Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast - GGACP Classic: CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU and BATMAN

Episode Date: July 31, 2025

In connection with the recent "Fun for All Ages" podcast about the arch-villains of the Adam West "Batman" series, GGACP revisits this 2016 mini-episode, in which the boys pay tribute to the much-beloved 1966 camp classic. Also in this episode: The comic mind of Nat Hiken! Gilbert covers Johnny Fontaine! And the Caped Crusaders meet Jerry Lewis! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, this is Gilbert Gottfried and this is Gilbert and Frank's amazing colossal obsessions. That's it. I'm here with Frank Santopadre and we're going to be talking about doing something different, talking about shows we like. Yeah, last year we focused exclusively on movies and this year we're experimenting. We talked about Gene Hackman and George Zuko last week. And I found out George Zuko is not in fact an Italian. Uh-huh.

Which I'm very happy. Really? You want to give any credit to my people? I'm thrilled that it's close to Italian. What was he? It might actually be related to Italian. He was Greek. Oh, and he took was so Zuko was the stage name. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, yeah, or maybe it was

Zuko Lusky. Uh-huh, and he shortened it. Yeah And and you know, I also have to say yes We we were we did an interview with Bruce Stern. We did. And it was a long one. And so there was no time to fit in the theme song. Oh! Okay, let's get it.

Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte. Get to it now. Which was recorded by both Patty Page and Al Martino. Really? A fucking guinea. Wow. Yeah. recorded by both Patty Page and Al Martino. Really? A fucking guinea. Wow. Yeah. Al Martino who played Johnny Fontaine in The Godfather.

Oh my God. And the same. Yes. Yes, I know the Patty Page version, but lay it on us. Okay. Of course the audience wants it. Of course. Yes.

By unpopular demand. Hush, h hush sweet Charlotte, Charlotte don't you cry. Hush hush sweet Charlotte, I'll love you till I die. Hold me sweet Charlotte, brush that tear away. I bring you two flowers, two flowers I give to you. The red ones for passion, the white one, I love that's true. And now the chorus. Okay. Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte, Charlotte, don't you cry. Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte, I love you till I die. It's heartwarming. Yes. Now if anyone's still listening, but I Middle part I I fucked up the middle. That's gonna kill me. I'm glad you didn't do it with Bruce Dern on the last To the end of that rendition. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait tear from your eyes. You wish, you weep because you had a dream last night. You

dreamed that he said goodbye. He held two roses in his hand. Two roses he gave to you. The red rose tells you of his passion, the white rose his love so true. And we already have the wrap up chorus line. You remember Judd Apatow saying he didn't use this podcast to fall asleep at night? Now you might now know why. Yes sir. Okay. We're trying something different. We'll pick some shows. TV shows this time. Now I always, I still laugh when it comes on. Yeah. And that's Car 54 Where Are You. Drew Friedman's going to be very happy that you picked that. And I think we could both sing this together.

Well, you started off. You know, it's a show a little bit before my time. There's a hold up in the Bronx. Brooklyn's broken out in fights. There's a traffic jam in Harlem that's backed up to Jackson Heights. There's a something in the, well, I know the Khrushchev line. No one knew this line.

There's a something screaming child. There's a scout troop showing a child. Khrushchev's doing Idol Wild. Car 54 where are you? The show is so old the JFK Airport was called Idol Wild Airport Yes, and it was made by the great Nat Hiking who created Sergeant Bill Dove. He's a genius, Nat Hiking. And Nat Hiking, it had Fred Gwynn and who would later be Herman Munster and Al Lewis who would later be Grandpa. Yeah, it was the first pairing of Fred Gwyn and Al Lewis. And it had Joey Ross. Ooh, ooh.

Yes. Ha ha ha. Carrying on the great tradition of Hunts Hall. Right. Ooh, ooh. I used to do a bit in my act. Yeah. I still do it from time to time.

