Standup Comedy Legend "Tom Dreesen" Interview and Set Show #113

This one is Special everyone, Tom Dreesen got his start as part of the first and only mixed race (Black & White) comedy duo, Tim & Tom with Tim Reid (from TV show WKRP), then the Tonight Show (some 60 times), and finally as the official opening act for Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin for over 14 years. Add to that, he has had over 500 TV appearances, does a one-man show, and has authored several books, the latest being "Still Standing". Yes...I am excited about this one...amazing interview and discussion with one of the Legends of Standup Comedy....longer show; but worth the time!

Transcript

Announcer: 0:04

This is another episode of stand up comedy, your host and emcee, celebrating 40 plus years on the fringe of show business, stories, interviews and comedy sets from the famous and not so famous. Here's your host and emcee Scott at words.

Scott Edwards: 0:22

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this week's show, and you've caught a special one. I have a legend in stand up comedy about to join us. He is the author of the book still standing. He has been on TV over 500 times. He was the opening act for Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra. And right now he's touring with his one man show the man who made Sinatra laugh, ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Tom Driessen. This is exciting. Tom, thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today. That was a nice introduction, Scott. Let me clear something up. Whenever somebody calls you a legend, it simply means you about lived all your critics.

Tom Dreesen: 1:10

Well, I think of it, you know, it's interesting, because I'm a producer. And I've spent several decades in the entertainment business. And the name Tom Driessen is always in the conversation, you have been a part of stand up comedy, since before the rock'n'roll wave of the 80s, which was when I came along. I opened my club in 1980. But you were doing it back in the late 60s and through the 70s. And I would love to touch on that a little bit. I don't want to take you too far back. But what kind of had you fall into stand up? Oh, by the way, interesting. Sidenote, Tom, you used to be an insurance agent, right? And so life insurance for Columbus Mutual Life Insurance company that is so funny, because I'm in my near retirement years, and I'm an insurance broker.

Scott Edwards: 2:01

Okay, I went from stand up comedy to insurance and you went from insurance to stand up comedy. You know, we have something in common. Yeah, of course. That was interesting. I started out in 1969. Ken Reid and I became America's first black and white comedy team. Now. Let me explain. You people will recognize the name Tim Reid from WKRP, right.

Tom Dreesen: 2:27

Yeah, he also many other shows he's done. He was on Simon and Simon. And he was in WKRP. He also was on a show recently called Sr, Sr. And he's still acting and directing and producing film, very active, and we're still the best of friends. But I came up with a service. In the 60s, I ended up I spent four years in the military. And then I came up with service and I got married right away. And I had one baby after another. And actually, I had three kids. And I was wandering aimlessly. I was going from one job to another construction. I tended bar always in Chicago, in the wintertime when you couldn't work construction. You know, I was a bartender and then local taverns, and I just wandered from one job to another job to another job. I was loading trucks. I became a teamster, and then got my card and became management and had 44 teamsters working for me. And every job I had, I just didn't feel fulfilled. And then I joined a civic group called the Jaycees Jr Chamber of Commerce, that handle the problems of the community in those days. They any problem that was in the community, as a JC they taught you how to leadership training program, how to perform a committee, serve on a committee, subcommittees, you know how to conduct meetings, Robert's Rules of Order, etc, etc. and handle the problems of the committee and I wrote a drug education program teaching grade school children who have drug abuse, with humor, a concept I had to get the kids laughing and play records and stuff get to get that thing once we get their attention then, to crap the ills of drug abuse in their in their little heads, starting with eighth grade, because I felt we should get to them before they got to high school. And working with me on this project was a young black man who joined the chapter, graduated from Norfolk State College, AI DuPont recruited him into Chicago. And he interesting story at that time, I honestly Scott was praying to God, I was saying, God, what in the world am I supposed to be doing? This can't be it. I was wandering from job to job to job. And I just kept saying, what could I be doing? And supposedly helping me with with this drug education program was a white friend of mine named John de Bourgh. Well, the night I proposed this to the Jaycees to sanction it as a JC project, this young black man, as I said earlier, graduated from Norfolk State College. And he said, Yeah, I can work with you on that project. And I said, I'm sorry, I already got a guy, a friend of mine named John De Boer. The next day as fate would have the John de Bourgh called me and said I can't do this. I've got a new job, I can't help you. And I said, Gee, what was that black guy's name? It's talking about faith and prayers answered. You know, it was Justin read into termination. Working on rehearsing the project, we went into the classroom. And the program became so successful that the Jaycees use it as a model program through their publications and how to teach drug education at an elementary school level. Because in those days, they were teaching drug education in college, or high school level, let alone elementary school level, right after you guys need to reach people. Well, yeah, exactly. We would play off of one another. We'd play records and get them laughing. One day, a little eighth grade girl walking out of the classroom. She said, You guys are funny. You ought to become a comedy team. And the thought of a black white comedy team and trick this and we start thinking about it. And we decided that we were going to do it, but there were no comedy clubs in those days, you know? And so we started working all black clubs in the north and the south with a affectionately called the Chitlin Circuit, black owned black operated nightclubs, the 20 Grand in Detroit, where Motown was in Detroit in those days, and all the Motown acts broken their acts at the 20 Grand before they went to Vegas. So we worked at 20 grand the High Chaparral in Chicago, the Burning Spear, the Cotton Club, Sugar Shack in Boston, playable Harlem, in Atlantic City before the gambling, and we worked on white nightclub.

Scott Edwards: 6:20

This had to be one of the first not only comedy teams, but black and white comedy teams to come about it was called Tim and Tom.

