Tom Dreesen
Tom Dreesen (born September 11, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian.
Dreesen grew up in Harvey, Illinois, south of Chicago. His family was one of the few white families in a largely African American community.[1] While working as an insurance salesman in 1968, he met Tim Reid through a local Jaycee chapter,[2] and the two teamed up to form the first biracial stand-up comedy duo in the United States. Shortly thereafter they sought the assistance of radio personality Vince Sanders, who would coach the act and handle some of its business affairs for the next four years.
Though their material is now considered cutting-edge for its time, the pair struggled to make a living together and split up in the mid-1970s. However, each found individual success: while Reid landed a role on WKRP in Cincinnati, Dreesen became a regular on The Tonight Show[3] and toured with Frank Sinatra as the crooner's opening act. In 1989, Dreesen released a comedy album through Flying Fish Records called That White Boy's Crazy. The album was recorded in front of an all-black audience in Harvey, Illinois.[1]
Dreesen continues to perform today. He is also involved in philanthropic endeavors and hosts an annual golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic.[4] In 2008, Dreesen, Reid, and former Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter Ron Rapoport collaborated on the book Tim and Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White.[5] Vince Sanders also wrote a book about Dreesen and Reid, titled That's Not Funny!
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Kathy O'Malley. "Crazy white boy; Tom Dreesen does comedy about blacks in black clubs". Chicago Tribune. November 5, 1989. 5.
- ^ "Tim & Tom: A 'Black And White' Comedy Duo". NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94850365. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
- ^ Michael Miner. "A Pioneering Flop". Chicago Reader. September 4, 2008. Retrieved on September 17, 2008.
- ^ Len Ziehm. "Dreesen keeps celebs coming back for more". Chicago Sun-Times. August 13, 2007. 76.
- ^ Mike Thomas. "Soul Brothers - Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen recall their racially charged comedy act". Chicago Sun-Times. September 14, 2008. D8.
[edit] External links
- Tom Dreesen's official site
- 'WKRP' vet Reid, standup Dreesen's previous life
- An excerpt from Tim & Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White by Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen with Ron Rapoport
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