SIDE BY SIDE WITH SINATRA

Paul Reuben's antics in the movie theater not only ruined his career and tainted his image but ended, "THE PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE," TV show, at the height of its popularity. The show was canceled before my son Andrew was born but when he was four, the reruns were introduced to him.

"PEE-WEE'S PLAYHOUSE," RAN FOR 5 SEASONS, 45 EPISODES FROM 1986-1990.

The show's fantasy was perfect for my boy and he liked the idea of a childish adult. Plus the colorful silliness, odd-ball characters, music, animals, cartoons and nutty educational/ life lessons made each show a feast for his budding sophistication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKcYGOIJhqo
TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE PEE-WEE MOOD, GO TO THE LINK ABOVE FOR THE SHOW'S THEME SONG.

Pee-Wee was even relevant to older kids and adults. I'm not afraid to say that I was entertained too.Mostly, I loved watching my boy's interactions...like, to the "word-of-the-day." Even better was seeing Andrew's reaction to the semi-recurring "door-to-door salesman" character. Pee-Wee would answer a knock at his door. Someone dressed in a humongous head costume (complete with a suit and tie) would be there.
A voice-over spiel for the giant head would lead to, "I have an incredible offer!"

Pee-Wee would slam the door, run away with his hands over his ears and do his combined giggle/shout, "Ah salesman!"

In sympathy to Pee-Wee's plight, my boy would run out of the room and hide at the edge of the doorway until he was sure the salesman segment was over.
ON FAR RIGHT, SEE HOW SMALL PEE-WEE IS COMPARED TO THE SALESMAN. THE LAST TIME THE SALESMAN APPEARED, PEE-WEE INVITED HIM IN.

Hard to believe but true, Andrew's trait of fearing salesmen was definitely passed down from me. I remember in the late 80's, a time that I wished, I had run away from a salesman.

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I had a dealer training school in Atlantic City.  I was ocassionally pestered by "Cappy," (a salesman). His unwelcome drop-ins were a marketing ploy to sell (in bulk), cheesy, self-produced audio cassettes that included "can't miss" gambling systems for winning at, blackjack, craps, roulette etc.

Cappy was like the scary salesman puppet on the Pee-Wee's show. He would NEVER take no for answer. He's extoll the virtue of his product by suggesting that they'd be included as a "freebie" in each new student's welcome package. I told him it was inappropriate because we train people to become casino dealers...not gamblers.

Although some might commend his sticktoitiveness, he was nothing more than a narcissistic, time-wasting distraction.

Cappy eventually got the hint and de-emphasized hawking his tapes.  Unpreturbed, he soon returned with a new gimmick.  This new and improved schtick involved ranting on as a self-proclaimed gambling expert/consultant. To further promote this knowledge (and cassettes too), he produced, somewhere in the northern tip of rural Jersey, a regional cable-access TV show, "CAPPY'S CORNER." The program's focus was casinos, related gambling topics and entertainment that directly or indirectly dealt with the gaming industry.

A natural showman, he blended a pushy, off-the-wall personality with an earthy, obtuse intellect, to tell interesting stories. So without the specter of sales dangling over my head...he seemed more human.A couple times, if I wasn't too busy, I'd let him drone on.  At one point, Cappy was recruited to be the talent on the school's only TV commercial. Somewhere, buried in the bowels of my house, I have a VHS copy of that ad. It was a take-off of the old, "Hey Jerry, what's the story?" JGE Appliance Store commercial. I'll keep looking for it but I haven't seen it in 15+ years.

Once our commercial was aired, the prima donna visited more often and became harder to get rid of. Around the school, as they say in Latin, Cappy took on the role of, "celebriti non grata." One day, he sensed the bum's rush and tried to sweeten the pot by inviting me on his show.

I said, "I am the resident director of the school. The essence of what I do, is to oversee the day-to-day operation of the school. I can't drive almost three hours in each direction to be on your cockamamie version of, "WAYNE'S WORLD."
Cappy got defensive, "I get top flight guests and discuss only cutting edge issues."
I said, "Really!  Like who?"
"Al Lewis!"

I shrugged, "That's not quite the Queen of England..."
Cappy added, "Don't you know who he is? For crissakes, he's Al Lewis...Grandpa...from, "THE MUNSTERS!" You should be honored that I'm putting you on the same stage as him."
I said, "I'm an adult. I'm not easily dazzled by 'Grandpa' Al Lewis...and I don't need his autograph. Plus, I can't kill a day and drop my responsibilities to be seen in by dozens of yahoos in Hunterdon County."
"No," he said, "you're not dropping responsibilities, you'll be advertising. You come on my show and tell everyone how great and easy your training will be and, how rewarding of a job they can get."
I didn't think he could handle the concept of the limited impact his viewership would have on enrollment. So without a reason, I firmly but politely turned him down.

                          LOVABLE "GRANDPA" AL LEWIS FROM, "THE MUNSTERS."

The next time Cappy dropped-in he excitedly said, "Wanna be on my show next Thursday?"
I said, "Nah."
"Don't say no so fast. This time you're gonna want to kiss my ring.  NO!  You'll want to kiss my damned feet."
I looked at my watch and lied, "This isn't a good time for me now."
In a sing-song voice Cappy said, "You'll never guess who's gonna be appearing with you?"
"I dunno. Who?"
"Aw, c'mon guess."
"You just said, I'll never guess...don't play games. You wanna tell me--then tell me."
"SINATRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "OLD BLUE EYES," THE PRIDE OF HOBOKEN NJ, FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA.

I was never big on Sinatra but appreciated that he had to be the best entertainer...EVER! I also knew three people who had photos of themself with Sinatra...and I thought having "our" picture on my desk would be priceless.
I said, "Yeah, I can adjust some appointments for Sinatra."
Cappy said, "You know Steve, I operate on a shoestring budget.  So while my regular guests wait to 'go on' in what I call our Green Room, they don't get much more than a bowl of Skittles.  But Sinatra likes a little nip before going on.  And to go with the liquor I'm having trail mix, chips and dip.  The friggin' works."

I managed to say, "Cool..."  

He plowed on, "Imagine being side-by-side with Sinatra...just chewing the fat." Plus, you'll treasure the on-camera experience and chit-chat with me and him for the rest of your life."
"You don't have to sell me...count me in!"
"Good."

Starstruck I blithered, "I loved him in "GUYS AND DOLLS." And, "FROM HERE TO ETERNITY," and "THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE," and "OCEANS 11," and "VAN RYAN'S EXPRESS," and..."
"No, no, no," Cappy interrupted, "Not Frank Sinatra, Frank Sinatra...Junior!"

WORLDWIDE THEY REALLY GO FOR FRANK SINATRA...JUNIOR, NOT SO MUCH!

God-damned salesman, you can see why Andrew hid and Pee-Wee Herman ran from the door screaming.