I didn’t know Jay Thomas very well, but I did know him for a long time.
He subscribed to my radio comedy service back when he was a jock at WAYS/Charlotte.
I saw him make the jump from Charlotte to New York City, then to Power 106/Los Angeles.
At a radio convention in Dallas, however, I realized he had a unique quality as a performer.
Jay was on a panel that I moderated.
I don’t remember anything about that panel, but I remember being in the audience during some other session…or perhaps Jay had a solo spot.
That’s when I realized that as a performer, his comic mind had no governor.
Governor: A device automatically regulating the supply of fuel to a motor vehicle, thereby limiting its speed.
Jay made a joke that was funny and true…and I couldn’t believe he had said what every guy in the audience would agree with but would never publicly admit to.
I’ve encountered other funny radio personalities who never realized when they had veered off into unfunny territory.
That wasn’t the case with Jay.
He knew.
And yes, if you’re familiar with the cause of his demise on Cheers, you know there were times when a “governor” would’ve been helpful.
Not limiting his own output doesn’t mean he didn’t know what he was saying or the kind of effect it was likely to have.
That’s why all these years later I vividly recall that one remark that Jay made.
The one that was true, was funny, and that most performers would’ve been afraid to voice.
There are tons of people who can share many more (and more interesting) stories about Jay than I; I have only that one.
But, at least for me, it was an eye-opening experience.
So long, Jay. I barely knew you, and I miss you already.
Here’s a video clip (courtesy of George Junak’s California Aircheck) of Jay at Power 106.
Unfortunately, that clip offers a good example of a radio “sidekick” (which includes “newsperson”) not knowing how to be part of a team.
If she simply had answered Jay’s straightforward question (“Does it hurt? Does it itch? What does it do?”), he could have continued with his take on a topical item.
Instead, she responded by making her own lame joke and then still refusing to answer his question.
Jay’s goal was to get to his punchline — what to the audience would sound like an off-the-cuff remark about toy poodles.
What was her goal?
It gets worse.
Later in the video aircheck, there’s a news story about “swimming,” and Jay uses it as a springboard to a small joke.
What was his goal?
His goal was to make it clear that, like the audience, he was listening along to the newscast on his morning show…and to reinforce his funny “star of the show” character.
Not only did the news sidekick not help her partner achieve that goal; she actually ruined a decent little joke by stepping on the punchline.
It ruined the joke and made the encounter a waste of the listeners’ time.
Jay hadn’t been aimlessly rambling; he was trying to get to the punchline.
Unlike viewers of this video aircheck, listeners couldn’t see Jay “holding up” a room key.
They needed time to process what he was saying…as well as the ability to hear the punchline itself.
But they never got that chance, because the other “team member” didn’t know how to how to be part of a morning team.
