Kim Howard Johnson - The Funniest One in the Room: The Lives and Legends of Del Close

Del wasnt a conventional teacher. He rarely said Do this. Dont do that. Rather, you learned through some freaky osmosis by just being around this unique man. Johnsons book allows the reader a glimpse into the presence of Del even though he is no longer physically with us.

Rachel Dratch, Saturday Night Live

What Lee Strasberg is to drama, Del Close is to comedy. Author Kim Howard Johnson brilliantly explains how an offbeat genius from Kansas, with limited social skills, spawned a comedic revolution.

Tim Kazurinsky, Saturday Night Live

In this tale of the redemption of Del Close, Johnson achieves the impossibleputting a semblance of order into the chaotic life and work of one of Americas most extraordinary artists.

George Wendt, Cheers

The definitive book on Del Close. If there were a Dead Sea Scroll concerning comedy Del Close would have been the prophet. Howard Johnson has captured the mystic for us.

David Koechner, Anchorman

Del Close, the skull that launched a thousand skits.

Peter Bonerz, The Bob Newhart Show, the Committee

While focusing his enormous energy on improvisational theater and personal pharmaceutical research, Del Close did not live a life particularly suitable for a conventional endorsement blurb. It is nevertheless an intensely fascinating life, assuming you dont have to live it. Be thankful.

Howard Hesseman, WKRP in Cincinnati, the Committee

Johnsons book proves that Del Close is the most unrecognized and yet most influential comedian in the last fifty years.

Matt Besser, founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade

Most of the world never knew about Del Close, one of the most important men in modern comedy, but Howard Johnsons book is an excellent introduction to this brilliant teacher and innovator.

Ian Roberts, founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Johnson, Kim, 1955-
The funniest one in the room : the lives and legends of Del Close / Kim Howard Johnson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-55652-712-8
1. Close, Del, 1934-2. ActorsUnited StatesBiography.
I. Title.
PN2287.C5465J64 2008
792.028092dc22
[B]

2007044605

Interior design: Pamela Jurez

2008 by Kim Howard Johnson
All rights reserved
First edition
Published by Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN 978-1-55652-712-8
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1

H ey, you know whos coming to my party? Del Close!

Every December, my friend Mike Gold hosted a Saturnalia party at his Evanston, Illinois, home, and always invited an eclectic mixture of friends to celebrate the holiday season.

I had always been a comedy aficionado, and in 1983, I moved to Chicago to study improvisation at the Second City. After two levels of training with Don DePollo, I didnt know where else to study. Del Close is the best, DePollo told me. If you ever have a chance to work with Del, take it.

Del had achieved his greatest notoriety in recent years for directing the Second City, discovering many of the improvisers who had blazed into stardom on Saturday Night Live and SCTV. He sounded like the best person to teach post-Second City improvisation, and the party would be an opportunity to meet him informally.

The night of the Saturnalia party was a typical mid-December night in Chicagolandcold, but without the subzero brutality that usually arrives in January and February. Mike had recently founded an independent comics company, so I spent much of the night talking with several comic book writers and artists.

Eventually, a tall, middle-aged man and a younger woman with long, dark hair made their entrance without making an entrance. By now, the guests were all visiting in smaller groups, but each one was aware that someone of importance had arrived.

A consummate actor, he commanded attention from the other guests, if only for a few moments. His deep, commanding voice resonated, and he seemed to dominate the entire apartment just by entering. It was difficult not to be captivated, even transfixed, and I continued watching him from the corner of my eye as the individual conversations resumed. At first glance, he could almost have been mistaken for a homeless person. He was dressed in a flannel shirt and dark trousers, which apparently had not been laundered recently. His dark hair, with only a few hints of gray, was unkempt and stringy. His black horn-rimmed glasses were apparently held together with adhesive tape. But it only took one look into his eyes to see the intelligence, the charisma, the energy behind them. He had lived hard, faced his demons head-on, and was still standing. He had plenty to teach those who could gain his trust.

Mike led him to a few groups of guests. He sounded warm, gregarious, pleased to meet everyone. Finally, Mike led him to me.

Howard, this is Del Close, said Mike, and we shook hands. And this is his partner, Charna Halpern.

Are you a comic book writer? asked Del.

Actually, I do most of my writing for Starlog magazine, I explained, and when he looked impressed, I added, I occasionally write a little for Fangoria as well.

Starlog? Fangoria! said Del, seizing on what was a relatively small aspect of my freelancing career. Turning to Halpern, he exclaimed, He writes for Fangoria magazine!

Ive been taking classes at Second City, I offered, And Don DePollo says youre the best improvisation teacher anywhere.

Del beamed, obviously pleased. Don DePollo. I used to direct him at Second City with George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky and Jim Belushi...

Halpern stepped forward. You should come take classes with Del, she said. He works with me at the ImprovOlympic.

I had expected a more rigorous audition process, but whether it was mentioning Don DePollo or Fangoria, I wasnt complaining.

Were starting a new session the first Monday in January at Crosscurrents, she said eagerly.

Ill be there, I promised.

Before my first class, I was determined to learn more about Del Close.

It didnt take long to start collecting Del stories. The picture that began to emerge was confusing and sometimes contradictory, occasionally unflattering yet larger than life in a way that transcended show business hyperbole. If he was not quite a cultural touchstone, he had a fingeror possibly a handin much of the great comedy of the latter half of the twentieth century.

Many have called Del Close the most important comedy figure of the last fifty years whom youve never heard of. Just a partial roll call of the talent he either worked with or directed is like a whos who of American comedy: Elaine May, Mike Nichols, Shelley Berman, Joan Rivers, Barbara Harris, Jack Burns, Avery Schreiber, Fred Willard, Peter Boyle, Brian Doyle-Murray, Joe Flaherty, Harold Ramis, John Belushi, John Candy, Bill Murray, Betty Thomas, Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, George Wendt, Jim Belushi, Tim Kazurinsky, Mike Myers, Andy Dick, Bonnie Hunt, Chris Farley, Tim Meadows, Joel Murray, Bob Odenkirk, Dave Koechner, Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Stephen Colbert... and those are only a few of the ImprovOlympic and Second City-related names.