I'm Gonna Miss Ya, Soupy

Soupy Sales
January 8, 1926 – October 22, 2009

I think I may be the last one to write about the passing of Soupy Sales. I had wanted to post my thoughts as soon as I heard the sad news, but you know how things go.

I have read a lot of the comments on Soupy, and I have also learned a lot about the guy I didn't know beforehand. Like he was born in South Carolina, which explains that smooth accent so unlike the one that I grew up on.

Of course, I watched Sonny Fox and his "Wonderama" and, then, "The Soupy Sales Show" on WNEW Channel 5. WNEW never seemed as clear as the the other NY TV channels. 2, 4, 7, even WPIX 11 were all much clearer. Channel 11 because of the Yankees, maybe. But 5, WOR 9 and WNET13 always seemed underpowered.

In 1964, Sales began his run on NY TV and I was 15 years old. The Beatles had changed teenage America, and I was awakening to all things adult in music, movies and humor, especially humor. I could tell when ad libs in comedy sketches happened, and understood what the double entendres were getting at. And Soupy, covering up his wit with silliness, taught me much.

When the knock on the door rapped, he gave you that look of "I wonder who that could be?" Both us knew, in that same look, that it was the set up cue for a bit. Soupy Sales taught me show business, while at the same time he taught me irrelevant hipness. Not that I have any claim to being hip. I can't describe "what is hip?" But, like pornography, I know it when I see it, thanks to the Soupy Sales Show. Would the "Gong Show" happened without the groundwork of Soupy Sales?

I'm sure it's been said, but I haven't read anything about Sales' other career in TV, that of a game show panelist. Sales was a college graduate and it showed on "What's My Line" and "The $25,000 Pyramid". I always liked those shows more when Soupy played, because, like Tony Randall, not only was he a good player, but he always came across as a genuinely nice guy, especially with the contestants. You could see them relax and get into the game with Soupy. It seems silly to be talking about getting "into" game shows, but some celebrities, like Soupy Sales and Randall, did. He never looked like he was there for the paycheck, not that he didn't make sure he collected one.

I can remember looking at the back of the "Runt" LP and seeing the Hunt Brothers playing with Todd Rundgren. I'm not sure what gave Hunt and Tony more credibility, playing with Todd, or having Soupy as their dad.

Though many my age may think of the Firesign Theater's Nick Danger when they think of Sam Spade parodies, I always think of Philo Kvetch. I never learned to be a ventriloquist, but I could do a pretty fair White Fang and Black Tooth.

Yeah, like the old saying, you don't know how much you miss a guy until he's gone. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to have met Soup. I would have told him how much I liked his stuff and how much pleasure he gave me and….

I think he would have stopped me right there and said, "Cool it, Eli!"