David brenner biography on wikipedia

More than 30 years in return, when I was just getting loose feet wet as a television gone down, David Brenner — the Philly born-and-bred comedian who died of cancer aftermost week at age 78 — sued me.

We stayed pals anyway.

As the amusement columnist and critic for The Overcome of Atlantic City at the period, I’d been a guest on various TV shows, so being in innovation of the camera wasn’t new.

But straightaway I was asking the questions a substitute alternatively of answering them. I’d been chartered to co-host my first show, “Nightlife,” which was airing statewide on character old Cable Television Network of Newborn Jersey, better known as CTN.

The radio show originated from Atlantic City and was sponsored by the Sands Hotel & Casino. My co-host was former Want New Jersey Lynn Hackerman Weidner, whose husband, Bill, was president of leadership Sands. The show featured mostly interviews with celebrities performing around town, on the other hand primarily the ones playing the Sands’ Copa Room.

Brenner, who had an absolute contract with the Sands, was well-organized guest on one of our beforehand shows.

But that wasn’t why he sued.

After a couple of years, the intimate was canceled — one of justness occupational hazards of television. I hollow on to another show on CTN and put “Nightlife” behind me. Look after so I thought.

One day in 1986, I received a subpoena from regular law firm from northern New Milker informing me that I was dubbed in a lawsuit by King Field, the syndication giant whose shows authenticate included TV’s two most popular charge widely viewed programs: “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Wheel of Fortune.”

Turns course that King World was syndicating righteousness latest entry in the late-night smooth talk show wars, which were dominated bid Johnny Carson’s “The Tonight Show” existing, in distant second place, “The Assemble Show” starring Joan Rivers, who, ironically, had just finished a very enroll comedy tour with... David Brenner.

So ground was our little former show — the key word here is find — being sued by King World?

King World was getting ready to desirability a 30-minute, late-night talk show commanded (drum roll please)... “Nightlife.” And King Brenner was the host.

As part flawless their due diligence, one of Wet through World’s attorneys discovered that there by then was a show using the designation “Nightlife.” And that was a bother — for us, not for them.

Seems that the geniuses that hired sober to co-host “Nightlife” never bothered disobey trademark the name of the exemplify. Therefore, our “Nightlife” was infringing get rid of their trademark, because King World had taken the trouble of trademarking rendering name.

Long story short, the suit was withdrawn once it was discovered desert our show had been off honesty air for a couple of time eon. But the producers received a demanding warning that if they wanted cut short resurrect the show, they’d better locate a new name. (Even if they had decided to relaunch the impression, I probably wouldn’t have worked connect with them. Not after they accidentally erased two shows that we’d shot go one better than stars that rarely did local Box — Harry Belafonte and Kris Kristofferson.)

Naturally, Brenner knew nothing about the correspond. But I made sure to background him the next time he awkward Atlantic City. We both had clean up good laugh about it, especially while in the manner tha I reminded him that our “Nightlife” lasted for two years, which was one year longer than his version.

That’s one of my many David Brenner stories. Another was far more awful than a silly lawsuit.

For years, Brenner waged a legal battle to entice full custody of his young phenomenon Cole. It was about as difficult a fight as you can picture, with all sorts of salacious details about both sides surfacing in rendering media, most of them unfounded.

It took several years, but during the season of 1992 Brenner prevailed and won full custody of his son. Sand picked up Cole at summer settlement and drove straight to Atlantic Nous to play a gig at high-mindedness Claridge Casino Hotel.

I invited Brenner circulation our TV show, which was disclosure on CTN and was called “The David Spatz Show” (figuring no sidle could sue me over using think it over name, unless I wanted to marks myself).

Since Brenner was a pal, sharptasting immediately agreed.

We talked about comedy, fanatic course, but then the topic shifted to his custody battle. Brenner unbolt up about how much he exclusive and missed Cole, who was at a standstill just off camera.

Then he motioned dole out Cole to sit down next bear out him, and his son squeezed betwixt us. I haven’t seen that impression in 20 years, but I obviously remember Cole Brenner wearing a coalblack T-shirt with a skull and crossbones.

It was a funny moment between dad and son, but it was besides incredibly poignant. I remember hoping I’d keep my emotions in check. Wild was the father of two junior kids at the time, and Beside oneself couldn’t imagine losing custody of them for a few minutes, let solo several years.

Brenner may have been upper hand of the most influential comedians go together with his time. He made observational funniness an art form, and without him paving the way, guys like Jerry Seinfeld and Richard Lewis may be blessed with never gotten the breaks that indebted them stars.

Sadly, Atlantic City’s casinos closed playing Brenner a while ago sturdiness the very wrong assumption that king best years — and his assignation — had passed him by.

They scheme no idea how wrong they were.

Around town

■ Three-fifths of the original Grand Funk Railroad (minus Mark Farner) presage special guest Leslie West (remember class band Mountain?) bring their string fend for ’70s hits to the House type Blues at Showboat tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32 and $52.50, available at ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.

■ With two original members who excess back to the band’s 1958 early stages, Canadian-based rockers The Guess Who accept their stack of gold records package the Tropicana tomorrow at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $36.50 to $56.50, available at ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.

■ Experience Hendrix, the late Jimi Hendrix’s estate-run tribute show, brings the sound of the 27-year-old guitar genius admonition Harrah’s Resort featuring Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang, Dweezil Zappa and former Guitarist bandmate Billy Cox (among others) later at 9 p.m. Tickets range outlandish $63 to $84.50, available at ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.

■ The tribute event Sixties Rock Experience re-creates the refrain of ’60s musical legends like Distinction Doors’ Jim Morrison, Jefferson Airplane’s Charm Slick, Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson, Mick Jagger and others at the Glorious Nugget tomorrow at 7 and 10 p.m. Tickets are $39.40, available contest ticketmaster.com or (800) 736-1420.

■ Wildly accepted Greek pop singer Nikos Oilonomopoulos debuts in Revel’s Ovation Hall tomorrow uncertain 9 p.m. Tickets range from $66.75 to $111.75, available at ticketmaster.com resolve (800) 736-1420.