That doesn't surprise me. Why give up something just because everyone who remembers the show is dead? A lot of 20-somethings come in your shows and ask you to do Joey Ross material? Two more not hiking. So I used to do Joey Ross talking to Hans Holm. Oh, I know this bit. Yeah. Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. talking to Hunts Hall. Oh I know this bit. Now Nat Heiken loved funny-looking people and everyone on Car 54 and on Bilko, Doberman. Yes yes all funny-looking and

then it's so funny to think years later, the hit comedy is Friends, where everybody looks like they stepped off a magazine cover. Beautiful people, yeah, things changed. And didn't you tell me that Nat Hiken always wanted to write a Marx Brothers movie? Yes, and I think the studio, whatever studio they were with at that time, you know, they had their own stock writers and so they felt I guess it was cheaper just they were already

on the payroll. Probably. Well after they left MGM they were just free agents. They just at everybody's mercy bouncing around. It's a shame not Hiken didn't write a Marx, because the last Marx Brothers movies were pretty horrid. Yeah, I always appreciated the fact that Love Happy, that Groucho's not in any scenes with any of the other brothers. Oh, yes. That was smart. And since we're talking about Carr 54, we should mention a guest that we've been pursuing, which is now his wife. Yes Charlotte Ray. Yeah. Yeah who is very funny. Yeah, and you worked with her. Uh

Didn't you work with her? No, I worked with Caroline Ray. No, but how did Charlotte Ray come to your attention? How did she find out about the I well one time I was on a radio show Okay, and she on the phone did an interview with them. Oh, okay. And I remember, I thought of her before. Yeah, she's 89 and probably not too many people if anybody left from Car 54. Nipsey's gone. Oh my God. Ozzy Davis is gone. Yeah, Nipsey used to be great on TV.

He would always do. These new cut out fashions cause me to wonder in doubt, are they outside trying to get in or inside trying to get out? I love it. I love it. There's a short list of people that guest starred on Car 54. Jan Murray, Hugh Downs, Sugar Ray Robinson, Jean Balos, one of your favorites. Oh yes. Sorel Bookos, one of your favorites. Oh, yes. Sorel Book, another one of your favorites.

Who was Boss Hogs. And he was also in one of my favorite films, Bye Bye Berry. That's right. That's right. Carl Ballantine, our pal Larry Storch, Maureen Stapleton, Charles Nelson Riley, Simon Oakland, all these people. Jake LaMotta, all these people guest starred on Car 54. And I think Rocky Graziano.

He wasn't on the list, but I'm sure you're right. And also, oh, Molly P. Kahn. Right, right, right. Was on. She played Mrs. Bronson, who was a matchmaker, who would promise to match people up with movie stars. That's right. I've seen a handful, but I'm happy to report I did not see the movie remake with Rosie O'Donnell.

But Nipsey's in it. Oh my god, yes. And Fran Drescher, I think, was in it. Oh god, that was hideous. Almost as good as the Black Honeymooners. Oh god, the the black honeymooners. Oh god Those were two yeah remakes that needed to be done Well, the Steve Martin Bilko isn't very good. Oh god. Yeah. Yeah, also fortunately Nat Heiken was dead

We will return to Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast after this. Talk about a series just a little more contemporary. And not much. I know what you're going to say. The Colgate Comedy Hour. The Pruits of Southampton with Phyllis Diller. Playhouse 90s. This is a show that's turning 50 this year. And that's a show that I know is near and dear to your heart because we talk about one of the actors from the show

on the podcast almost every week, and that's Cesar Romero. Now, in case you've never heard an episode of this show. Cesar Romero was a famous Latin lover and a romantic lead in the movies, a very handsome, dancing, continental. And according to legend, he-huh. Whose legend exactly? He was gay in real life. And what he was into was he would hire young boys to come over his house and he'd drop his pants and underwear and bend over and they'd throw orange wedges at his ass.

