Stan Freberg fans—your fix has arrived

Nearly 20 years ago, on Sept. 10, 1999, this piece about the wunnerful, wunnerful Stan Freberg was published in The Kansas City Kansan. I was a Freberg fanatic then, and continue to be. The man introduced satire and parody into my sense of humor, and I shall be ever grateful. My column that day was essentially a review of a brand new boxed set of Stan’s CDs. 

Unfortunately, that set has been out of print for some time, but Amazon and other sites still have a few used and new copies available. These sterling recordings represent a chunk of showbiz comedy history, ladies and gentlemen. Since 1999, my friend Dave Laudick has died. But then I discovered another friend, Craig Delich, is a Freberg fan too. Now we sometimes share our foreign language à la Stan.   

Stan Freberg died April 7, 2015 at 88. 

By Steve Crum

Invariably, it’s Freberg. Somehow, somewhere, sometimes—a Frebergism invites itself into my conversation. Of course, the person with whom I am conversing must understand Frebergian tongue. Since only one of my friends, David Laudick out west in Scott City, Kansas, connects with this language, the majority of my acquaintances miss out. And they do not realize their deprivation. The source of quotes is the brilliant satirist Stan Freberg. I have had a love affair with his words for almost 40 years. 

Let us nail the fact that Freberg is an infrequent movie actor, so fitting him into this film-based column is valid. But the latest cause for Roman candles is the recent release of a fantastic box set of Freberg’s greatest words, images and sounds (from songwriter to sound effects expert), titanically called (with no apology to icebergs): Tip of the Freberg: The Stan Freberg Collection 1951-98 (Rhino/$59.97).

For Freberg fans, it is the ultimate heaped ladle-fun of the best in satirical comedy and funny commercials. For anyone not already Freberged, just listen. Then tru NOT to absorb each memorable minute contained on the four CDs and one VHS video. You are hooked. The 70ish Stan Freberg has been called “The Father of the Funny Commercial” and “The Dean of American Satire”—with good reason. After beginning as a Warner Brothers cartoon voice in the 1940s when a teenager, Freberg soon after starred in a modestly funny network radio show before working in early TV with Bob Clampett as one of the puppet masters and voices on the live action Time for Beany show. Daws Butler was his fellow puppeteer and voice guy. Freberg enjoys telling that Albert Einstein was a huge fan.

During the early 1950s, Freberg teamed with Butler (later the voice of Captain Crunch, Huckleberry Hound, and many others) in writing and performing a string of hit singles for Capitol Records.  They are all featured within this humongous box set. Each is a Dr. Demento delight, and often played on his radio shows. Remember Freberg’s version of Jack Webb’s Dragnet, renamed St. George and the Dragonet?

St. George, the knight who sounds like Jack Webb, ready to arrest the fire breathing dragon: “I’ve got you on a 412 too.”

Dragon (screaming): “A 412! What’s a FOUR-TWELVE!!??”

St. George (glibly): “Overacting. Let’s go.” (Theme from Dragnet is played.)

Included in the nearly four hour spectacular is his parody of soap operas, John and Marsha, wherein Freberg, playing both the man and woman, repeatedly interprets the words “John” and “Marsha” for three minutes while a sympathetic organ drones on in the background. The 45 rpm record sold a million. Then there is Freb’s slam on Lawrence Welk, Wunnerful, Wunnerful, during which the Aragon Ballroom fills up with rampant bubbles and floats away to outer space. How could one miss his Harry Belafonte takeoff of The Banana Boat song (Day-O): “Hey man, like I don’t dig spiders”? Excerpts from Freberg’s half dozen comedy albums, long out of print, are also featured. That batch includes his gem, Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America (both volumes) and Freberg Underground. 

The familiar hits have been available on tape and CD for years, but The Tip of the Freberg has recordings this fan had never heard or knew existed. Since Freberg made his millions in advertising, running his own “Freberg Ltd., But Not Very” agency, audio and video commercials are well represented here. Would you believe over 50 audio sports on CD #4, and 20 minutes of TV commercials on a video? Pizza is well represented, particularly with Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels in Lone Ranger and Tonto wardrobe hawking Jeno’s Pizza Rolls. (Tonto to Lone Ranger: “Want a pizza roll, Kemosabe?”) 

Many excerpts in the set are from Freberg’s hit CBS radio series from the summer of 1957, The Stan Freberg Show. The mock commercial for Puffed Grass still grabs. We are talking actual lawn mowing grass here, by the way. Discovered accidentally when a janitor threw some clippings down a Puffed Oat gun, the result was Puffed Grass. “You can always tell a Puffed Grass eater. He has a green mouth.”

Spend a few hours listening to this gotta-have Freberg library. You might get arrested for over-laughing.

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GRADE on an A to F scale: A

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2 thoughts on “Stan Freberg fans—your fix has arrived

  1. Incident at Los Voraces: A terrific slam at the Cold War and brinkmanship that never once mentions governments.
    He was the best at what he did, and I miss him

  2. Freberg remains the most brilliant and innovative satirist/parodist of them all. In fact, he stands alone. The Los Voraces gem is chillingly timely today. It’s interesting–and very bold–that his classic “fable” about Las Vegas and the world in general occupied nearly 25 minutes of his 30 minute radio program. I miss him too, Bob.

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