If you grew up in the 60s, and you watched TV . . . well,
then you've probably seen Benjy Greenberg before. How so? Well,
just like Mr. Whipple, the Jolly Green Giant, and the Doublemint
Twins, Benjy was seen on commercials we watched while anxiously
waiting for Dick Clark's Where the Action Is to come back
on. His image also appeared on several of the product boxes. Benjy's
kept his hand in show business, with a stand-up comedy act that
landed him on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. But I'll let Benjy tell his
own story . . .
Meet
Benjy Greenberg
My name is Benjy Greenberg, and I perform a
one-of-a-kind Beatles/1960's Comedy Act!
It's so unique that it's even been on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
I'm also a Beatles historian, collector, and Beatles-inspired
musician (French horn and drums). And during the 1960's, I was
in TV commercials, as well as in print ads for Remco toys. What
a life, eh?
When I was about six, I remember my mother pointing
to the TV and saying to me, "That's the Beatles!" I
didn't take it seriously then. I was too busy doing ads for the
Remco Blippo Choo-Choo Traina 60-second spot in black and white!
And by 1965, my biggest interests were starring in a Rambler car
commercial and posing for the Lakeside Toys Catalog (modeling
with Gumby and Pokey) while the rest of the world was interested
in a little concert at Shea Stadium!
But by the 1970's, I was "clued in." I borrowed my neighbor's
Beatles records, and the music "grabbed hold of me."
I started buying my own Beatles albums until I had every one:
learned all the songs and went to Beatlefest in 1974 for the first
time (with $5 in my pocket!).
In 1976, I started a national campaign to bring back the Beatles
Cartoon show...I called radio stations all over the United States
(collect call, mind you...and most of them accepted the call!)
to urge them to raise awareness about the program. I made flyers.
I sent letters to ABC Television. I even walked right into Sid
Bernstein's office one day at Radio city and asked him to
get involved! (He now laughs when I bring that up. We've been
close friends for the last 20 years.) The campaign almost succeededand
I was only 18.
A month before I graduated from high school, I saw
Paul McCartney at Madison Square Gardensgot my ticket from
a scalper for $40. (The original price was $15.) But it was worth
it to see a Beatle, live and in person!
On November 18, 1991, however, I had a much BIGGER encounter with
Sir Paul. Paul was having his Liverpool Oratorio performed at
Carnegie Hall, and I wanted to attend. I called Sid Bernstein
and asked it my brother, my girlfriend, and I could come down.
The day was bitter cold. We were with Sid, and people kept coming
out of the woodwork to greet him. I met Paul's brother, Mike,
and John Eastman. Paul and Linda were there, too...sitting in
the mezzanine about 50 feet to my left. When Paul glanced in my
direction, I held up my "Beatles9" New York license
plate that I had brought with me. Paul laughed, and we were invited
to the reception after the program!
At the reception, we stood with Sid, waiting for Paul and Linda
to arrive. Finally, cameras began snapping , and I found myself
about 12 feet away from Paul McCartney. I heard Sid saying to
him, "Paul, this is my friend, Benjy Greenberg." It
was like a dream. Paul shook my hand, and said, "Hi, how're
you doing?" Then he was swept away in the frenzy. But about
an hour later, our eyes met again, and I showed him the license
plate. Paul smiled and said, "Oh, that was you!"
I noticed that very few people at the party were taling to Stella
or Linda, so I seized the opportunity. I told Linda that I was
from Rye, New York...her face lit up like a Christmas tree. I
also talked to Stella for about ten minutes...about a friend she
had in Rye. She was lovely to talk to!
At last, the party was ending and Paul was telling everyone, "Gotta
go, gotta go!" As he passed by me, I stuck out my left hand
and and shook his left hand. My brother grabbed his Polaroid and
took the picture. NO FLASH!!! But amazingly, Paul didn't move.
Sid urged my brother to try again. "C'mon Bill!" he
said, and Paul echoed, "Yeah, c'mon Bill!" I screamed,
"Shoot the picture!" And he did!!! Of course, I came
out looking like a ghost in the photo, but at least I'm there...the
Ghost of a Beatles Fan!
