The Shortest Day of the Year

I grew up listening to Jack Carney's "Saturday Morning Comedy Show" on KMOX 1120 in St. Louis. I was extremely saddened to hear of his untimely passing in 1984, two years after I'd left for college.

He brought relief to my strife and tension-filled teenage years for three hours on Saturday mornings playing old time radio comedy. Every Saturday while doing the Saturday chores from 9-noon, I'd have my trusty portable transistor radio tuned in listening to Jack Benny, Fibber McGee and Molly, George and Gracey and the like. And at no time of year was it more special than the two or so saturdays he focused on Christmas Comedy.

One of my favorites was the Christmas Dragnet you'll find on the Dr. Demento CD's --

But Dec 21 never passes without me thinking of a particular routine by, I think, Jack Benny -- where he does a little speal on his show about a holiday that often gets over looked on account of, or because of Christmas. December Twenty-First, the Shortest Day of the Year.

Summing up, he said, "ladies and gentlemen, let us pause as we pay tribute to December 21st, the shortest day of the year -- "

[there is a quick, single-note trumpet blast]

"Thank you".