Yup, it's been established. Yes, although some people argue that it was tangerine. Right. It was some kind of citrus fruit. Ha ha ha. So it's really like how people argue who the best Tavia was. Yeah. So I heard on the set of Batman, yeah, when it

was cold season they would lick Caesar Romero's ass to get vitamin C. Oh, that makes sense. They were just being responsible. Oh, now everybody knows where I'm going with this. By the way, we have a fan and a friend of mine, Gene Beretta, who's a talented author and illustrator. I think I sent you this. It's on our Facebook page. It's on the Gilbert Godfrey podcast Facebook page. Did a wonderful cartoon of Cesar Romero with his pants

dropped and some kids. But in your story, it's young chorus boys. And he changes it to some kids that look like they were in a Bazooka joke comic, like a baseball cap turned backward and a slingshot in the back pocket they're throwing. Like 1970s tough kids. Yeah, like, it's really funny.

I'll post it after this. But the series I want to talk about, and it came out on DVD, and I've been watching it on DVD, and it's restored, and it looks wonderful, and that's the original Batman from 66, and we've had Adam West on the show. Oh, yes. And you brought up the oranges.

Yes. I brought it up to see if he wanted them thrown in his head. I bought sacks of oranges. You mentioned it to Julie Newmar, you mentioned it to Lee Merriweather and I think this year we'll pursue Burt Ward and you'll mention it to him. I've mentioned it to people who never even saw Batman. But the series, I'll tell you, you know, it was a show that was very important to me as a kid and for years I waited for it to come out on DVD. It was tied up in rights. Fox was tied up in rights and legal wranglings with Warner Brothers. Finally it arrived. The box set is wonderful. They look terrific and, you know, I know Batman fans and Batman purists who think

the show's too campy but I'll tell you you could look at it as a historical artifact. The people that turn up in this show and we've talked we've talked about Caesar and Vincent Price and your favorite Burgess Meredith. Yes until I found out that Burgess Meredith didn't tell Ron Chaney, that's his name, Ron Chaney. I'm not being anti-Japanese again. Right, right. I'm not going, oh, Ron Chaney. Not that you need an excuse.

Oh, Phantom of Aphra, Ron Chaney. I'm not doing that. That's his name. Right. And but Caesar Romero wouldn't give a quote about Ron Cheney. No, Buzz Meredith, Burgess Meredith. Oh, Buzz Meredith, Buzz Meredith. Yeah, yeah, right. So now you're down on Burgess Meredith after that. Yes, yes. I hope he rots in hell. Oh, not fucking best. Also Frank. But he was the Penguin. The Penguin, Frank Gorshin, we've talked about. Frank Gorshin, great. Who was nominated for an Emmy. David Wayne?

David Wayne, the Mad Hatter, Victor Buono, Uncle Miltie turns up. Oh yes! That's Louis the Lilac, Art Carney. And... Uh... Um... Um... Adam West and Frank Gorshin were kicked out of an orgy.

That's right. For like laughing and acting stupid. You could hear that on the amazing Colossal Podcast interview with Adam West. But also Roger C. Carmel. I was saying Art Carney, Michael Reni. Oh, Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis turns up. Oh, and one of the window cam. Yes. Yeah, that's when it was those

like laughably phony walking up a wall. The back climb. Yeah, they obviously just turned the film over. Right, and Dick Clark pops out of a window, Edward G. Robinson pops out of a window. Guest stars on the show, I mean listen to these character actors, Vito Scottie, Edward Everd-Horton, Joe Flynn, Woody Strode, Francis X Bushman, remember him? George Raft, Alicia Cook Jr., who you love, Wilmer the Gunsul, Burton Mustin, Doodles Weaver, Alex Rocco. You know, Doodles Weaver is the uncle of

Sigourney Weaver. Correct, and committed suicide. Yes. Yes. Fritz Feld, remember him? Oh my God, yes. With the mouth pop? He used to, yeah, he used to slap his hand to his mouth and do a pop. And he was always like the maitre d. Always played a maitre d. You know him. Paul's looking at me.

You know Fritz Feld. He would like pop his hand. And it was, he did it like anything he did. He would pop his hand to his mouth. And it always worked. Yep. He would pop his hand to his mouth and it was it always worked Yep, it was always funny and two people we just paid tribute to on the anniversary on the on the in memoriam show Gary Owens. Oh, yes, and And Alex Rocco turned up wow turned up on Batman cuz that was like the hip show. Yeah

Yeah, so everybody supposedly there's a rumor that Frank Sinatra was lobbying William Dozier the producer to get on the show I don't know if it ever happened or that they they they wrote a part for him or they were thinking about writing a part for him But it was a it was a hip thing to do. Oh, yeah in those days. I know Frank Sinatra Got hit with a custard pie by Soupy Sails. That's right. But you know, you go back and you look at the show just to see these actors. Oh yeah.