Tom Dreesen: 6:29

Yeah, Tinley. However, there were many comedy teams and obviously, you know, I mean, there had been many before us and and some still doing it. But we were the first black and white comedy team in history shows we're the last we did it for 1969 and 1875. Wow, that, you know, that is a hard way to start a comedy career, but you guys had each other to lean on. And it sounds like you had a lot of fun. Was there much success for Tim and Tom in those first five years? No, we struggled. We did college, college clubs, college circuit, we did an agency in Minnesota called project four. They booked us at some colleges. And then we we did the black clubs. And like I just explained all those black clubs. And then we started doing the Playboy circuit, which was always a lot of fun, because it was a lot of work to do four or five shows him eight. And it gave us a chance to get our timing down in a comedy team. That's crucial. And so we you know, we started getting real good at what we did. We put an album out and we Oh, wow. Yeah, we did a couple of national TV shows the David frog show on the Merv Griffin Show, but we just can get became frustrated and wanted to be more of an actor. And the team split up in 1974 later, 75 Really 75 And I was really down at that time, like my ex wife wanted me out of business. She hated show business. She didn't marry me as a comedian. She married me when in the service, you know, in a construction work until she I was wanted a check every Friday, you know, and that was in so in our day. So it was very frustrating at first and then I decided to go it alone. And I went out on the West Coast and actually, in 1975, wherever you went in America, people say what do you do for a living? You say I'm a stand up comedian. The next question of their mouth was, Oh, yeah. Have you ever been on Johnny Carson? You haven't been on Johnny Carson in the eyes of America. You just want a comedian? You might want to be one. You might going to be one. But you weren't one. Now

Scott Edwards: 8:33

Yes.

Tom Dreesen: 8:35

It was the launching pad. Freddie. Freddie Prinze did one appearance on The Tonight Show. And the following day, he got a sitcom. And that went all the way across the land reverberated all across the land. So comedians, were migrating to the west coast in droves. You know, I was having when I finally got on at the Comedy Store, which was the only game in town in those days, there was no lap equity. There was no improvisation in LA in 1975, just the Comedy Store. So you had to get on there. You had to pass Mitzi shores scrutiny. If she didn't like you, it was back to back to Toledo or

Scott Edwards: 9:11

Mitzi had a lot of control when she came out from New York and open the store in Hollywood, it and this was before bud Freeman and the improv and all those. She had a lot of power and control, and was the one that determined that people got stage time or not. And that was so valuable because that's when producers and directors and people would see you.

Tom Dreesen: 9:32

It was the hottest. You said of the 80s comedy was the rock and roll of the 70s but at least it was the hottest place in town, the Sunset Boulevard every night. You know the talent scouts from Dinah Shore Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, Midnight Special rock concert Soul Train American Bandstand. They were all in there looking for young comedians, looking for the hottest new comedians. I was on stage every night with all these unknown comedians. They David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Ellaine Boosler Robin Williams Gallagher, the Michael Keaton, the girl waiting tables was Debra Winger In every night, somebody would come offstage, and I just got this show, or I just got that show. They were sending talent scouts down from Canada, there were TV shows up in Canada, that would fly you up there, and you'd do three different sets, like three different five minutes while you were up there, and then they would, you know, put them in, in the bank, and then they would air them the rest of them.

Scott Edwards: 10:31

So. So Tom, that had to be a tough transition going from a comedy team to solo artist had you learn to be proficient at writing? What was the challenge for you? Was it writing or I don't see you having a problem getting on stage. But what drove you as a comic in those days?

Tom Dreesen: 10:52

Well, obviously, I knew that this is what I wanted to do. And so nothing was going to stop me from that the very first time I ever went onstage with Tim Reid. Something that I had written, gotten a laugh. And it was like one of those old V movies where the dark clouds open up in the sun verse through and my whole Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. This is what I want to do, I finally found it. This is the thought that you can make a living making people laugh overwhelmed me. It overwhelmed me, I knew that nothing was when I set this goal. Nothing was going to stop me.

Scott Edwards: 11:29

Yeah, the validation of by an audience of strangers, appreciating and laughing at your material. It has been said by many people on this podcast, it is so true. It's it's just that magic moment that you want. It's like a drug you want to recapture it every night after that. Did you remember any of your early material was Was there something that you liked doing jokes about that worked?

Tom Dreesen: 11:55

What I and I teach it, sometimes at universities, they'll ask me to come and talk to a comedy class. And I give I give motivation talks to around the country to corporate America, and at universities. And for subjects. Perception, visualization, self talk, and develop a sense of humor. And they give a specific one for comedians. I've done it in, in Chicago, in New York and LA, to just comedians, it's called The Joy of stand up comedy, and how to get there. And one of the things that I tell them when you're starting out your first 10 minutes, write about you where you're from, what your brothers and sisters, your mom and dad, in which where you went to school. So you're introducing yourself to an audience with laughter,

Scott Edwards: 12:41

that's the right advice.

Tom Dreesen: 12:44

If you walk out, and they have no idea who you are, and you walk out, you don't know the government and the or the airlines, they don't know who you are yet. So when you have a funny, funny material, about yourself or your from your brothers, all of a sudden, that's where your accent is from, or, you know, the audience after about 10 minutes. They like you, they get to know you now, you know, and when you walk offstage, he wasn't a funny, and you know that he came from a suburban the Southside of Chicago called Harvey, you know, he had eight brothers and sisters, and he went to Catholic school, and he played basketball and all black basketball team, you know, these are the routines that I did earlier. So you introduce yourself to a group of strangers with funny material, then you can later you know, when you're a star and you walk out into the room that foreign and 50 people came just to see you, you can open with anything you want to as they came to see you. But when you're a stranger to them, then you have to introduce yourself to them with humor.

Scott Edwards: 13:38

Yeah, and you were able to talk about your own family, your own experiences. But what's interesting about standing up comedy is immediately people in the audience find something to relate to. And that's where that bond between entertainer and audience comes from. And that's what opens the door to them. Fine, you know, seeing the same perception the funny that you see, I think that's so critical. And I love your breakdown that that first 10 minutes should be about you. So a lot of your earlier material you were talking about your Catholic household in the Oscar outskirts of Chicago with a lot of brothers and sisters. I'm sure that there was a wealth of material there.

Tom Dreesen: 14:19

Oh, yeah, there was and then that's you know, I did so much material at first about going to Catholic schools that I used to get send mail to the tonight show that said to the Catholic comedian, they didn't say my name is I would go to the tonight show the performance bring the letters from the last appearance. And sometimes they will say to the cafe comedian, they knew that was me because I was doing material about what it was like being an altar boy, the nuns, you know, all that kind of stuff. Oh, that's you later segue into other other areas, you know,

Scott Edwards: 14:48

right. And we were talking about how getting on stage and getting Mitzi's approval is so important and that once you got seen by the Tonight Show and got accepted It really made you now, to the end of that story for my audience is that you ended up doing over 60. Tonight Show appearances. I mean, that's a huge, huge success, Tom.

