed, the Venus Fly trap that T.J. just mentioned in his big ass grab bag. He never thought he'd be in show business and I never thought I'd be in show business. We were in the Jaycees. I wrote a drug education program teaching elementary school children the ills of drug abuse with humor, a concept I had. And Tim and I worked on the project together. One day a little eighth grade girl walked out of the classroom because we played off of one another and she said, you guys are funny, you ought to become a comedy team. And the thought of a black white comedy team intrigued us because no one had ever done it before.

Right. So we became America's first black and white comedy team when there were no comedy clubs. We worked out what they call the chitlin circuit, black owned, black operated nightclubs in the north and the south. And we worked all white nightclubs, so we eventually worked the Playboy circuit. But you know, we everywhere there was racial tension.

Now, keep in mind the backdrop. This is 1969. The Vietnam War was raging. Students were protesting all over America. There were riots all over America and all the major cities, race riots.

And in the middle of all this, we were going out trying to make America laugh. We did 11 prisons in one year. We did the county jail three times. Prisons.

Anywhere there was racial tension, colleges or high schools, we would go not preach, but just to make people laugh. Then you became Venus Flytrap on WKRP. After six years, the team split up and he wanted to be more of an actor. And all that's in the book. In fact, there's talk now of Netflix maybe doing a mini series on our life about what it was like having somebody play Tim and I, what it was like touring the nation during all that turmoil. Wow. That'd be amazing.

I'd be all in on something like that. Tom. It's a real interesting time. Tom Dreesen here on The Rich Eisen Show. Let's get to the Sinatra part of it. When did you meet Sinatra?

How'd you get to that? After I had done so many Tonight shows, I was touring around the country, I toured with Sammy Davis for three years. I toured with Smokey Robinson, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, the Pips, Tony Orlando and Donna. I toured with Frankie Avalon, James Denver, everybody. I was going all over, opening for singers. But Smokey and I were working at Caesars in Lake Tahoe and Frank was appearing next door at Harrah's.

And I had worked there many times. I finished my show one night and I ran over to Harrah's Hotel to catch Frank because I love to watch. I'd seen him perform.

When he walked out on stage, he created more excitement walking to the microphone than most people did with their whole act. The energy in that room was just, so I didn't want to miss that opening. I'm running into the showroom and the vice president of Harrah's Hotel was talking to a big heavyset guy with a cigar. And he said to me, Tommy, come here, come here.

And I reluctantly went over because I didn't want to miss the opening. He said, Tommy, this is Mickey Rudin, which I recognize the name. That was Frank's lawyer, very powerful guy in our business. He said, Mickey, this is Tom Dreesen.

And I think Tom would make a great opening act for Frank Sinatra. And the lawyer got a pained expression on his face like he heard that a million times. And he winked at the vice president, but I caught the wink. He said to me, hey kid, if I gave you a week with Frank, would you want more than 50,000?

I said, Mr. Rudin, put it this way. If you gave me a week with Frank, would you want more than 50,000? He said, oh, I like this kid. And he gave me the job for one week. I was going to open Atlantic City and I thought, well, you know, I'll try to get my picture taken with him, hang it in every bar back in Chicago. And the second night with him, I can remember like it was yesterday, he was, we were having dinner.

He took, he and his wife Barbara took him out to dinner and he set his knife and his fork down. He said to me, I like your material and I like your style. I'd like you to do a few other dates with me if you're interested.

And I didn't say, let me check my calendar. I said, yeah. It turned into 14 years, 45, 50 cities a year, a friendship that, uh, he was the boss of the tour. Then later he became a buddy. We hung out until the wee hours of the morning. And then in the end he was like a father to me. I was a pallbearer at his funeral and I, I spoke at his funeral as well and I miss him every day of my life. What a treasure, Tom. I mean, what, what an absolute, but the first time though, when you met him though, like physically walked in the room and were introduced to him, I mean, were you nervous?