And it was a really one of a kind show. We've talked about Neil Hefty. Yeah, Neil Hefty who did the music for The Odd Couple. Correct. And um um um um um um How to Murder Your Wife. Right, and the odd couple. Correct. And um, um um um um um um, how to murder your wife. Right, and the Batman theme. Yes. And all of, we've talked about how all the villains had their

own pieces of music on the show. I mean it's a really. And most of the villains were gay. I think a good many. Yes. I think we established Caesar and Liberace and um, and Roddy Mcdowell. And Vincent.

And Vincent, yeah. And Vincent. And Vincent, yeah. And Victor Bruno. Yeah. Victor Bruno? He seemed like such a pussy out. There are George Sanders. And oh, and Victor Bruno.

Here's another connection. Victor Bruno was also in Hush Hush Sweet Charm. Correct, there you go. Was it? Yes, he was the father. He's in that one. He's in that one. Very good.

And he was the piano teacher in Baby Jane. Whatever happened to Baby Jane. So I really urge you to get the box set and look at these. They're wonderful just to see these actors, just to see these people. But also the production design is wonderful. I mean, yes, they're campy and and they're funny but it's it's it really is a one-of-a-kind show. Oh yeah.

George Wagner who directed the Wolfman in 1941 was one of the directors and Lorenzo Semple who wrote Three Days of the Condor and Papillon was one of the writers on the show. Which reminds me, we're still searching for you, Papi and Susie. I knew you'd jump off from there. Me so horny. Never did a Batman. Never did a window cameo.

Should have. And she never had a dinner. Never went to a cameo. Aren't too many Batman people left? John Astin is still around. Joan Collins is still around. But the number is – we lost Cliff Robertson a while back. The number is rapidly dwindling.

Oh yeah, but we got three of them. We got three and the show turns 50 this year, so we'll chase Burt Ward down. But I really urge you guys to take a look at it, especially the first season when they had their mojo. Third season when they added Batgirl, when they were running out of money. Oh yeah, that's when it's that jump the shark period. They jumped the shark, they cut the budget, the sets were sometimes just a black space

with a staircase in the middle of nowhere. But the first season, the production design is great, the costumes are great, there's some wonderful performances. So just a show I've been obsessed with for a long time. Oh yeah. So as long as the show is called Obsessions, I thought it fit. So anything else? So your show's Batman, the original Batman.

The original Batman, 66. And mine was Car 54, are you and yeah and that that another one that that one pops up on all these uh cable channels created by the great Nat Hyken yes so as always follow us on Twitter on Facebook GilbertPodcast.com is the new website if you love the show tell people about it tweet about it post about it Paul anything else

that's right all that's right yes niel niel hefty wrote a lot for count basie and billy may was the other guy and that may be a musician and if you all right i forget i forget the guy who played the chief neil hamilton neil hamilton you mean you mean Commissioner Gordon? No, I mean one stafford rep on on on on car 54 There was a different show who used to talk like that. Oh gosh. What was that actor's name? That's gonna bug Oh, you know what can someone look that up hang on?

We'll edit it in. Yeah, I got it right here Was it, you mean Officer Nicholson? Oh, no. Nicholson was that kind of red-haired guy. Officer Kissel was Bruce Kirby, Bruno Kirby's father. Oh, wow. He was the chief. Paul Reed.

Paul Reed. Paul Reed. Very funny on the show. Captain Block. And I, well, Charlotte Grey, I remember one scene she has, she's arguing with Schnauzer, Al Lewis, and she's angry because he never takes her out anywhere, and she goes, please, let's go out somewhere. We'll go to the movies. We'll go out for ice cream.

Let's stand on the corner. Maybe we'll see you next week. Give it that breath, Colossal Obsessions! Give it that breath, Colossal Obsessions!