Remote Learning. 04/29/26

It’s a case of art following life.. Just after John and I thought of the remote control comic, I tried to fix a doll called Mensch on the Bench. For those of you who don’t speak Yiddish, a mensch is a person of integrity, honor and decency. For a period of time between the end of my advertising career and the beginning of the New 60, I was asked to be the voice of the mensch. I said such things as “Open the vindow, I’m shvitzing (open the window I’m sweating), ” Or “Vould it hurt to call your zaydie once in a while? (Would it hurt to call your Grandpa…). Our grandkids were coming to sleep over and I knew the five-year old would love to hear my voice when she pressed the hand of the Mensch. Only problem was the battery had died and I couldn't get the battery cover opened. Before you rush to judgment, it didn't slide open, it required a very small Phillips head screwdriver. I screwed and screwed (please calm your sophomoric minds) but the screwdriver kept turning and nothing was loosening. I accepted defeat and went to the hardware store for help. One guy used a flat head screwdriver to pry it partially open while the other guy unscrewed it. So it took two to tango. My manhood was restored. Until I opened the new set of batteries and put them in backwards in the hardware store. The owner stifled his laughter and said, “Uhh, you put them in backwards. See this plus sign…” So when Rachel told Marv he put the remote control batteries in backwards, I had empathy for his plight.

If our other comic sounds like it was written by a five-year old, it essentially was. I took my oldest granddaughter and her mom (my daughter) to a silent movie. When we explained what that was, she asked if she would be allowed to laugh. I told this to my former roommate and bestie who instantly said, “You should use that as one of your comics” I pitched it to John, he agreed, and with a few minor tweaks, you see the result. As Art Linkletter used to say, “Kids say the darnedest things”. And they make for good comics, whether they know it or not. Next week we’ve got one straight from John’s granddaughters.

Finally be on the lookout for a YouTube video of John and me. We were interviewed on the ‘Chris Voss Show.” He interviews CEO’s, inventors, writers and even us. We will post it on our website next week as soon as it becomes available.

We will see you next week with two new ones and as the Mensch would say, “Oy! Enough already vith the blog, these people have other things to do!”

Andy and John