Were you just, what was that? No, you know, because I, you know, I tell you, I, when I was a little boy shining shoes and it's, that's all that's in the book, shining shoes and all the bars in my neighborhood to help feed my brothers and sisters, he was on the jukebox, you know, it was like a dream come true that, you know, you know, hearing him and it's a long story, but I do a one man show about that. It's called the man who made Sinatra laugh.

I take them on this little boy hearing Frank Sinatra on the jukebox in the South side of Colorado, one day carrying his coffin out of a church in Beverly Hills, California. So when I first met him, I also picked up on something about him maybe being an ex bartender and everything. He didn't want another fan. He didn't like people fawning over him, you know, and I was a fan like anybody else, but I never let him see that. He never knew how much in awe of him I was in all the years that I knew him, you know, but you know, cause when you got alone with Frank, when we ride around in the desert till the sun came up, when I stayed down at his compound down in Rancho Mirage. When I got in the car alone with him at night, I was a kid from the South side of Chicago and he was a kid from Hoboken and that's what we talked about, the neighborhood and growing up and all that stuff. Life stuff?

Yeah. Driving around with him till the sun came up? He never went to bed till the sun came up ever, whether we were on the road or off the road.

What do you mean? He was nocturnal. When the sun came up, he went to bed and he wanted you to hang with him too, which was fun for about 10 years. Cause you can't tell Frank, I got to go to sleep, right? But I got to play golf in the morning too. You know. Did you play golf with him?

He was not a good golfer and anything he couldn't be excellent at he didn't want to do, you know, but, but if Frank had a tough line to rough and the ball ended up in the fairway, I didn't see it, you know. That is amazing. Tom Dreesen here on the Rich Eisen Show. And so you first wound up on Carson's show through your, your gig, like they found you in a club. At the comedy store, you know, in 1975, wherever you went in America, people say, what do you do for a living? I'm a stand up comedian. The next question out of their mouth was, oh yeah, have you ever been on Johnny Carson? And if you haven't been on Johnny Carson in the eyes of America, you just want a comedian.

You might want to be or going to be, but that show launched so many comedians because he, for some reason, his show, one appearance on his show, Freddie Prinze got a sitcom the next day. Did you go on the man? Did you go on the man?

Yeah, sure. I did one appearance on the show. I was in the unemployment line with a wife and three kids. I was on my rear end and I did one appearance on the show. The following day, CBS signed me to a development deal.

I got a big check and a check every month. My whole life changed. I was touring all over America. I was doing dinosaur, Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, Midnight Special, rock concert, Soul Train. I'm the only white comedian to ever do Soul Train because I had an album out in front of an all-black audience called That White Boy is Crazy. Because that's what they used to call me when I played football and played basketball. I played basketball on an all-black basketball team. I was the only white kid on the team. They nicknamed me Spot.

Are you serious? That was my nickname, Spot. But they never called me.

You know, Richard Pryor wanted me to call that album That Honky's Crazy. And I said no because no black guy in my neighborhood never ever called me Honky. They called me White Boy.

And to this day, if I go back and they're arguing about a game, they say I scored two touchdowns. White Boy was there. White Boy, come here.

Tell him, you know. I used to say I was 12 years old when I found out my name wasn't White Boy. Who was at the Comedy Store in 75? I was on stage every night. You were walking in the Comedy Store in 75. Who was there?

Well, in 1975. First of all, you had to audition. And the pressure was enormous.

If Mitzi Shore didn't like you, it was back to the south side. So the pressure was enormous. So you finally got on and had to do five minutes in front of her. And then I became a regular. I was working every night with all these unknown comedians. David Letterman, Jay Leno, Robin Williams, Gallagher, Michael Keaton, Elaine Boozer. The girl waiting tables was Debra Winger.

And I don't know whatever happened to all of them, but I'm on the Rich Eisen Show. Attaboy. Attaboy, Tom Treason.

Attaboy. Tom. Billy Crystal was there, too, right on that? Yeah. Billy worked out there. Yeah.

