Remember the Allan Prell who briefly graced KIRO mid mornings in the mid-two thousandsies? In that case, you might (or might not) enjoy The Ballad of Allan Prell here. If you got through that dreck without vomitus interruptus, read about him in the new issue of Baltimore Magazine:
A well-heeled, middle-aged crowd of about 60 has come to the Cabaret at Germano's Trattoria in Little Italy to see—well, they're not quite sure what they'll see.
They know it involves their old radio pal Allan Prell (aka Allie Elf, aka Uncle Allie), joined by musician Russ Margo, in some sort of variety routine. Beyond that, they haven't a clue. And it doesn't matter. They just want to hang out with the man who made them laugh, think—and sometimes want to throw things—on WBAL-AM for 17 years.
After a musical intro by Margo, a song called "This is the Very Worst Show You'll Ever See" (sample lyric: "We didn't work hard to make it funny, but here we are, taking your money"), Prell—looking a bit older, but still puckish—comes on stage holding a toilet paper roll wrapped in $2 bills.
"Gangsters call their wads of cash a flash roll," he says to the crowd. "Do you know what I call this?"
"Toilet paper?" someone guesses.
Prell rolls his eyes in mock aggravation—the first dud skit of the night. Then a woman shouts: "A flush roll!" Finally!
Prell and Margo go on to perform several "so-bad-they're-good" sketches—Prell as Tiny Tim's grandson, singing "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" (as Margo stands behind him playing the ukulele Prell is holding); Prell as a Yosemite Sam type, with a felt 10-gallon hat and a fake beard that gets caught in his mouth as he sings "Ghost Riders in the Sky;" Prell making fun of old sponsor Morris the Remodeler with a wax paper window ("the latest in remodeling") that he douses with shaving cream to represent snow.
It's silly, it's all over the place, and—whether they knew it or not—it's exactly what the crowd hoped for.
—Max Weiss
That's a cool Icom 706. I didn't know it does video?
Posted by: Johnny Sombrerro | October 09, 2011 at 12:10 AM
He was such a bizarre choice to replace Dave Ross.
Posted by: The Original Andrew | October 09, 2011 at 01:57 AM
I miss Allan Prell! I also miss the real Dave Ross, the one who talked about issues and took phone calls. I guess I just miss "the good old days"...
Posted by: AprilMayJune | October 09, 2011 at 05:47 AM
I liked allen prell. i recall his 'strike' outside of kiro when he got fired.
he's different and will not bore.
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | October 09, 2011 at 08:41 AM
Never heard of him. Sounds like a kooky fellow.
Posted by: ProgBlogJunky | October 09, 2011 at 08:24 PM
He was awful. Glad he's gone.
Posted by: Ellywood | October 10, 2011 at 10:02 AM
He was extremely annoying...
But very funny when he got canned.
The photos of him wearing "chains of oppression" and grape juice all over his shirt as the "blood of something or other"...
It was pretty damn funny.
He's the reason I discovered this blog!
Posted by: Rat_Bastard | October 10, 2011 at 12:56 PM
Allan Prell was a piece of work. Both funny and wacked out. I remembered few dull moments when listening to him.
Posted by: KS | October 10, 2011 at 07:11 PM
wish he was still at kiro. he would be fun.
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | October 10, 2011 at 08:05 PM
I like the writing structure of your blog and it does a pretty decent job of presenting the material.
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