How to go
What: The Friends of Bob and Tom with host Chick McGee and comedians Ralph Harris, David Crowe and Jack Freeman
Where: Victoria Theatre, 138 N. Main St., Dayton
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Cost: $28.50
More info: 937-228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com
For more than two decades, “The Bob and Tom Show” has been the Midwest’s biggest proponent of comedy. Hosts Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold promote it daily on their morning radio program and through tours such as The Friends of Bob and Tom. The package show, featuring host Chick McGee and comedians Ralph Harris, David Crowe and Jack Freeman, hits Victoria Theatre in Dayton on Saturday.
Kevoian and Griswold joined forces in 1983 to cohost a morning radio show on WFBQ-FM in Indianapolis. From the beginning, “Bob and Tom” was different than your typical goofy morning shows. Sure there was music and silly skits, and contributions from sports director Chick McGee and news director Kristy Lee, but a large portion of each day’s broadcast was dedicated to spotlighting stand-up comedians through performances and interviews.
The top-rated program, which has been in national syndication since 1995, airs weekdays on more than 120 affiliates, including WTUE-FM (104.7) in Dayton from 6 to 10 a.m.
Ralph Harris
The Philadelphia native started doing stand-up in 1986, inspired by Eddie Murphy’s rising career. However, Harris’ clean routines filled with humorous stories and relatable characters have more in common with the comic’s early influences Jonathon Winters and Bill Cosby. This approach made him a perfect fit for morning radio. Harris’ 2007 comedy album, “Hickey Head,” was recorded live at the Funny Bone in Columbus and produced by Griswold.
David Crowe
This “Bob and Tom” regular was definitely a quick study. Crowe, who was born in St. Paul, Minn., did his first open mike in Seattle in 1993 and knew immediately he’d found his calling. He was proficient enough by 1996 to win major comedy festivals in Seattle and San Francisco. Crowe has been touring steadily ever since, building his fan base and strengthening his act. His set at the 2013 Ha! Festival in Halifax, Nova Scotia, aired on the CBC in Canada later that year. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his fifth comedy album.
Jack Freeman
Jack Freeman is the comedy alter ego of Dayton area native Drew Hastings, a 1973 graduate of Fairmont West High School. In 2006, after living in Los Angeles for 13 years, the comedian bought a 40-acre cattle farm outside Hillsboro. In 2011, he ran for mayor of his adopted home and won. Despite his duties as small-town politician and gentleman farmer, Hastings continues to tour the Midwest under his own name and perform special gigs as Freeman, a slimy financial guru and “Bob & Tom” favorite.
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