Tom Dreesen: 15:12

Yeah, the part there. Scott, of course, as you know, is material. You know, a lot of guys could do five tonight chose six night shows, or maybe three, but doing 1020 30 And keep coming up with new and original monologues. You know, Johnny Carson didn't want to guys go into a bar jokes, he wanted original monologue. So you know, when you went in there to keep coming up with material that was relevant at that time. So that was the challenge, I would, I would walk off the Tonight Show. And the moment I got in the car, I was thinking already a material I was going to do on my next day.

Scott Edwards: 15:47

Well, that's that professional work ethic that you have to have to be a success in any form of show business. But especially in comedy, where you're not only the performer, but you're the writer of your own material, you have to be on top of it. And for my audience, Tom's bringing up something really important is it in a comedy club, you can repeat your three minutes or five minute bit over and over and in hone it and get it good. But once you start doing television, you want to have fresh new material each time. So that pressure to write is always there. Obviously you learn to get proficient at it. It's at what point do you think Tom you moved away from writing about your own life experiences and just writing about the world that everybody could relate to? Was there a moment or is it kind of natural transition?

Tom Dreesen: 16:38

It was a natural transition. But I also after I did about five or six tonight shows, that's when I was now accepted. You know, again, one appearance on the financial into America, you had arrived. You did the teacher you arrive. But to my industry, you hadn't arrived, you sat down and talked to Johnny, when Johnny called you over to talk to him. Yeah, that was a big deal. That was a real big deal. So you know, on my third appearance, Johnny called me over to sit down and, and about the fifth appearance, I started feeling like a regular and then I could come up with relevant material. And Johnny enjoyed that Johnny loved when you know, because first of all, he had a ton of writers that they were picking up the newspapers every day and coming up with current material, you know, if you could come up with something current. And his writers had not seen that, you know, he always got a big kick out of that with me, he would say, Gee, I just read about that, or that's, that's a great take on what you did there.

Scott Edwards: 17:31

Well, yeah, to be a regular favorite of Johnny Carson would be a dream for anybody. But you are also one of the many. Well, one of the few I'm sorry, that were able to transition, you became a favorite of David Letterman as well. In fact, didn't he do the foreword of your book "Still Standing"?

Tom Dreesen: 17:50

Yes, he did. It's one of the funniest foward you'll ever read in your life. He is such a funny guy, period. You know, David and I, how I met him. I walked off the stage at the Comedy Store one night, and he had just arrived in an old beat up red red pickup truck that he drove all the way from Indianapolis. And he just arrived, and I came offstage. And he had watched the show. And he said to me, I really enjoyed your set, Mr. Dreesen. I'm only a few years old, but I said, Hey, you know, what is your name? Dave? I say oh, hey, Dave, when you finally sit in Indianapolis, and I start this conversation about sports teams, because I'm such a sportsman. Indianapolis what major league baseball team did you look for an open at the Cubs because I'm a Cubs fan. But he was more of a Cincinnati fan. But we began to we I took it to him not realizing he was an introvert. Every time I see him, I'm so extroverted. I just kept taking it to him. Years go by and I realized that we became good friends. Had I known he was such a recluse. I probably would have respected that. But by the time I realized that we were friends. Right?

Scott Edwards: 18:55

Yeah, you used your personality, to break down the barrier. But I also think that David was probably looking up to you, because you were already irregular at the store, you had just come off stage. I mean, I know there's been hundreds of comics that have watched you work over the years, and say, Boy, if I could capture what Tom's put together, you know, I'll make it.

Tom Dreesen: 19:20

But I do. I'll tell you a funny story. Leatherman cost me about two months ago. They've called him and he said, Hey, you know what, Tom, every time you do an interview, and I do an interview, and they say how did we meet? We always tell the same story that you came offstage I come from and just set and we started the conversation. We've been friends ever since I said, Yeah, it's your it's boring. It's a boring story. Well, it may be but that's HR. I don't care. It's boring from now on. Tell people. You came offstage. I was in the parking lot. I stole some material from you, and you beat the hell out of me in the park. Why in the world would I say that? Because it's a better story. I said, You got 32 million fans will be chasing me to airports. And he laughed. Now he said That's a better story now, two weeks go by, and he calls me and he said, you know, the governor of Illinois, and I said, I met him, but I know him. And he had some incident that he was trying to help some people in Illinois. And so I said, but I do know, the majority leader that in the Illinois General Assembly, you know, a guy named John Cullerton. Let me call him and I called John and I told him the problem Dave had, he should have, were taking care of that through some statute or something. And I said, Tell them it's been created. Could they call you and you explain it because you explained it better. And John Collins, a great guy said, Yeah, I said, John, do me a favor when you help Dave, tell him the reason you're helping him is because you heard the Driessen beat the hell out of him in the parking

Scott Edwards: 20:42

lot.

Tom Dreesen: 20:42

Okay. Now 10 minutes go by Scott, and my phone rings, and I knew it was Dave Letterman. Didn't I tell you that you're better story, I told you that a better story.

Scott Edwards: 20:53

I think that's great that you and Letterman got to the point where you could be making up stuff just to keep it fun and creative. That's a great story. And it's always good to hear when somebody like Letterman is supporting his community and wanted to reach out and did it through a friend like you. I think that shows, you know, promise for people. A lot of people think everybody in show business is out for themselves. And there's so many philanthropic entertainers. It's good to hear that story. Now you ended up doing we talked about the 60 tonight shows, but really being one of the mainstay headliners when comedy really took off in the late 70s, early 80s led to over 500 TV appearances. How did you keep it all straight? Material wise? Did you have to track what you said were?

Tom Dreesen: 21:48

Yes, I had a whole system that I had. Before computers. I had a big on my wall, I had a big board that had magnetic clips. And I would use clips for white with material that I had already done on on The Tonight Show. You know, the red was material that I was working on. You know, I had bullet point general coats. You know, a blue was material that I could not do in those days on television. They were so restrictive of things that were adult but not they were naughty, but not dirty, technical. So I kept kept track of all that. I also had a filing cabinet with what I wore on every show because I didn't want to keep wearing the same.

