Jack Benny Goes Christmas Shopping

This article was originally posted 12/20/2010.

If you are a long time listener to the Ken P. D. Snydecast, you have certainly heard Ken and Dana talk about their fondness of Mr. Jack Benny.

KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #53: Fleet Feet And All You Can Eat starts off with Ken's impersonation of Eddie "Rochester" Anderson (Jack Benny's valet on the radio and TV series The Jack Benny Show.)
Then the boys discuss Jack's comedy techniques and what made him so successful.

On KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #142: iFail Dana discusses his purchase of an iPad. At around the 12 minute mark Ken breaks into an impression of Jack Benny and Rochester at the Apple store.

More recently Dana discussed his birthday in KEN P.D. SNYDECAST #160: Scratch Fever and his desire to follow in Benny's footsteps when it comes to mentioning his age.
Jack Benny famously always said he was 39 years old no matter how old he was.

So, how familiar are you with Jack Benny? Had you heard of him before you started to listen to the Ken P. D. Snydecast? Did you just know his name from the scene in Back to the Future when Doc assumes that if Ronald Reagan became President, Jack Benny must be secretary of the treasury? BTW, Doc's line was a rather witty joke since Jack's character was notoriously cheap.

Whether you have seen Jack Benny on his TV show or in movies, or if you only have a vauge knowlege of him; or if you are so young that Back to the Future seems like it was in the stone age and you aren't totally sure who that Ronald Reagan cat was, I have a treat for you.

Jack Benny Goes Christmas Shopping is one of the very best episodes of The Jack Benny Show and possibly the funniest Christmas special of all time.

It features Jack and Rochester along with a great cast of comedic actors:

Frank Nelson who's comic "yeeesssss" was often featured on both Jack Benny's show and Sanford & Son.




Charlie Cantor who plays a lingerie salesman who is uncomfortable touching the garments with his bare hands- especially the black ones.




And Mel Blanc who steals the show playing a wallet salesman descending into madness. Watch closely towards the end of the episode. When Mel starts rolling, even Jack can't help but laugh.


Go ahead, give it a look and next time Ken and Dana start to talk about the greatness of Jack Benny you will know why.