THE SENIOR MEN'S CLUB OF NEW CANAAN
Minutes of the Regular Meeting of January 18, 2002
President Lee Hindenach opened the meeting with 168 members present.
Membership is 500 with 38 on the waiting list.
Announcements: Dick DePatie announced that George Bilek is still at Waveny.
Please call first before visiting. Huck Wood announced that the "Touch the Future"
teachers' volunteer aides list is four years old and needs updating. Applications will
be in the February newsletter. President Hindenach read a letter from the Salvation Army
thanking the SMC for its gifts for children given at the annual Christmas luncheon. Lee
also announced that there would be a Board of Directors' meeting at 8:45 on February 8th.
Couth Chairman Bob Wosahla gave his annual plea for volunteers for coffee detail for
February and March. He didn't threaten us yet.
Activities: Bowling had 4 last week but didn't brag about the games. Paddle
continues Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 4-Fs lunch next week at Nino's in Vista; Racquetball
was strangely silent, where is everybody? Bridge is going strong with help from the
seasonal weather. "Trailblazers" was also silent, perhaps because their fearless leader
is currently in New Zealand.
Couth: 2/22 Bridgeport Cabaret Theater, 3/5 the Philadelphia Flower Show, 4/23-4/25
the Washington D.C. trip which still has room for three couples. Tentative April trip will be
to the Bronx Zoo and lunch at a restaurant on Arthur Avenue.
Jester: Humorist of the day Pete Stair gave some definitions of "Red Necks," and then told a story
about a farmer who caused quite an uproar in a Las Vegas house of ill repute when trying to pay
in Canadian dollars for services rendered.
Speaker: Vice President Ron Seger introduced two members of the SMC. First, Bob
Moylan who told a very up-to-date story of possible terrorism on a plane and its effect on
passengers' pants, and then he introduced John Berg who took us all down Memory Lane for a
bit of history of humor. John began with the radio, giving excerpts of Jack Benny, Fibber
McGee and Molly, Will Rogers, and Abbott and Costello. It was pointed out that Mr. Rogers'
humor about American Indians would be unacceptable today. It was wonderful hearing the old
banter between Jack Benny and Rochester, and the SMC was still roaring over Abbott and
Costello's "Who's on First" routine. From the radio, John switched on to humor in the
movies, giving us glimpses of Billy Crystal in "City Slickers", Billy and Meg Ryan in "When
Harry met Sally," and other poignant moments from "Young Frankenstein" and
"Full Monty",
which in England means total nudity. That was aptly exhibited in the movie. John ended the
presentation with out-takes from scenes of "Grumpier Old Men" and "Bloopers" with Johnny
Carson, Dick van Dyke, Lucy and Desi, Colonel Klink, and Don Rickles. This was all very
funny stuff which made us all wonder what ever happened to real humor. John did say there
was hope ahead with the recent "Carol Burnett" show, which had very high ratings, and
hopefully will spawn more shows like it. We certainly hope he's right. The old humor
held a special place in all our hearts, and John brought that back to us. We only wish
years from now our children can say the same.
Eric Musa, Secretary