As the years passed, I became a serious Beatles collector,
and I decorated my entire house with Beatles memorabilia...A sealed
yellow submarine model, Carmaschot nodder dolls, Beatles lunch
boxes of all types, charm bracelets, Beatles sweatshirts, the
"Flip Your Wig" game...I had it all!
My newspaper got wind of this, and they called me to do a story
on my home for the Beatles 30th Anniversary in America. When the
reporter and photographer from the Gannett News chain arrived,
they stayed six hours, photographing, discussing, and enjoying
the collection, and it came out in the Lifestyles section on 7
February 1994.
In 1996, my extensive collection was even used in the TV show,
FX. They focused on my Beatles Seattle poster, a sealed
Beatles clutch purse, and an original celluloid from the Beatles
Cartoon show. There were television crew members all over my house...and
even someone assigned to watch my dogs for me! It was a madhouse!
But fun.
A small portion of that "FX" program was even used on
Oprah in 2007!
In 1998, TheSally Jesse Raphael Show invited me
to come to New York, but red tape and details ended up nixing
that program. I was disappointed.
But November 19, 1997 made up for it...big time! Paul McCartney
was coming back to Carnegie hall for "Standing Stone."
I got tickets for my brother, for Sid Bernstein, and myself, and
we got there early. Sid wanted to sit, but I insisted that we
take the elevator up to the floor where Paul was. When the elevator
doors opened, Paul was right there! Security tried to stop us,
but Sid asked to speak with Paul and was, of course, allowed to
do so.
Sid asked Paul, "Do you remember Benjy Greenberg?"
"No," Paul said.
"The guy with the license plate?" Sid reminded him.
"Oh, yeah," Paul smiled, and he nodded to security.
They told me to come on over.
"Oh my God, oh my God," I was saying to myself. I held
the license plate up again, and Paul smiled widely.
"When people see this, they know it's me!" I said to
him. "I'm a major collector of Beatles memorabilia."
"I bet you are!" Paul grinned.
I asked him if he knew where Rye, New York is...and he said it
sounded familiar, but wasn't sure. I told him it was about six
miles from where Linda grew up (in Scarsdale), and that I grew
up there as well. He said, "Oh yeah?"
We chatted a little more, and Paul talked to Sid. They talked
for a while about Brian Epstein.
When it was convenient, I asked if I could get a photo with Paul,
and the professional photographer there said, "No."
I was in no position to argue. But my brother had his handy camera
ready and took it out. Paul insisted that we get a photo holding
the license plate, and he said, "Beep Beep um beep beep"
then together we both said, "YEAH!" Paul was raising
a fist as we said, "yeah" and the picture was snapped.
As we left to attend the concert, Paul said several times, "Nice
to see you, Sid." Then the doors closed and we were whisked
away.
What a night!!! Less than 10 minutes later, "Standing Stone"
began. The sound of French horns and meeting Paul McCartney. It's
a night I'll never forget.
In 2005, I decided to put my Beatles knowledge to work...I entered
the Sound-Alike Contest at the Fest for Beatles Fans (formerly
Beatlesfest) in the Meadowlands, New Jersey. I had developed a
comedy routine of impressions that was unlike anything performed
at the Fest...and it went over quite well! I did Ed Sullivan introducing
The Beatles, and people started laughing! Then I did the blimp
scene in Help and the washroom scene as well. I even "interviewed"
various American presidents about their favorite Beatles. The
audience was laughing uproariously.
Here I am on The Jimmy Kimmel Show:
The next year, I was back again...and then later that summer,
at the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans, I did the act in
front of 600 people!
But my greatest Beatles days are certainly NOT in the past.
They are yet to come!
This summer I'll be the MC for the SuperMegaShow convention
in New Jersey featuring Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork from
the Monkees, Billy J. Kramer (also from the Merseyside Epstein
stable of performers..."Bad to Me" star), and many,
many more. The dates are July 9, 10 & 11, 2010. For more information
and to get tickets, go to www.supermegashow.com
Well, here it is, 2010, and I love the Beatles more than ever!
I'm convinced that 1,000,000 years from now, their music will
still be played, and the legend will still live on. I'm just grateful
to have been a small part of that legend and to have been there
to meet some of the great men who "let it be."
