My buddy Farrell shot me an email Thursday. Here’s the gist:
I attended the Radio & Television Correspondents Dinner last night at the DC Convention Center. Joe Biden was the main speaker. A couple of funny lines in the beginning of his speech. Also, look for Joe Wong, a comedian, who wrapped up the evening. He has a final line about global warming. I thought of you.
First, I’m impressed Farrell was at the dinner. He is the International Man of Mystery™, but he’s never been a correspondent. At least he hasn’t been in the nearly thirty years I know him¹!
Second, who the hell is Joe Wong? Am I that far behind on comedians? I went to the C-SPAN site to look at the video. That’s when I found out this broadcast wasn’t even on ‘real’ C-SPAN, but C-SPAN 2–The Deuce.
Joe was introduced as having been on Letterman and Ellen Degeneres. That’s OK on a resume, but not great. He walked to the podium. If you were looking for a comedian he is not what you would have been looking for! Yet as soon as he began to speak the audience roared–and this is a very tough crowd!
Joe Wong is Chinese born, Rice educated. His accent is strong. His observations of our, now his, culture are dead on.
This was a great surprise–a wonderful surprise. I am now a Joe Wong fan.
Here’s the video from C-SPAN 2.
¹ – I met Farrell on the phone about 15 minutes before I knocked over and then met Helaine. That was a VERY good day!