Scott Edwards: 22:34

That's interesting. I didn't even think of that. Yeah, you want to look different each time. Yeah. And also not only the each time when I did that first Tonight =Show I was in the unemployment line with a wife and three kids broke on my rear end. The next day, CBS signed me to a development deal. I got a check for $10,000 again in Lee Cronin from New York was watching the show. He was with CBS. And he signed me to a development deal for one year, I got a check for$10,000.18 $150 a month for one year. And those days my rent was 20 $25 a month. And one day, the following day, my entire life change William Morris signed me I was doing dinosaur Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas, Johnny Carson, Midnight Special rock concert Soul Train American now. I was the only white comedian ever to do Soul Train. So I did so many of those shows. So I was I was going up to Canada is doing shows up there. So I was keeping track of what I was wearing. So I wouldn't be seen wearing the same outfit all the time to as well as as wet material I did. And they keep coming up with new material, which really the the pressure what I finally what I did with a tomato? You know, I did I I've always thought that necessity is the mother of invention. So when I had like three weeks in advance, I would call the convention when I had carte blanche, and I'd say look, I'm ready to do the show. I'm available March 18. And let's just say and that would take me it was in February, you know, they'd say Okay, Mr. Vision, your book. I didn't have the first joke written. Scott. I didn't have the person now it put pressure on me. I think my tape recorder and that time at the Improv and I would go to the to the comedy show or to the Laugh Factory when opened I put me into every night that got at least three different places. And I would start writing and in almost you set your own timeline, you set a deadline so that you felt the pressure to get something done. And a lot a lot of writers I was just interviewing a script writer Peter gawky, and he was talking about that he has to create his own deadlines, or he'll never get anything done. And I think it's genius. Going back to the wardrobe just for a second, I want to explain to the audience that if you don't know Tom Dreesen, Google him, you'll recognize him immediately. But I wanted to point out that you're one of the few stand up comics that really your entire career, you always look sharp, you are always in a suit and a tie. I mean, every time I think I've seen you onstage, you really set a standard for the look of a working headliner. Was that on purpose?

Unknown: 25:19

Well, when I pushed out turn, when, by the way, once I did my first appearance have a potential. I also start touring with Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy had a TV show called family and company. And he saw me and whatnot. When I did it show, he brought me over to the couch and told me he was going to take me on the road with him. But I said to him when I was you was his tour is, you know, I said, What do you want me to wear? He said, I have a standard that I say we should rush at least as good as those who came to see us. You know, not not better than but at least is good. So in those days, you know that what you're working for Sammy Davis, Jr. is his audience. So I would wear a suit and tie when I first when I opened for him. And then second show like in Las Vegas, sometimes you do wear a sport coat. But in those days in Las Vegas, they had dinner shows and people came dressed, you know,

Scott Edwards: 26:09

dressed to the hilt. Yeah, it was a big deal.

Unknown: 26:12

In those days, but I wish I wanted to dress at least as good as the people that came to see you. And when I didn't go to comedy clubs that wasn't a comedy club comedian. I guess I went from the comedy short to the Tonight Show, right to Las Vegas. And right into the main rooms. I wasn't working in the lounges or anything so that I had to dress accordingly.

Scott Edwards: 26:34

Advice, though, for anybody that's interested in entertainment that, you know, I'm a business man, I always say dress for success. But it is true. And I really appreciate you pointing the out for people that are not aware that dressing at least to match the audience not only helps you connect with them, but shows that you respect the audience, because you want respect from them. It's a mutual thing. And I think that's great advice that Sammy Davis Jr. shared with you. Now you brought up that connection. Might one of my next questions was you spent over 14 years, opening up in Vegas and around the country for both Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra, and in many, many other big names. How did you transition from club comic to TV comic to opening up for names like Sinatra?

Tom Dreesen: 27:28

Well, in those days, my new in those days, you could not set up with what we're in. We're in show business. That's two words show and business. So I needed to get on the Tonight Show to get American and oval and 26 million people watch that show 26 and a half million almost every night watch that show, as we said earlier, as he went up parents was going to change your life. So how do I get on that show? So as a businessman, I would watch that show and say, Oh, I see you had the right material that can make grandma and grandpa mom and dad and the kids laugh. You couldn't you know, what was the audience that you had to come up with that kind of material? So yeah. When I was doing that kind of material, watching those shows, our singers, you know, these singers that were in those days, almost every nightclub you saw, again, this was before they were comedy clubs. When comedy clubs came out, all of a sudden there were 550 coming first, there were no comedy clubs in America. And then there were 550 there were three in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When when I was working in a nightclub circuit, it'd be singer comic singer, comic, or comic singer, you know. So when Sammy Davis Jr. hired you, you had to write material for that audience that could make that audience laugh. So they wanted a comic that wouldn't offend their audience. So I began to tour with Sammy Davis for three years. They mentioned touring with Mack David, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Tony Orlando and Dawn. They all wanted a comedian that wouldn't offend their audiences. Liza Minnelli then I toured with Smokey Robinson. And same thing, they want an audience when comedian that wouldn't offend their audience. And then Frank Sinatra, I connected with him and toured with him for 14 years, in 4550 cities a year. And he certainly even offstage. It was a guy's guy, but on stage, you know, he didn't want you to say, you know, hell or ship, or Damn, you know, he's obviously you know, you're funnier than that Tommy, you know, so, and also, I said to him one time, why do we wear tuxedos? He wanted to wear tuxedo. He said, Tommy, if we were going to do a show, with the king and the queen, what would we wear? A tuxedo. She said, Of course, he said that garage mechanic in Detroit and his wife was a waitress, and they work all year long to buy two tickets to our show. They're just as much royalty as the king and the queen. And we do the same kind of performance for them. command performance that we would do for the king and the queen.

Scott Edwards: 30:02

Wow, that's, that's great to hear that it makes perfect sense that somebody likes Sinatra. I mean, first it starts with Sammy Davis Jr, saying dress for your audience. And then for Frank Sinatra to come out and say, you know, everybody should be treated it to a royal performance. And we're going to dress for that is really important point about where he was coming from and how he saw his audience, and uncertain is a root cause of all of his success. I mean, all these things are building blocks to being well as you've tried to avoid, but legends.

