by Diane Alter
George Wallace knew he wanted to be a comedian when he was just 6-years old. Still, recognizing the importance and value of a good education, George put off his dream of becoming a comic until he finished college.
Upon receiving degrees in transportation and marketing/ advertising from the University of Akron, Ohio, as well as completing advanced studies in radio and television from the Columbia School of Broadcasting, George began selling “rags.” It wasn’t long before he became vice president of advertising.
Yet the lure of stand-up was still there and it finally reeled George into the world comedy. Not long after some widely successfully stand-up performances, George was offered a writing job for “The Redd Foxx Show.”
George has appeared on shows ranging from “The Arsenal Hall Show” to “Entertainment Tonight” to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” to “The View.” George is currently pursuing dual coursework at the University of Phoenix and DeVry University.
The funny and very well-educated man took time out to answer some questions for This Week on MV for The Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest.
TW: What is the first thing you do every morning?
GW: Say hello world and thank God for a brand new day.I then look for my cellphone to see what happened while I was asleep and what is happening now.
TW: Please finish: I am lost without…
GW: Friends and laughter. You gotta have friends. And most of all, I’d be lost without laughter. Laughter encourages people to overdose on laughter. When you laugh for more than four hours, I advise you to call your doctor and share the prescription. When you stop laughing you stop living. I keep it in the reach of children. Come on everybody, let’s get happy.
TW: I spend half my day…?
GW: I spend ALL of my day preparing for my next engagement, no matter what kind. Mostly it is preparing for my stage work. I love my work.
TW: What two books arestacked on your nightstand?
GW: “Laff it Off” by George Wallace and ‘The Best You Now” by Joel Osteen.
TW: What is the funniest joke you know by heart?
GW: OMG, there are so many but here is one. An old couple is sitting on the front porch rocking away in their rocking chairs. They rock and rock for more than 20 minutes. Then, the husband cold cocks his wife clean out of her rocker. The wife turns to her husband and says what was that for. The husband answers… that’s for knowing the difference. Hahaha.
TW: What item or set of items could you buy that would make the cashier the most uncomfortable?
GW: A Butterball Turkey and a can of Drano. The cashier would be thinking, “he sure is gonna clean that turkey like it has never been cleaned before.”
TW: What are your unwritten work rules?
GW: Take off every day you get a chance.
TW: Name the cities in your weather app and tell us why they are there.
GW: Shanghai, because it is three times larger and more modern than NYC…and they don’t watch me like they do in NYC…and since they didn’t… No. 2 is NYC, because that is home. No. 3 is Atlanta, Georgia, my southern home. No. 4 is Barcelona…fun, fun, fun. And No. 5 is Dubai UAE…more fun.
TW: What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
GW: Make sure to enjoy your life. That is what I said then and it is what I say now.
TW: What is your favorite escape (hint, hint…Martha’s Vineyard)
GW: I love sharing my work and my thoughts with good people. I cannot wait for this event. It is my first time on the MV Comedy Fest Tour. I already know my kind of people. So all you people on MV need to come out and know me. You all have an August office visit with Dr. George Wallace. Come out and sit back and relax and be “Wallacized.”
The 9th Annual Martha’s Vineyard Comedy Fest will be held at the Strand Theater in Oak Bluffs, August 5-8, August 12-15, and August 19-22. To see the lineup and buy tickets, visit http://www.marthasvineyardcomedy.com/wp/
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, due to a movie obligation George Wallace will not be able to make this year’s Fest, but we hope to see him next year at the 10th annual MV Comedy Festival! Mark Curry will be performing in his stead.