Billy and I auditioned for the Tonight Show the same night. Yeah. Yeah. He got it and I got it. Yeah.

Yeah. Whatever happened to Billy? What's he doing? God bless him. He's got a great career.

I don't know. It's Google Billy Crystal. See what he's up to these days. Oh, my word. The George Carlin documentary that's out right now on HBO, do you got a good George Carlin memory at all?

I know. I knew George. Like everybody, I knew George. And the thing was George was a former altar boy, and so was I. You know, I used to do a lot of routines about going to Catholic school, but I'd see George and we'd be on an airplane or something, he'd be hollering, hey, Tommy, and he'd start doing the mass in Latin. I'd say, you've been to the mass.

We'd start doing the mass in Latin because we were both former altar boys. He was one of the most prolific comedians I've ever met in my life. You know, he just constantly was coming up with material, you know, and later in life, you know, he went from this being this generic comedian to being this, you know, social consciousness and almost Lenny Bruce-like without being jailed for it. You know, I mean, did you ever have any or was Lenny Bruce before your time, way before my time? But again, in those days, even now, the politically correct police are trying to destroy stand up comedy. You know, who are they?

We don't know who they are. Is there an organization I can go debate them on whether I'm right or wrong? I mean, these are people who sit in the basement of their mother and father and they're 42 years old and they think, I think I'll tell him he can't say that.

You know, I always say, go tell Dave Chappelle, he's my hero, you know, tell him what he can say and he'll tell you, you can stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Because when you, the first, we have the first amendment in this country, thousands of men and women died so that we have the right to say whatever we want. That separates us from all the other nations in the world. They died so we have that right. Now, you can, you don't have to listen to us and we can't yell fire in a crowded theater.

Of course. You don't have to listen to us. You can turn us off. You can walk out the door. You can ask for your money back, but you can't tell us what we can say in this country.

Or hit you or come up and slap you. You know what I mean? I mean, I was at that Chappelle show in the Hollywood bowl recently. It was brilliant night. I mean, Chris Rock was there too. It was subsequent to the Oscars and my wife and I had just left when somebody jumped on the stage. Is that right? And Chappelle was brilliant. Yeah. Chappelle was beyond brilliant.

What an incredible night. You know, when they can tell you what you can say, watch out because their next step is to tell you what you must think. When they tell you what you must say, then they're going to tell you what you must think.

And then we become a communist country and stand up comedians have the last bastion of freedom of speech in this country. You know, if I get into the South, you get very angry about it. No, I hear you.

It annoys me. Who are they? We know who the Democrats are, the Republicans. We know the independents are. We know the Moose, the Kiwanis, the Elks.

We know who the Ku Klux Klan is, but we don't know who you are and we keep apologizing to you and we don't know who you are. Tom Dreesen here on the Rich Eisen Show. You mentioned Richard Pryor before too. You got a good story about him when you met him. Anything about being with him?

Yeah. I don't know if we have time, but it was the most moving thing that I've ever seen in stand up comedy. Oh my gosh, we have time for that, Tom Dreesen. What I saw him do, that's why I do a one man show now. I saw him do something years ago at the Comedy Store. It was when there was a centennial and he was talking about the bicentennial and he was having people and I was in the back of the comedy show and people were roaring. We were up here laughing and then all of a sudden he went into a character of an old man that lived in that era and he started talking about happy birthday America, happy birthday, you know, and he started talking to this old man about all the atrocities this old man went through and he started talking about his mother and all of a sudden you could hear people breathing in the audience, you know, it was, he was getting very serious in his own man. And now he started talking about that his mother and his mom, he said, mom, mammy, you called her mammy. He said, she worked in the kitchen for the white folks and she was very important for the white folks. And he said, sometimes they use my mother's breasts because the white woman couldn't have enough milk in her breast.

And yes, my mother saved those lives and she worked in the kitchen 16 hours a day. Now people are now gasping. This is in the Comedy Store. This is in the Comedy Store.

