< I tuned pianos for many of the big night clubs that flourished in South Jersey before the advent of the Atlantic City casinos, which killed them all off. Because I could come and go as I pleased, I often dropped in to see performers I was interested in. Although I am a musician, I was always fascinated with the comics. Rodney Dangerfield was one of my favorites. "I used to date a girl from Buffalo," he'd say, "why can't I meet a girl with normal parents?" Pure corn by modern standards, but, I loved it. Unlike today's comics who do a ten minute routine, five minutes of which is four letter words, the guys like Rodney could do an hour or more and keep it clean. In those days most clubs presented two shows a night. One night I finished up my regular piano tuning service calls and headed over to the club to catch the end of Rodney's second show. Backstage he lamented that he had a toothache that was killing him and he intended to find a dentist first thing in the morning. I told him that most of the dentists in the area were tuning customers of mine and I knew a few who had offices attached to their homes. I would call my wife at home and have her access my files and find a dentist who was willing to open up his office at this late hour and take care of the tooth immediately. My wife soon called back and I drove Rodney to the dentist. I was in the room for the examination. As the dentist poked and prodded around Rodney's mouth accessing the problem I heard Rodney say," I've got lousy teeth doc, but, my kids have great teeth. Thank goodness my wife cheats on me!" As the doctor arranged his dental instruments Rodney gripped the arms of the chair and with a look of panic on his face inquired, "Warden, has the governor called yet?" The dentist took no fee for his work except for a few photos of him and Rodney taken by me. Rodney insisted that the doctor and his wife come to the club to see his show the following night from a ringside table with dinner on him.
Rodney passed away around age 82 from heart problems. I knew his legal name was Jack Roy, changed from his birth name Jacob Cohen early on in his life. I wondered what name he would be buried under. He went with Rodney Dangerfield on his headstone. The inscription? "There goes the neighborhood."
