FOOTLOOSE AND…
In the wild world of entertainment, a great public relations rep is almost a must for success. And Bill Murray must have one. How else could he have been awarded the 2016 Mark Twain Humor Award? Murray is a longtime hanger-oner in the business, but one of its top awards? I don’t think so.
Let’s take a peek at some past winners: Carol Burnett, Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres and Tina Fey. Do you think Murray belongs in that kind of company?
Murray was an unspectacular performer on Saturday Night Live. He has appeared in a few unmemorable movies, and pops up, occasionally, in a TV guest moment. But according to Deborah Rutter, president of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Murray has gratified audiences with “unforgettable performances from an eclectic cast of characters that have become ingrained in our cultural vernacular.”
Gimme a break! I asked 10 people, none of whom could identify a single “unforgettable character” created by Murray, and two could not even identify Murray.
The Mark Twain Award will be presented to Murray on Oct. 23 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. I expect to watch it, then utter a “Bronx cheer.” I think the winning honors should go to Murray’s PR person.
