Posted: Sun Dec 02 2001
Fans To Leno, It's OK To Be Funny Now

September 11th was a day that temporary stunned and mortified our great nation. Transportation slowed, flags went to half mast, and for a short time even comedians voluntarily refrained from plying their art because of the feeling that it would somehow be inappropriate. But now with the tragedy more than two months in the past frustrated Tonight Show fans are telling the show's host that the time has come to be funny again.

"There is a time to laugh and a time to cry." Says Joey Sheckum the leader of a small group of fans hoping to send a message to former funny man Jay Leno. "We've cried, now it's time to laugh again." To get that message across Sheckum had a 10 foot rubber chicken specially created by a local manufacturer and he is now collecting signatures on the large latex foul.

Sheckum sees every signature on the chicken as a loving hug for the comedian saying in effect "Go. Be funny again my jutter-jawed friend". The plan is to present the unusual greeting card to Leno live on a future showing of the Tonight Show. So far negotiations are not going well toward arranging such a presentation.

Says the Tonight Show's Talent Director Anna Yanni, "The entire campaign is misguided. Jay is not refraining from being funny he is simply doing the best with what he is being given. I suggest that Mr. Sheckum try and be funny five times a week. Even for America's hardest working comic that has got to wear you down after a while. Especially with the lame material that our writing department gives him!"

Staff writer John Iwouldnotknowafunnylineifitbitmeintheass takes offense at this position. "The true purpose of Tonight Show humor is not to entertain but rather to support the old fashioned values of a certain segment of society. Essentially the old guy that spends a lot of time drinking at the V.F.W. or Knights of Columbus hall." Says Iwouldnotknowafunnylineifitbitmeintheass, "As long as we get at least one 'damn right' out of that drunk old fart we have done our job."

Sheckum, however, is not buying this sort of talk. "He was funny before September 11. He can be funny again." When asked if Leno was actually funny on September 10th Sheckum admits that he cannot remember exactly when Leno stopped being funny but since September 11th was the day that everything changed it was most likely the time that this change occurred as well. "Besides" He adds, "I've got this huge chicken. I have to go through with this."

Besides soliciting signatures, Sheckum is brainstorming with fans for alternate methods of delivering their "support chicken". "The leading two ideas are to lure him out with a bike rally and have the Hooter's Girls present it or simply to drop it on him from a roof when he's getting out of his limo."


--Phillip Matanka