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Big Chuck and Lil John to reunite at Packard
By John Benson
WARREN
When it comes to late-night local television for baby boomers and Gen Xers, the story normally revolves around the hilarious high jinks of Cleveland legends Chuck Schodowski and John Rinaldi on “The Big Chuck and Lil’ John Show.”
Diehards looking for more laughs from the semiretired duo will want to consider a walk down memory lane at The National Packard Museum’s “Big Chuck & Little John Live!” fundraiser, which takes place Saturday in Warren.
“Big Chuck and Little John have come to our car show a couple of times and done their comedy skit, and we just thought this year we’d have them come back and do a full-fledged show because they kind of have a cult following,” said National Packard Museum Executive Director Mary Ann Porinchak. “A lot of people really grew up watching them at various times, whether it was midnight or in the afternoon.”
What those folks remember are plenty of zany skits, memorable characters (Ben Crazy and Kielbasa Kid) and scary, oftentimes campy, horror movies. In a nutshell, that’s what people attending the upcoming event in the museum’s new Great Hall Gallery will experience. The funnymen will introduce the evening’s featured film “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” as well as perform Big Chuck & Little John skits and show vintage film clips during faux commercial breaks. One of the comedians’ calling cards is its famous pizza-eating contest, which also will make a return.
Porinchak said this is the type of community event Northeast Ohio residents should come to expect from the National Packard Museum’s brand-new 10,000-square-foot Great Hall Gallery, which opened this summer.
“Part of our plan in the expansion process over the years was that we would create an area that would be used for more than just exhibiting cars,” Porinchak said. “It would be multifunctional that we would be able to have more community-type events and fundraisers. So in addition to renting the facility for various social activities, we decided to stick our toes in the water and see how this fundraiser goes. This is the sort of thing we plan to host in the future. This is a ticketed event, and we’re basically dragging Big Chuck and Little John out of retirement. They may never do this again. And I’m fairly sure they won’t.”
Finally, how exactly did Porinchak bring Schodowski, who is also known for his work on “Ghoulardi” and “The Hoolihan and Big Chuck Show,” and Rinaldi out of semiretirement?
“The first time we had them at the car show a few years ago, they were kind of like, ‘What?’” Porinchak said. “They were doing a little tour, and Chuck was interested in promoting his book. And then they fell in love with what we’re doing here and the embracing of their history, just like our history. We’re giving them the ability to step back in the ring for just one night and have some fun. They don’t do that that often. So we convinced them this was a good reason to come out.”