Good Thoughts To Gallagher As He Recovers From Second Heart Attack

Awful news as one of the kitschiest comedians of our time is reported to be contemplating retirement.

I might be revealing my age with this post, but I remember seeing Gallagher at the height of his career, playing to a packed house, and I was thrilled to have front-row seating, backstage passes and plans to hit a dance club (I won't call it a disco as I am not quite that old) after the performance, almost hoping to go covered in watermelon innards.

Gallagher, better known to his family and friends as Leo Anthony Gallagher, had a heart attack on March 14^th, prior to a Dallas performance. He was put in a medically-induced coma and was just released from the hospital last week Wednesday. He suffered another heart attack yesterday, this one more minor than the first, and is currently at a hospital in Sedona recovering.

Meeting Gallagher, even briefly, revealed an extremely intelligent man who simply loved entertaining. Gallagher smashed things, plain and simple. Food that sprayed, splattered or would fly 30' feet or better, being a favorite for his “Sledge-O-Matic," as well as Hefty Bag-covered audiences everywhere. He told a few jokes, interrupted by some food slaughtering, but his greatest talent was his mastery of the big build up and knowing how to keep the crowd enthralled before the big watermelon massacre at the end of his show.

Sending good thoughts to the man who forever changed the way I look at watermelon (yes, I still crack up when perusing the selection at a salad bar and spot some of that wonderful red fruit) and best wishes for a speedy recovery.