Tom Dreesen: 30:49

Well, certainly he was a living legend. People, you know, everywhere we went 20,000 seat arenas, and we were in Vegas, Tahoe, Reno Atlantic City. Casinos. And but we also work coliseums around the country, you know, 20,000, cedars, and Hawaii when they 40,000 people Wow, doors with screens. So the challenge of that,

Scott Edwards: 31:13

outdoor shows are tough

Tom Dreesen: 32:38

They clear their room. And he would do four songs and have that audience in the palm of his hand. And then he he, ladies and gentlemen did this every night when I first went to Vegas with him. He said ladies and gentlemen, you've been with me through the good times and the bad times. And I think of my audience is family. And I really appreciate your support of me. He said, So when somebody does something nice for you, you want to do something for them, like maybe bring them a gift, I have a gift for you. I saw this kid on my show, and I know you're gonna like him. But when he gave me this big introduction, you walk out. And in, I would say I always dreamed that I'd worked Las Vegas and I always dreamed that it would be Caesars Palace, but I never dream that Sammy Davis Jr. would be my opening act. And of course me laugh and got a big kick out of it.

Scott Edwards: 33:20

Oh man that was but that was so professional. And so understanding. You know, there's a few prima donnas in our business. And for Sammy Davis Jr. Right, but my point is for Sammy Davis Jr. To do that purposely to set you up. And then that introduction. I mean, that's gold, but it was just him. Never grazing.

Tom Dreesen: 33:46

He never forgot where he came from. He paid dues like like you wouldn't believe Shammi would tell me these stories of when he was with the wool mast and trio with his father and his uncle, and the dues they paid and what he never forgot that when we were pulling in the Las Vegas in the limousine driving up the Caesars, he insisted they put my name on that marquee big because normally in those days times the headliners didn't even let the opening act have their name on the marquee. You know sometimes when Tom Jones or Diana Ross put their names on the marquee there was a room to park your car in a parking lot. They put it up so big. Let alone put an opening up with Sammy said Tammy, if I put your name on the marquee big any act you work with after that to you make it big. He said they'll have to we set a precedent here. You know, they'll have to doubt that they give you as much mark as I'm giving you. He was always looking out for me. He was just a terrific guy.

Scott Edwards: 34:36

What a great opportunity for you Tom. I mean, I know you've already proven yourself on TV and onstage. But some of these doors being open you were saying earlier about? You know you were feeling a little lost in your career and you look to God for some sort of guidance or opportunity. The doors that were open for you in the situations that came I mean you earned each and every one of them But what an amazing opportunity to find the career path that that led to your success. I mean, those these are amazing stories. And I know that you appreciate everything Sammy Davis, Jr, Frank Sinatra and Carson and all those people did, but you earned it, but still amazing, right?

Tom Dreesen: 35:25

Yeah, you know, I would sit in the wings every night and watch Sammy Davis after every show, watch this man take command of that stage and I'm praying he was, it was like showbusiness one on one, in the same way with Sinatra and Dean Martin, when I worked with Dean, and to sit in the wings and watch the way they took command at that stage, they took control with their stage presence. You know, Sammy Davis, my opening night in Las Vegas. After rehearsal, I went to my dressing room, got everything done. And now the room was empty. It was late afternoon, and I walked out on stage at Caesars and I was just walking around trying to familiarize myself with the stage, you know, because I was about to open for this legend. And my first time in Vegas, and Sami Sami. And he came up in the middle of stage. He said, you know, nervous tonight. Nervous? Do it's gonna be baby baby a little nervous. I said, Well, you know, I said, I'm opening for you, of course. And this is my first time appearing in Las Vegas. They were, you know, he pointed at the boards on the stage, you know, the boards, you know, that stage is made up. He should see these boards coming. I said, Yeah, you earned every one of these boards. You said, you paid dues, and you earned your way right here. This is your state, don't let them take that from you. This is your state you earned the right to be here. This is your safety should if they could do what we do. They'd be up here. They can't. That's why they're out there.

Scott Edwards: 36:47

That's That's great. Supportive advice, man. That's amazing.

Tom Dreesen: 36:52

I tell young comedians all the time. You know, you know, when they ask for advice, I write on the blackboard. I'll say, if you never forget anything, I say, remember this and I write conversation, not presentation. I said, is it your act? You downgraded to react? It's your job to make it look like it's not direct. But you're just making this up as you're going on? It's like this. It's like your wife says, you, Scott. I've got 20 People in the living waiting for dinner, and I don't have it ready. Do me a favor, Scott walked on come about you were selling life insurance. Right? So tell us about your childhood, your mom and dad, you know, those three who would like to tell Scott, and you walk into the living room and you're saying to this, you're in your house, you're saying dinner's gonna be ready in a few minutes. I gotta tell you some. When I was growing up, and you start, and I said, that's the way you walk out on stage every night isn't their house. It's our house. We always young comedians, sometimes I'm intimidated by can see, I'm going to work this room or that room, and I've never been there before. And we think that we're invading their territory. No, no, no, no, this is our territory. They're in our house. So if you put that frame, that frame of mind that this is our house, and you're walking onto the tell them a few stories, then it becomes conversational. Yeah. And then you own the stage is my point.

Scott Edwards: 38:09

Right? And I've tried to advise comics many, many times, that the best way to relate to the audience capture their attention is don't talk to Adam, talk to them, talk with them. And and it's different than being a singer. Or even being an actor where you're reading lines as a stand up comic, you have to be able to have that conversation. Control the room and and make it yours in. That's terrific advice. Now, all this great experience has led you to do a terrific highly rated one man show called The Man Who made Sinatra laugh. How did you write that? And in how long have you been performing that? Because I know it's done very well.

Unknown: 38:57

I've been getting this great reviews for years. But what happened was after Frank Sinatra died, I knew I was a pallbearer at his funeral, and I spoke at his funeral. And, and I miss him every day in my life. He was it was such an exciting tour. 14 years playing in this private jet all over the world. And, you know, landing in squad cars and limousines rushing you to the arena, you do the show. It's quite 1000 limousines rushing to the private jet. Moments later, you're flying over the venue, people aren't even their cars yet, and you're on your way home. You know.

