Oh my goodness, that’s me and ah yes, I will be making an appearance at this years REPS SHOWCASE. And oh how delighted I am to be back at the very familiar microphone which Bergen and I called home for so many years, first on NBC and then CBS, and now to be on the REPS Radio soundstage. Rumor has it that we will be “showcasing” one of the legendary broadcasts made famous on the Charlie McCarthy radio show not too many years ago. I have always enjoyed my visits to REPS where I have received the utmost respect from the fans of radio. I did not always receive that same respect during those Golden Days of Radio you know. No, you say? Do you think I jest? Why, do you recall back in 1938 when Orson Wells almost destroyed the world with his Martian Broadcast? Orson’s version of the War of the Worlds was broadcast on CBS in the time slot directly competing with the Chase and Sanborn Program (which featured Bergen and I ) on NBC. I don’t think I would be bragging if I mentioned that our program was a very popular Sunday night attraction back in 1938 with an audience much larger than Orson could have ever imagined for his CBS show. It has been suggested that it was I who saved the world that very evening on October 30th, 1938 due to the fact that so many people were listening to me that they failed to hear the War of the Worlds broadcast. Could you just imagine the increased panic if all those people who were listening to me had actually heard Orson’s show instead? I just shudder thinking about it. Just days after the broadcast there was talk that Bergen and I had done a tremendous service. I felt so proud of this fact until I read an article in the Daily News — ” War of the Worlds Radio Hoax Stirs Terror, Dummy Helps Save the World“. A tad bit disrespectful might’n you say? But I am not going to be bothered by something that happened over 70 years ago. I am oh so focused on the present day and very much looking forward to once again being at the microphone and bringing back one of the great Charlie McCarthy shows from yesterday. It’s all happening Friday evening, April 15th at the REPS SHOWCASE. See you there!
Charlie McCarthy will be played by A REPS performer for the 2016 Showcase.