1976. He said, people are getting, and I'm watching him, he said, he said, and he said, and she worked in the kitchen 16 hours a day, seven days a week. And she never had time for me. And I'll never forgive you for that. And I'm gasping. And then he went, oh, I had you there, didn't I? And then he started doing stand up and he was killing them.

But I wasn't laughing. And I went, this guy took that audience from here, laughter, and took them down here and then brought them back up again. Whoa, I don't know a comedian that could do that. And that's why in my one man show, I tried to, I take him to Sinatra's funeral and have him in tears. But then I turn around and do a closing monologue.

But it was because he inspired me. Well, because again, I guess this is a theme in what we're talking about here, Tom, is that stand up comedy is to make people laugh, but it's also to hold up a mirror in a way that can make you uncomfortable from time to time. And then leave them laughing if you can, going out the door.

Always leave them laughing. But you know, the cliche, many a truth was said in jest is stand up comedy, you know. The stand up, you remember the story, the emperor in his clothing, that they were making this fine clothing for the emperor and only if you were a fool, you couldn't see it. Well, the emperor isn't going to admit that he doesn't see it.

So they're saying how, and it was a scam. But now he's going to show the kingdom and all of his people in the palace. Oh, your highness, you look lovely. They didn't see it either. Now he's walking through the kingdom, showing all the kingdom and everybody said, oh, it's lovely. And the little boy says he doesn't have any clothes on. And one of the adults said, you hear what that boy said? He said he doesn't have any clothes on.

And finally, they'll say, you know something, I don't see any either the child. That's who the comedian is. The child, the comedian comes out like Dave Chappelle with almost childlike innocence, that tells you the truth that you as an adult really don't want to face except that child's a chain smoker. He must have gone through three packs that night when he was on the stage, Chappelle. He was. And by the way, there were times where you could hear a pin drop in the Hollywood ball that night. He was, he, I'm, I'm, he's a master. He's a master.

I am with you, Tom Treason. Um, man, this was, this was great, but before you go, you got a good sports story, a Chicago sports story. You got anything for me? I was bat boy for the Cubs for four years, and Jim Fry let me be bat boy. So you do have a Chicago story.

Okay. Well, I'll tell you a quick story. You were talking about football earlier. Mike Ditka used to let me come and stand on the sidelines, you know, and, and Jimmy Mac and all the guys, Jimmy McMahon, all the bears, Tom Thayer, Tim Reitman, Walter Payton, they'd come and run. I used to run 26 miles every year for multiple sclerosis for my sister. She had MS, so we called it 26 miles for Darlene and they would come and run part of the way with him. No kidding.

I was the only one who ran all 26 miles with me. But Ditka let me stand on the sidelines and I, Mike would get so mad at McMahon cause he'd call audibles. Mike would send him to play and McMahon would audible. He would audible cause Jimmy McMahon could really read a defense almost as good as anybody out there.

And he used to say, it's not rocket scientists. He'd say they, they see the play. So we'd audible. Now I'd be on the sidelines and Ditka'd say, Jimmy, Jimmy, Jimmy, the play, Jimmy, the play, Jimmy, don't you audible me, Jimmy. Don't you audible, Jimmy. Good pass Jimmy. Good pass.

Now I appreciate you cleaning it up, Tom. I'm sure it was a little bit more RX rated than, than Jimmy, the play. Yeah, for sure. Oh, so you saw that going down, huh? So it was 85 bears, you were on the sideline? I was at the Super Bowl with them, hung out with them all week long. I never saw a more confident team. They knew they were going to win.

There wasn't any doubt that they weren't going to win that game. The reason why Chicago loves Jim McMahon, Mike Ditka, Harry Caray, what you see is what you get. They weren't somebody on, on microphone and then somebody different in person. What you see is what you get. Harry Caray was the same guy you saw in the air was the same guy, you know, million percent. When I was at Northwestern graduate school, I know that Richard said, that's right. You saw that inside the green room.

