If I say, “Gallagher,” what picture springs to mind? If everyone just said, “Smashing watermelons with a big mallet-thing,” I think we’re thinking of the same guy. He’s the one-name comedian who, regardless of his insightful and hilarious standup
routines, is best known for his Sledge-O-Matic antics and outrageous props. Who
thinks of anything else after hearing Gallagher’s name than the striped shirt maniac with the flying long hair and kooky
gadgets, whacking away at everyday items such as Big Macs, computer keyboards,
tubes of toothpaste and most famously, watermelons?
Born Leo Anthony Gallagher in Fort Bragg, N.C., on July 26, 1946, the budding
joker spent his youth in Tampa, Fla., graduating in 1969 from the University of
South Florida with a degree in chemical engineering. After purportedly
inventing a prototype of a shark-proof cage, Gallagher began his show business
career as a road manager for Jim Stafford, the writer and performer of such
early 70s novelty radio hits as “Wildwood Weed” and “Spiders and Snakes.” Apparently Gallagher decided he, too, could make a go of making a living making
people laugh and proceeded to do so. A run of successful comedy specials on
cable TV made Gallagher and his Sledge-O-Matic one of the most recognizable
names and popular acts in comedy during the 1980s. Does anyone remember
attending his performance at Sangamon Auditorium?
After solidly establishing the Gallagher public persona, the comedian developed
Sold Out Shows as a self-contained company to promote his professional
ventures. He writes his own material, produces his own shows and does all his
business through in-house dealings. Aside from his contentious and raucous
stage show, the melon mauler weathered a bit of controversy over the last
several years outside the actual entertainment arena that I hate to mention,
but it’s part of his legacy.
After first allowing his younger brother, Ron, to perform a stage show quite
similar to his own, by 2000 the original Gallagher sued the younger for acting
too much like the elder. In 2003 Gallagher felt as capable as the next guy to
run for governor of California in the runoff that elected Arnold
Schwarzenegger, ending up at number 16 out of 135 candidates. In 2005 The Oregonian printed an interview where Gallagher spoke not-so-kindly about more successful
comedic contemporaries who started around the same time as the still-touring
comedian, including such Hollywood luminaries as Tom Hanks, David Letterman,
Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Michael Keaton. He also had a few choice words
for Comedy Central after they listed him at number 100 (dead last) in their
listing of the 100 greatest standup of comedians of all time.
Regardless of all that business, Gallagher continues to tour successfully,
established as a household name ingrained in the public mind as an entertaining
guy. His lengthy and productive career allows him to happily smash whatever
pleases him (especially computers and watermelons), trash whatever strikes him
(most likely the foibles of contemporary society), and overall, live life as he
chooses, being a 60-something, funny fellow performing sold-out shows across
the country at his pleasure.
Gallagher, along with his trusty Sledge-O-Matic, performs inside a tent outside
at Donnie B’s Funny Bone on Friday and Saturday, May 1 and 2, at 8 p.m. sharp. Tickets for
the two-and-a-half-hour show are $28 (regular) and $30 (VIP).
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2009.
