This week, Ira Sternberg spoke with Bob Newhart and Steve Shaffer.
Bob Newhart, who will be bringing his “Evening With Bob Newhart” to Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, November 19, celebrates a career that has spanned 50 years, several successful television series, fourteen feature films and millions of albums sold worldwide. He is the recipient of many honors, including the prestigious “Mark Twain Prize for American Humor,” presented by the Kennedy Center.
“The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart” became the first comedy album to go to #1 on the charts. He was an immediate sell-out in nightclubs and theater stages all over America.
Seven more albums followed, each extremely successful multi-platinum projects. In fact, Newhart’s cumulative recording career earned him three Grammys.
He earned an Emmy and a Peabody Award for his work on the “Bob Newhart Variety Show,” which was quickly followed by the phenomenal television success of “The Bob Newhart Show” (1972 – 1978) and “Newhart” (1982 – 1990).
Despite his successful run in television and feature films, Newhart has never strayed far from his first love of performing stand-up, with his classic routines having stood the test of time.
Comedian Steve Shaffer, who is headlining in The Laugh Factory at the Tropicana Las Vegas through November 20, headlines hundreds of shows a year at colleges, country clubs, cruise ships and corporate functions.
He has appeared on dozens of television shows including “VH1's Stand Up Spotlight,” Comedy Central's “The A- List,” FOX's “Comic Strip Live,” “Evening at the Improv” and , NBC's “The Tonight Show.”
Shaffer has performed with such artists as George Carlin, Paul Anka, and The Beach Boys.