Tom Dreesen: 39:30

There was it was a great, great tour, and in that time, and I'm gonna get back to your original question. You know, but in that time, I was offered more sitcoms and most comedians get offered in their lifetime. And I kept turning them down. I had two agents actually leave me because they were tired of trying to get me auditions. I you know, I I was playing with this living legend. And when I was a little boy shining shoes and all the bars back in Harvey, I had eight brothers and sisters were very poor. We lived in a shack if you had holes in your shoes, you put cardboard in and if you window broke, you stuck a rag in a raggedy Poor kid. And while I was shining shoes and all these bars to get money to feed my brothers and sisters, Frank snapper was on all those two boxes. And here I was flying with him all over the world, you know, embracing the same stage as Frank Sinatra, that Frank Sinatra thought enough of me to say, you know, Come fly with me, come on the same stage with me. And then each night after I'd worked with him in Vegas, or Tao Reno land, actually, it's a timing it, we I would actually stage right he would, he would interstage, right. He'd get the center stage and he'd call me back out Tommy come and take about me. There's my man. I mean, I didn't want to give that up what I was doing, and I was touring with him. And also, at that same time I was playing golf on the Golf Tour. celebrity players tour they call it it was basketball, baseball, football hockey, Tennyson showbusiness people that were 10 handicapper below. So it was Johnny Bench Mike Schmidt, Mario Lemieux, John Elway, Dan Marino, Michael Jordan 42 hall of famers and showbusiness. It was me, Jack Wagner, Eddie marinara, Smokey Robinson, Frankie Avalon, people like that. I was the only comedian on the tour, you know. But if you would have told me one day when I was going to brag for one day, you're going to get inside of an arena, and you're going to compete with the greatest athletes that ever lived in your lifetime. I'd say that's impossible. That could never possibly happen. If you said to me, one day you hear they're going to do back, you're gonna be flying in his private jet. Staying in his home six times a year. I say that's impossible. So Christopher Morley, the other one said, Success is living the life you want. That's why I turned down on all those sitcoms and other things. Because I was living the life that I wanted. And I don't regret it when that

Scott Edwards: 41:48

and I think that's great advice for anybody out there because I was curious, and I was going to ask you had all those 500 TV appearances 60 Tonight shows both of us know, people that did the Tonight Show and immediately got sitcoms, obviously those opportunities opened up for you, but you chose the life on the road, because you were working with the absolute elite of showbusiness. That's an amazing life to have led Tom and I know you're excited and proud of it, but what a gracious way to entertain people.

Tom Dreesen: 42:29

Well, again, this is you know, I'm a Live Performer. If you if you play the word association game with me when I was growing up, I was a little boy in when I was growing up in Harvey, suburban, the Southside of Chicago. As I said earlier, if you just said, play the word association game you should love I'd say, Mom, if you should baseball, I'd say cubs, if you said children who said Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, Dean Martin. They were live performers that would show business, you know, that the love they had for one another was apparent. The love they had for the industry, and for the music was also apparent. But it would live performing to me. It's what I was. The first time I saw Dave Letterman on stage at the Comedy Store. He was always uncomfortable, funny, brilliant, but uncomfortable. But the first time I saw him in a television studio, he was home. He came home. He that's where he broke in, he was a weatherman in Indianapolis. Right. Television Studios weren't foreign to him. You know, but nightclub stages were, you know, and so when I walk out on a nightclub stage, you know, I felt like I was home. I mean, that's where I felt like I belonged, you know, right. And again,

Scott Edwards: 43:40

you were saying that the for Sammy and Frank and Dean Martin, that the stage was their home. And, you know, just as for you, you were saying how they love their songs, and they love the industry. But I think they also had a love for the audience. And they wanted as Mr. Sinatra said, to make everyone feel like royalty and give them the performance of their life. And you bought into that wholeheartedly and love the stage love show business. But I think you love the audience in that interaction.

Tom Dreesen: 44:15

I love making people laugh. I wrote a poem many years ago, and I'm not going to do for you, but it's in my book, but it's called the sound of laughter. And the opening lines are as far back as I can remember. or shortly thereafter. I love to hear the sound of laughter. I love performing. It goes on and on. When I go on stage, I don't throw up before I go on stage. I don't pay some rent and I love going out I can I can hardly wait to get out there. I enjoy making people laugh, you know?

Scott Edwards: 44:46

Yeah, and enjoying what you're doing is is so important. But let me bring you back to the one man show. The man who made Sinatra laugh. It's not easy to sit down and it's like writing a play right? You have a certain segments of the show you want to fill so much time and you're trying to not only share information but be funny. It's different than writing a stand up act with Did you find it challenging or easy because of your life's experience?

Tom Dreesen: 45:15

Well, it was a little bit challenging. And I'll tell you what, first of all, let me tell you why I started doing it. After Frank died everywhere I went every show that I ever went on. They'd always want to know what Frank Sinatra story I did 50 appearances and David Letterman, every single one he had Jay, tell us about Frank, he wanted a Frank Sinatra story. You know, everywhere I went, you know, people, you know, no matter what I was doing, I was running. I ran three marathons for multiple sclerosis because my sister Darlene had Ms. So I called it 26 miles for Darlene. And every year I'd run 26 miles and people would place money for every mile I run. And that's been a lot of celebrities in with me, they'd run part of the way, a mile two miles, whatever. Smokey Robinson is the only one who ran out 26 miles with me. Wow. But the first one I was ever going to run. There's a guy out there from CNN, they said, you know, we're standing out here we're ready to start the racecompetitions about the run his first marathon. And Tom, before we start, tell us about Frank Sinatra.

Scott Edwards: 46:11

So instead of being about you, it's about Frank.