Yes. And Beth Eisen, it's my, on my, on my diploma from Northwestern. When I was there, I was going through the program and trying to cover every sporting event that was happening at the time and the quarter that I was in, in Chicago. And that, that quarter was when Jordan retired for the first time. And also, if I'm not mistaken, Tom Treblehorn was being named the new manager of the Cubs.

I think that's what it was. And the press conference was being held at 11 a.m. at Wrigley Field, 11 in the morning Wrigley Field. I showed up because I was an enterprising young Northwestern student early, how to be about 1030, quarter after 10. One person in the room, it was kind of like a bar area in Wrigley Field where they were holding the press conference. One person was there was Harry Caray and he already had a Bloody Mary in his hand.

And he, and there was no question it wasn't a Virgin Mary in his hand, Tom Dreesen. And that was the guy who I saw on television and who I thought I knew, same guy. I don't even remember what the hell I said to him, but we had like a conversation for two minutes. I wish I had a better memory of the, of the back and forth, but I couldn't, like I was stopped in my tracks. I'm like, oh my God, that's Harry Caray.

Oh my God, that's a Bloody Mary that has to be completely on brand for this man. I took him and Frank, I got to fix him up with Frank, hang out whenever we were in Chicago. Sinatra is the Frank. Frank Sinatra.

Yeah. And they hung out to see who could out drink who. At 4.30 in the morning, Harry said, you got me, Frank.

At 4.30 in the morning he said, that's it, I'm done. Oh, Tom Dreesen, what a pleasure. Thank you for, you know, coming on this program. You know, we go to the same golf club, you, you, you stepped on stage at a charity event.

You're like, what'd you say? What was the line you said when you got up on the stage that when, when I introduced you saying I was a big fan of yours and you said, somebody said, would you introduce Tom and get Tom to do a few jokes? And I didn't know I was going to get up, but Steve DiMarco, our friend, he said, introduce Tom and Rich got up and he said some nice, he says, no, I'm a big fan and so forth and so on.

So I got up on stage and I said, if I'm such a big fan of Rich Eisen, how come I was never on his show? And he hollered in the back, you're on now. And here you are and hope first of many times, let's have you back, Tom. Anytime, brother. There's a lot of fun. Anytime.

Certainly we'll talk sports and so much more. Still Standing, again, is a book on Amazon and go get it right now. It's my journey from streets and saloons to the stage and Sinatra, Tom Dreesen here on the Rich Eisen Show.

We're back to wrap up the show and take you to the weekend in a moment. Henry Winkler in hour one and the comedian Tom Dreesen. How about that Letterman story? Hollywood history. That he and Letterman got together and Letterman told him the way that they've met, which is not a good story. It's not good enough, let's spice it up.

I stole material from you, you beat me up in a parking lot. Let's tell that story from now on. I think that's tremendous. Fantastic.

Fantastic. 844-204 Rich, number to dial here on the program. Let's finish up how we started. David in Oceanside, Florida wants to talk about the Liv Golf Tour. What's up, David? Hey, Rich, how you doing? What's going on? How are you guys?

We're good. There's a missing story here that no one's talking about, about the PGA versus Liv. These young guys and some middle guys like Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Hoffman and Fina. They're all playing on the PGA Tour and everybody's missing out that these guys are loving it, that these pros at Big Shots are all leaving to go to Liv. And these guys have a shot now to winning on the tournament, you know, on the PGA Tour.

No one's talking about that. It's like going to a nightclub, right, and walking in and all the NFL and basketball players are hitting on all the hot chicks, but all of a sudden they got to leave. Now you got a shot. That was go time for us. There you go. Sorry about that. The ratio is better now. The ratio is better now is what you're saying. Nice to see you for the last couple of days in a row.

You know, you didn't take a couple of days off, if you know what I mean. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you for the time.

Thank you for the call. That's my point. A lot of people aren't talking about that.

Like Justin Thomas, he's such a great golfer and he can compete alone with these pros. Now these guys are all leaving and he's sitting there going, thank you. It's like open open door policy to him. Well, I mean, here's the deal.

