Published on Sep 23, 1999
Before there was Rush Limbaugh, Morton Downey Jr. and even Jerry
Springer, there was Wally George. Quoting from the liner notes:
“Wally is a true American, speaking up for what he believes in,
even if that means not letting the other guy speak at all. And now
you can hear Wally at home, including the WAL-LY! WAL-LY! chant
that thousands of youthful Americans scream whenever he appears in
public… A cross between Archie Bunker — without bigotry, and Joe
Pyne — but with more flair, Wally George is in seventh heaven with
Ronald Reagan in the White House. He never backs off from a topic,
including the mind bending powers of rock ‘n’ roll, so we asked him
to to do this album, to show the punks, degenerates, and heavy
metal sickos what rock music should really sound like. He’ll have
even you yelling WAL-LY! WAL-LY!” (written by Steve Ray)
In 1984, George’s show was seen syndicated on UHF television
stations, where you just couldn’t help watching the strange guests
(as controversial as they were, just like Wally George, the host).
His audience was truly a highlight of the show, just as Jerry
Springer’s, where the audience would chant out “WAL-LY! WAL-LY!”
whenever Wally George starts heavily criticizing his guests. It’s
just like when Springer’s audience reacts the same way, by chanting
“JER-RY! JER-RY!” when Springer lashes out at this guests
concerning a particular view of opinion.
In Springer’s case, his guests were the main target. It was the
same with Wally George’s guests too, yet George would also hold his
own monologues regarding various topics of the day. Topics in which
Rush Limbaugh would later take on: Politics, the “why Republicans
are much better than the Democrats,” feminists, and homosexuality.
Wally George would also lash out on heavy metal music, being the
devil’s music, and how it also inspires drug use in the rock and
roll world.
Rhino Records released a 4-song EP, called
Wal-ly! Wal-ly! (This was before Rhino Records became much
popular as they are today, in releasing re-issues and compilations
of musical talents from the past.)
All four songs pretty much carry the same idea, according to
Wally George: “What makes this country so great, and the many
rights and wrongs there are in this country.”
The opening song, “WAL-LY, WAL-LY!” is a parody of The
Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie.” All it is, is George singing about what
his “Hot Seat” TV show is all about: Exposing the liberal
conspiracy, feminists, and knocking heavy metal music.
“Say Wally” has questions regarding the issues of the day. A
person asks, “Say Wally, what do think of ______” The topics
include Jane Fonda, Tom Hayden (Fonda’s husband at the time),
Walter Mondale, feminists, Wally George running for President
(1988), Democrats, no Russians in the Olympics, gays, Jesse Jackson
running for President again, and heavy-metal. Heavy-metal music
starts playing towards the end, driving Wally George crazy, as he
forces this kind of music to stop. The song ends with the familiar
“WAL-LY! WAL-LY!” chants.
“Wally Rap” features Wally George discussing people’s rights,
heavy metal, legalization of drugs, pro-life, and religion, with
some bouncy music in the background.
“America, Why I Love Her” is the most serious of the four songs
on this album. It’s similar to Red Skelton’s version of “The Pledge
Of Allegience.” (By the way, is Skelton’s version available on CD
anywhere?) It’s just a simple song about the beauty of America, and
why it is so beautiful. It has no reference to George’s common
lashes; he speaks about the common popular monumental sites
throughout the United States.
Wally George’s daughter, Rebecca DeMornay became a famous
actress. It is known that she was not in favor of her father’s
character on television. Her major recognition was in the Tom
Cruise movie,
Risky Business. Some felt the role of her playing Cruise’s
prostitute was perfect, being the opposite of what Wally George
talks about on his TV show. But DeMornay has gone on to play much
better and accomplished roles.
As for Wally George, his show was cancelled from syndication in
the late 1980s, yet his show is still seen locally on KODC Channel
56, Anaheim, California, Mondays through Saturdays at midnight. I’m
sure his show is just like any other talk show host’s —
controversial, strange, but entertaining in its own right.
The only thing about this EP, is that there should have been
more. Maybe more songs, (which by the way, Wally George never sings
on any of the four songs contained here, he just talks the lyrics.)
Or maybe this EP could of been extended with some highlighted
moments from his TV shows.
I don’t know if his “Hot Seat” show is still in syndication
somewhere (it’s doubtful), but his shows were unique. They were
like Morton Downey Jr.’s shows, back when Downey was screaming and
yelling at everyone, with his controversial issues. When Downey’s
show was cancelled, he returned as a more relaxed,
less-than-controverisal talk show host, as he mellowed out.
“Hot Seat” is a mix of the old Morton Downey Jr. and Jerry
Springer. Put those together and you get Wally George, who, like
other talk show hosts, may have been ahead of his time just a
bit.
Two other controversial talk show hosts come to mind, yet they
were popular on radio. And, they were both on the air at the same
time as Wally George.
One was Alan Berg, a very controversial Denver talk show host,
who was murdered by The Order (a group of Neo-Nazis) in 1984. His
life story was written by Stephen Singular,
The Murder of Alan Berg and the Rise of the Neo-Nazis). The
book also inspired the Oliver Stone film
Talk Radio
, starring Eric Bogosian. (An excellent film; I highly
recommend it.)
For those who live in the Illinois area, there was another
controversial radio talk show host by the name of Warren Freiberg,
where his television fame came when he appeared on an “Oprah
Winfrey” show. Her guests were contained several controversial talk
show hosts. In an argued debate, Freiberg angrily went to one of
the other guests, and poured soap at him. Some say what he did was
planned, because his radio station, WLNR-FM 106, was soon changing
its radio format to all-black music. His show was cancelled, and
later on, he was hired, along with his wife, Libby Collins, on
WCGO-AM 1600. Freiberg is now retired, his wife is heard weekly on
Indiana’s WJOB-AM 1230 every morning.
However, George paved the way for these talk show hosts on
syndicated television, as it also brought out other future
controversial right-wing talk show hosts. Rush Limbaugh, G. Gordon
Liddy, and maybe some controversial talk show host in your local
area maybe getting a lot of exposure, they should all thank Wally
George. His name may not be a household name, yet he probably never
got the credit he rightfully deserved.