Talk:Charlie Barnett (comedian)

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I saw Charlie Barnett in person from 1980 to 1983 in NYC - mostly in front of the Merrill Lynch buidling (One Liberty Plaza - right across from the WTC) and he was (still to this day) the funniest person I ever saw. This man was a comedic genius. I worked in the NY Telephone Phone Center store in the ground floor of that building and Charlie got to know me and would come inside for water bottles and soda and stay to warm up on cold days. The man could come to the front of the buidling in late morning and stand on one of those concrete pillars at street level (he now being about four feet over the street standing on this stoop) and then start a comedy act that would (and often did) last for several hours (non-stop) in front of an increasing crowd that would top out at probably 500 or 600 people (that might be a shor opl;;;;t-change slight to Charlie...) ever-changing group of people that Charlie would have in stitches with various impromtu routines and ad-libs (goofing on the crowd continually) that did not border on genius but was firmly embedded in that category.

Charlie Barnett was an entertainer who made his mark on the streets of NYC - in front of LIVE crowds doing constantly changing routines - that included political statements as well as slapstick (knowing me from the PhoneCenter Store - Charlie would always walk behind me when I came outside in a Groucho Marx type imitation making me look like a moron but it always made me crack up - I loved it - he knew it and the crowd roared!).

Hey - this fellow was one of the greats and a clear example that there are TRUE GREATS out there that never get their just due in movies or TV or whatever...

Charlie Barnett was ahead of his time and should have been on the early Saturday Night Live shows - he clearly (no question) influenced many. If alive today he would have been quite the success on Cable TV and it is somewhat sad to see the poor talent (today) that gets such accolades for such mediocre ability.

Charlie - wherever you are - take one from Column A and one from Column B - cause you my good man - was a true great!!!

Charlie at Washington Square Park NYC
I too was one of hundreds who would flock after work to Washington Square Park in New York City to see this comic genius. One of a kind talent in his own right. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.29.109.137 (talk) 15:24, 16 May 2018 (UTC)