And thanks for the call, David. You know, the bottom line is we'll see how the live tour how it how it how it lives, if you will. This is now the first burst of of let's we're curious what it looks like. We're curious how it how we feel about it. Let's see what happens when it's tournament four or five.

What happens then? You know, people are going to have to seek it out. You're going to have to find it. It's not like it's going to be right there on your guide wherever you you take in your sports. We'll see what we see what it looks like.

And it certainly doesn't help you what you want to like it and you want to like the people behind it. It certainly doesn't help to have Greg Norman staring down a reporter who who is being physically in his mind accosted to to leave a press conference and and then deny it when the guy tells him about it. Like, that's some tough guy right there.

That's a tough guy, tough shark right there. So the Las Vegas Raiders have given Hunter Renfro a new deal, you know, and it's when you hear the money that Christian Kirk and Tyree kill and Devante Adams teammate and you hear the money that Cup just made your you see the money. It's like, whatever, you know, it's not that much or he's not he's not at the top tier, but he's he's a pretty top tier receiver when it's time to move the chains.

And Waller and Adams and yeah, I'm going to keep on ringing this bell until the Raiders either unring it or make me look real smart for saying that they're going to win the AFC West. Devante Adams appeared before podium yesterday, first time he has spoken at since his big press conference to announce his signing in in Las Vegas. And this is what he had to say about leaving Green Bay and having a conversation with Aaron Rogers, who, based on reports, was taken aback that Adams actually left after he signed to stay and finish his career in Green Bay. We've talked multiple times and, you know, we talked throughout the whole process, too. And he was he was aware of, you know, where I stood and I was aware of where he stood.

And we we had talks just like what he said the other day. He mentioned we had talks about his future and what he what he thinks is his duration in Green Bay or just football in general would look like. And you know, that played into into my decision as well, because, you know, where I'm in my career, you know, and this isn't a shot at anybody, any other quarterbacks are, you know, in Green Bay, you know, I love Jordan Love, especially is a great guy. But, you know, I just I got I got aspirations of doing really, really big things and being remembered.

And I just, you know, it just wasn't really a point in my career that I was willing to sacrifice, you know, Aaron not being there, you know, after a year or two. So my decision was to be here. And he respected that. He understood that, you know, has a lot to do with where I want to raise my my kids, you know, family being closer to home. I mentioned that to you guys when I first came up here, you know, I hadn't my grandparents never seen me play in eight years.

So to be able to have my family closer and, you know, the suites are a lot more expensive here. But now I can have all the pack the suite out with the family. But yeah, we've had a lot of good talks, man. He he understands where I'm coming from. I understood where he was coming from.

So we kind of just left it at that. Yeah, he will be at Aaron Rodgers Hall of Fame speech. And guess what? He has visions of Aaron being at his too. I love it. He's got big ideas. He's got big plans. He wants to be remembered. God, I love Devante Adams and him being in Las Vegas, and him hooking up with a guy who he's known for a long time and wanted to play with and Derek Carr, I am loving this for him. And I'm loving it for Karen.

I love it for the Raiders. Here's how you get remembered Devante Adams, you rack up the numbers over the next few years, you win a Super Bowl for the Raiders in Las Vegas. And most importantly, in the short term, you make Rich Eisen look smart. That is how you get remembered. Certainly in this chair, you bet I made it about me, Chris, and I am not embarrassed or ashamed at all. What is the name of this show? There is an Altamwind and its name is Rich Eisen putting all his eggs in the silver and black basket for 2022.

We'll chat Monday. For the real story behind some of wrestling's biggest moments, it's something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson too. All time Hogan opponents, Macho Man's got to be in the conversation. Where's Andre for you? I've always said Andre was number one. Wow. And then going back before, you know, Hulk Hogan was a baby face, Hulk and Andre were able to go in and headline at the New Orleans Superdome at Shea Stadium in Japan, wherever they went, that was an attraction. Something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard, listen wherever you get your podcasts.