Friday, June 1, 2012

More John Fox Stories

Thursday May 31st, 2012 – Chicago, IL

   I can’t stop thinking about John Fox stories, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Anyone in the comedy business from club owners to bar staff (especially waitresses) to comedians has heard of him, and there was even a song written about him sung by Pat Godwin called ‘The Legend of John Fox’.

   The guy really was a legend, and like him or not he was larger than life within the circles of the comedy world. He wasn’t that well known among the public unfortunately, but he did have a few moments in the sun. He was on the same Rodney Dangerfield HBO special that broke a bunch of comedians into the public’s radar like Sam Kinison, Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen, but not him.

   I’m sure at least part of the reason had to do with his lifestyle, but it doesn’t mean he wasn’t on the same level talent wise as those guys who did pop. Sam Kinison had a few demons of his own to speak of, but for whatever reason he was able to get famous with the public while Fox wasn’t.

   A personal story that still stands out with me is when I was first starting and went on stage and had one of my first really hot sets. I maybe did ten or fifteen minutes, but at the time it was better than any set I’d ever done before. The audience roared, and I felt like I was on top of the world.

   John Fox was the headliner that night, and walked over to me and said “Nice job, Junior. Now watch DADDY go to work.” Then he went up and vaporized the audience and within seconds he made them forget I ever existed. It was a great although humbling lesson, but he didn’t say it in a condescending or pompous way. He let me know I had a ways to go, and he was absolutely right.

   Another time, we were having lunch at a hamburger joint named Juicy’s in Reno when I was at my absolute lowest point in life. I had a morning radio job there at the time, but my focus wasn’t on that as I was dealing with my infamous bank robbery incident where my childhood best friend robbed a bank he worked at and tried to blame it on me. I wasn’t sure I wasn’t headed to prison.

   That was a brutal stretch of life, and I was under constant stress. I was telling Fox the complete story in vivid detail with graphic language when some guy got up from the next booth and asked if I would mind toning it down because his wife was offended by my language. I felt like an ass.

   Fox’s face lit up with a giant grin and he said “Wait until I spread THIS story around. Fox and Dobie are in a restaurant talking, and some guy gets up out of his chair and tells DOBIE to watch his language.” We laughed, as it really was hilarious because he was the one with that reputation.

   Later that night, he took me out to see Frank Sinatra Jr. as he was able to score tickets because he was friends with Tom Dreesen who used to open for him. We were led right to the very front row, and had a blast and a half hanging out and seeing the show. Fox knew I was really having a hard time then, and wanted me to have a little fun and relax. I’ll always remember him for that.

   It’s an absolute shame he had to go out the way he did. Colon cancer is not pleasant. I know he made some choices that weren’t always prudent, but who hasn’t? He was a real talent but had an appetite for destruction that eventually took the ultimate toll. His life was a living lesson to many on several levels, but I will always remember him fondly. Warts and all, he was still my friend.

Posted via email from Dobie Maxwell's "Dented Can" Diary

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