Two Days of Laughter

My Strangely Coincidental Friendship with Bob Saget

I was in Los Angeles in the summer of 1985, buckling-up for a flight to Portland, when a young married couple entered coach and sat next to me. They were both friendly, and we began to talk. Their names were Bob and Sherri Saget. Sherri bragged about her husband’s work as a stand-up comedian and both were riding high after Bob’s successful appearance on the Merv Griffin Show. I congratulated them and said that I myself enjoyed doing comedy bits during high school drama and had even won a few film contests with my funny Super 8 movie productions. Upon hearing this, Bob’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding me?” he said, “I won awards with my Super 8 movies too!”

This was quite the coincidence, but the similarities between Bob Saget and myself didn’t end there. Just a year earlier, I had won a talent contest by adding goofy words to a blues progression, which I performed on guitar. Well, it turns out that Bob had also put funny words to a blues progression, performing it on guitar as part of his regular comedy routine. We both had similar hair styles, larger than average noses, and both liked to smile and laugh. Needless to say, we two peas-in-a-pod got along like instant brothers.

Bob had just accepted a gig at a trendy comedy club in Portland and things just couldn’t be more exciting for the couple. Sherri ordered champagne and we three toasted to a bright future. After laughing at a few hilarious Saget jokes, I decided to share a story that almost had Bob rolling in the isle. This is the story:

Once when talking to an elderly woman on a train, I brought up a serious discussion about caesarean procedures. Since I had delivered my second child at home, I felt like an authority on the subject of childbirth. Well, as I prattled on, I accidentally said the word “circumcision” when meaning to say “caesarean”! I told this woman that *circumcision* was often unnecessary and that impatient doctors were “just to quick to cut-away”. She nodded in polite agreement. I then said, “What’s sad is that two of my sisters had to have it done.” The woman turned red and spoke, “You’re telling me your sisters were…circumcised?” At that point, I realized I had messed up in an embarrassing way.

After I told this story, the flood gates were opened and Bob rattled off jokes that had me choking with laughter. By the time we were over Redding, we had downed many glasses of the bubbly. Sherri, who was sitting next to me, began to share her history and soon the two of us became engrossed in conversation. Of course, with Bob being so much like me, I wasn’t surprised that he had chosen the exact type of woman I enjoyed. I couldn’t help but marvel at how Bob seemed to have attained everything a man could possibly want.

Before landing, the couple asked if I wanted to be their guest at Bob’s Portland performance. I accepted the invitation and took down the particulars. The next day, I went and bought a gaudy blue and white striped tie. Though I thought it might look appropriately funny, the tie was much too small, and upon wearing the thing, I felt a bit stupid. Regardless, I made my way to the venue and was seated at a table with Sherri and a close comedian friend, who I now figure must have been Dave Coulier. We then watched Bob perform. I was impressed by his sharp improve skills and great connection with the audience. Sherri told me that Bob would actually make up many of his jokes on the fly and handled hecklers so well that he couldn’t wait to be heckled. She was convinced her husband was a total genius. Bob finished his act to rousing applause and I felt a rush of excitement as he headed over to our table. I’ve participated in all kinds of impromptu situations before, but this night was one of my favorites.

I failed, though, in two things that evening. I had forgotten to bring my camera, and also niglected to get Bob and Sherri’s contact information. I could kick myself for not having a photo of our group. We all talked and laughed for hours. Being busy with my own crazy life, it wasn’t until much later did I realize that contacting Bob would be as difficult as contacting any big celebrity. In a flash, Bob had gone from unknown comedian to “America’s favorite dad”. With his role as Danny on Full House, Bob had won over the hearts of millions. In his fictional parenting role, Bob reflected well my own parenting skills. In fact, my daughters have told me that I reminded them of the nice dad on Full House. I don’t know how many times I mentioned to them that I knew the guy.

Soon, Bob was hosting America’s Favorite Home Videos. I loved the show’s pretext, but found Bob and his corny jokes terribly annoying. Regardless of the awful writing, Bob still found a way to make AFV into a huge hit. By coincidence, I too was deeply involved with video cameras at the time, running my own video event company. I even sent a dozen funny clips to AFV, though none were ever shown. I remember wishing I could connect again with Bob and Sherri, but because it would require a hassle, I just let it go.

In 1997, I was surprised to hear that the couple had divorced. As our similarity would have it, Bob and I were now single men, each supporting three children. Around this time, I heard people talking about Bob’s stand-up routine, and how his show was raunchy, crude, and counter to everything he had represented. This really caught me off guard. I could not figure out why Bob would want to paint himself in such a disgusting light. Why on Earth would the world’s most lovable man mess with his reputation? Apparently, Bob had been struggling with the same temptation to reject the “sweet and pure” epithet as did stars like Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus. Being known as dearest Danny Tanner, was probably not the best recipe for finding hot dates, so perhaps Bob felt a makeover was warranted. I guess we’ll never know, but because he chose to embrace such a repulsive comedy style, I was actually grateful that we had gone our separate ways.

It wasn’t until 2004 that Bob and I crossed paths again. I was in Malibu at my favorite restaurant haunt, Taverna Tony, chatting with a few regulars, when out of the blue, the Olsen twins came walking up. I welcomed the teens to Tony’s and assured them they were going to love the food. They then told me that the entire Full House cast were meeting there for a reunion. A dude I had just met, then ruffled me by teasing the girls and making a flirtatious comment. Feeling a bit awkward, I pulled the guy aside, told him to cool it, and reminded him that the two were still just teens. When I turned back, a crowd had surrounded Mary-Kate and Ashley, so I went over to talk with the owner, who was standing with the hostess. Just then, Bob Saget walked in.

Now, what transpired in these next few moments is something that I cannot explain to this day. Mind you, it had been twenty years, since we met, so my first thought was to approach Bob and state that we once knew each other. Well, upon seeing my face, Bob came straight over to me and shook my hand, saying, “Hi Brian! Hey, I wanna talk, but I’ve got a ton of people waiting. I’ll try to catch you later, okay?” And off he went.

With hand still in the air, I stood in a state of shock. Though I was happy to see the man, I never in my wildest imagination thought that he would recognize me, or say my name for that matter. Was he a savant? There was just no way he could have remembered me, but he did. All I can figure is that he had connected me to my funny caesarean story.

Bob never did get back to me that night, and that was the last time I ever saw him. After receiving word of Bob’s passing, I felt sad for his family and for the TV family which loved him so dearly. The coincidences we shared in our younger days, had always fascinated me, and it just makes me wonder why the pieces fit together the way they did. Regardless, I can at least look back fondly upon those two days of laughter in 1985, that neither me nor this world renowned comedian ever forgot.