Tom Dreesen: 46:14

That's funny. Because he and I knew that he was larger than life Scott. I told him one night, you know, that I was we were flying in this private jet back into Palm Springs in in a jet was based here in Van Nuys, California. And that's I live in Sherman Oaks. So we would he would we land in Palm Springs, he would get off and I would fly in the jet with the pilot back here to Van Nuys, California. And when one night we landed there on a Thursday and Frank said to me, Tommy, you're going to spend the weekend here. I should not I gotta go back I'm doing tonight or tomorrow night on a Friday night. He should I'll call for the the quarterback get you out of it. I should obviously I don't want to get out of it. It's like my 50th appearance. And he should Oh, wow, he should that must be a record. For comedians, I should know that there might be other comedians who have done more than me. But it doesn't matter, Frank, it no matter what I do in my life, I could find a cure to cancer. My obituary is going to say the comedian who toured with Frank Sinatra, well, maybe my obituary, maybe laboratory will say the single trigger condition. And we started laughing We both laugh. And so

Scott Edwards: 47:20

that's a funny thing.

Tom Dreesen: 47:22

But my point is, it came to pass, everywhere I went after Frank died. So one day, I just said, You know what, and I kept telling the stories of my life with him to different people who put it in books, they put it on their shows. So I said, You know what, I'm gonna write a one man show. And also, you know, I tell every comedian that I know, all of you, there's a one man show and all of you, no one's ever had your same mom and dad, your same brothers and sisters your same life, their same childhood, there's a one man show on all of you, comedy clubs, that will help you pay the rent. But that's about it. You know, you're gonna run that nation and be a road warrior, a road to median, and you're going to be able to pay your rent and groceries, maybe but, and in that, that's about as far as she's gonna go for you. But theaters, and also in those comedy clubs, there's other comics on before you. And there's also waiters and waitresses coming in and out serving drink, breaking up your rhythm, breaking up your punch line, you know, taking the punch line away from one table to another table, because you're just setting drinks down while you're hitting the punch line. When you go to a theater. They're all right there in front of you. And it's a perfect setup for comedians.

Scott Edwards: 48:33

Yeah. And it's a different experience for the audience and the comic. And that's why I was asking if that was a tough transition.

Tom Dreesen: 48:41

No, what I did, what I did was I walk out, let me give you a brief synopsis of the show. While people are finding into the theater, my role manager is playing Sinatra songs in the background, setting the mood. Then we have a big screen on stage, when when it's showtime, all the lights go download. And on the screen, Dennis Farina, God rest his soul narrate a three and a half minute somewhat my life. And then once the film introduces me from the film, the the screen is set aside, I walk out, and I do maybe 3035 minutes of stand up comedy. And I do what I do. I'm a stand up comedian. Then I segue over to a bar on the stage, there's a bar on the stage. And that's a bottle of Jack Daniels. And because that was French Nick of choice, of course. And I go over to so many so much material. I segue over to the bar, and I tell a very funny story at the bar, and the audience laughs and when they laugh, and they're laughing, all the lights go up on stage and on the screen, Frank Sinatra singing, It's quarter to three. There's no one in the place, except you and me, I saloon song. And he's like singing it to me. And I'm sitting at the bar. And when he gets to the chorus, make it one for my baby and one more for the road. He goes off screen and the spotlight. It's me. And now I'm in a bar, and I've come home and the audience is in a bar with me. And I tell them the first time I heard that voice, I was 10 years And I've always thought that a good comedian could make you laugh for an hour and a half. But a great comedian can make you laugh and cry. I only saw two comedians ever do that Richard Pryor and Red Skelton where they could take you to tears and then turn right around and bring you back the laughter. Most comedians wouldn't dare do that. Because once you get them, you want to keep them on a roll. But I saw Richard Pryor do that one night? And I said, wow, wow, that's something I'd really like to try when they that was a challenge. You know?

Scott Edwards: 51:39

Yeah. accomplish that with your one man show. And I think that it's interesting, because what you were doing was sharing you literally your life story, your life's work through with Sinatra is kind of the underlying theme in your one man show. But what's interesting is that's pretty much the same is writing your own autobiography or book now your book just came out called "Still Standing", right?

Tom Dreesen: 52:07

Yeah. And the subtitle is my journey from streets to saloons, to the stage and Sinatra.

Scott Edwards: 52:12

So I'm wondering if it makes perfect sense. Did that one man show the writing that you had to do for that? Make it easier to convert it to your book still standing?

Tom Dreesen: 52:23

You know, I actually had all that written even before what happened. And I tell all comedians, they should do this, too. When I first started out, we even with Tim Reid, if something funny happened that night or something poignant. I journaled, I went home, and I wrote it down. Then I had a huge book full of personal stories that I had typed up, and put them in files. And then a few years back, a couple of guys, John Marshall, and Darren Grom, two wonderful guys called me and said, Mr. Vision, you know, they would post they'll press, a publisher, and Simon and Schuster with their distributor, and they publisher, we'd like to write a book about your life, we think it's very interesting. I said, I've already written a book, but I would love to have you help me with a narrative. I don't want I want all these words to be mine. Because I don't want anybody ever to say, Gee, I read your book, and you said this. And then I would say, Gee, I didn't say that. Well, if you've got the book you've had, you know, what I said to these have to be my word. But I want you to help with the narrative. And they were gracious to do that, I would send them my chapters, and then they would come back and say, I think you should take this line out and put it in chapter 17, rather than chapter four, or whatever, you know, and they helped me with the narrative. And the book is a real easy, we just got right now, over 345 five star reviews. Now that's amazing. And where can they get this book? Is it available everywhere? You go to amazon.com. And you can purchase it there to be at your house in two days or at a Barnes and Noble store.

Scott Edwards: 53:53

Well, ladies and gentlemen, Tom Driessen, his book still standing. And if you get the opportunity, do not miss his one man show the man who made Sinatra laugh. But Tom, you've had such an amazing career. And the whole basis of this podcast is how his stand up comedy affected you as an entertainer. And in this case, unlike many people that I've already talked to, you've had such a diverse, successful career from stage with Tim and Tom as a duo, to being a solo performer for Mitzi at the Comedy Store to 60 tonight shows lots of television appearances. I think you've done a little acting something like 18 or 19 movies and TV shows, your one man show and now a book. I mean, you've really capsulated an amazing career. And probably one of the reasons why you have your own Walk of Fame in Palm Springs. I mean, you are one of those guys, congratulations.

Tom Dreesen: 55:02

Yeah, I have a star and the pumps things like a theme. Thank you very much. It's very nice. I've had a wonderful career. And sprinkling the best is yet to come. I'm not done yet.

Scott Edwards: 55:12

Right? Oh, no, no, no, we don't want to think this is your obit, you are still a hard working comic, you can be seen on TV still making appearances. You have your one man show, you just authored this book, which is doing really well. You're still working the entertainment boards that we mentioned earlier and building your stage, broader and broader. And congratulations, because you have outlasted and tested so many different areas of show business. It's It's amazing. And and I know that you're successful continue.

Unknown: 55:50

But thank you. For all the comedians out there that listen to this. I tell the comedians at the end of my motivations, we assume? Do you know how lucky you are? Do you know Do you know how important you are to our society that you can make people laugh that they did a survey around the world many years ago of the 10 peers of men. That was fourth pain, which was second. Getting up in front of an audience was number one, the number one fear of mankind, getting in front of it if you can get up in front of an audience, and you can talk about your house painter or your lawyer or a truck driver. And you can talk to that audience for an hour about your profession, you're in less than 1% of the population of the world. If you can get up and make people laugh for an hour a year in less than 1,000,000th of 1% of the population in the world. That's how special you are. And why you're also special. As laughter is healing. It used to be a theory, it's no longer a theory. It's a scientific fact, we've always known that laughter is psychologically a deterrent, because the brain can pick up two thoughts at the same time. So if you're watching a comedian or laughing at a comedian, they're not thinking about your problems. So laughter is psychologically a deterrent. But now because of Norman Cousins, who wrote the book, laughter map, and the anatomy of an illness, UCLA did research and what happens to the human body? When when you have a hearty laugh, when you've laughed so hard that after? After you laugh, you do so I do. A sense of well being comes over your body, they found that the brain when you have a laugh, like that releases endorphins into the bloodstream. And so that's why you have that sense of well being after A hearty laugh. So laughter is not only psychologically a deterrent, it's physiologically therapeutic. So therefore, comedians are physicians of the soul. And you can call me Dr. Reshet. If you mind, Scott.

Scott Edwards: 57:38

Well, I think that you there's no better way that you could have explained that Tom. And, as I've said, I've been in this on the fringe of this business for over 40 years. And it's so easy to see why you're able to capsulate it in such a great way, your experiences your life, your success, and being able to turn it into simple but important points that the future entertainers need to listen to, from the advice you got from Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra to the work you did on TV. You've learned and grown as a performer for decades and decades. And now you're sharing that through your one man show and your books still standing. And just those little gems of verbiage you just shared are so valuable to me in the business but a to anybody listening. So thank you for taking the time to share with us today. It's really been an honor to talk with you, Tom.

Tom Dreesen: 58:44

Thanks, Scott. I really appreciate it.

Scott Edwards: 58:46

Well, everybody go out and get his book still standing. You can find it in Amazon or bookstores everywhere. And again, as I mentioned, if you get a chance to catch his one man show, the man who made Sinatra laugh, ladies and gentlemen, I still say a legend in the entertainment business. Tom Driessen Thank you Tom for doing this. You're welcome Scott anytime Call me anytime. All right, ladies and gentlemen, stay tuned. There's more coming. Oh, man, that was a fun interview to do. Hey, as you know, I always try to add a few minutes of stand up comedy to these interviews. Here's a set I was able to find of Tom Driessen live on stage.

Tom Dreesen: 59:26

When correction. I didn't open for Frank Sinatra. He clothes for me was really happy to be I was here last year in this area. I was playing golf in a celebrity terminated Bellamy Golf Club Golf Course in Nashville. And they have a celebrity in every group. And you know, they have this tournament every year. So I went to was my first time last year I grew up on the first tee and the three guys I'm supposed to be playing with. I went up and one guy came up as a car dealer. He said Hi, um, who? McEnery I said Hi, I'm Tom drusen. He said Nice to meet you Tom. Sure hope we get a good so Nobody last year we got some guy I never heard of. But I played three days in a tournament and I had to do a show in Memphis on the last day. So after we played golf all day, I was filling up with gas in Nashville, and I was concerned maybe there might fall asleep at the wheel. And we had Memphis so I went inside and union refrigerator they had that Red Bull. Have you ever drink that Red Bull? Look, I'd make the candidate Red Bull. I was halfway to Memphis before I realized I left my car in the station back in Nashville. The other call SF cocaine into Canada or something like that. But this was a great year for me. By the way, the internet broke down the other day, so I had to spend some time with my family and they seem like nice people. I'm old school. I want to explain to him just before the show and I'm not making this up. I get this text and I hope I can find it. This is I'm sure some of you will get this. This is for my daughter. Hey, Dad. My BFF broke up with me. But my BFF says it's Nbd BTW I know this is TMI, but IDC HMU which I found that means hit me up. Because I need advice and money. I texted her back wage. Yes, yes, you ain't getting squat I have a 32 year old daughter I'm very proud of because she's so independent. She lives by herself in my house. To get toes out of the house, I think turtles might be the one dumbest better human being can have because you can't tell the turtles that are like a turtle will lay in one place for 10 days. And just when you're ready to throw it out. It will make a move. I have a son just like that one of the concerns back home are bullies in the schoolyard bullies. It's an important subject. We should be discussing this but we all had bullies. When we were growing up in my neighborhood. We had a group that they traveled in threes and fours if you looked at them, that cross eyed that beat the tar out of you they were black and white we call them nuns. My nuns in school Sister Catherine Margaret sister Margie at a Sister Bernadette Mary's Sister Maria Andre sister and CO sister Matilda, Sister Thomas Sita and sister Madonna trees. I'll put those eight nuns up against any SWAT team in America. I don't think I'll ever get married again. I think I'll just get a dog you know, because the dog is man's best friend. It really is. My buddy said my wife is my best friend. I said that dog is man's best friend. Put your wife and your dog in the trunk of your car. Leave them there for an hour open the trunk see was was happy to see you.

Scott Edwards: 1:02:48

Well, you can see why Tom has been such a successful entertainer. For over four decades. He's an amazing comic, and that stand up comedy led him to a career that people can only dream of. Thanks for listening to this very important interview. I hope you enjoyed listening to it as much as I had making it. And we'll see you next week with another great show. Bye.

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