Tom Dreesen
Tom Dreesen (born September 11, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian.
Dreesen grew up in Harvey, Illinois, south of Chicago. His family was one of the few white families in a largely African American community.[1] While working as an insurance salesman in 1968, he met Tim Reid, and the two teamed up to form the first biracial stand-up comedy duo in the United States. Though their material is now considered cutting-edge for its time, the pair struggled to make a living together, and split up in the mid-1970s. However, each found individual success: while Reid landed a role on WKRP in Cincinnati, Dreesen became a regular on The Tonight Show[2] and toured with Frank Sinatra as the crooner's opening act. In 1989, Dreesen released a comedy album on Flying Fish Records called That White Boy's Crazy. The album was recorded in front of an all-black audience in Harvey, Illinois.[1]
Dreesen continues to perform today. He is also involved in philanthropic endeavors and hosts an annual celebrity golf tournament called the Tom Dreesen Celebrity Classic.[3] In 2008, Dreesen, Reid, and former Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter Ron Rapoport completed the book Tim and Tom: An American Comedy in Black and White.[4]
Notes
- ^ a b Kathy O'Malley. "Crazy white boy; Tom Dreesen does comedy about blacks in black clubs". Chicago Tribune. November 5, 1989. 5.
- ^ Michael Miner. "A Pioneering Flop". Chicago Reader. September 4, 2008. Retrieved on September 17, 2008.
- ^ Len Ziehm. "Dreesen keeps celebs coming back for more". Chicago Sun-Times. August 13, 2007. 76.
- ^ Mike Thomas. "Soul Brothers - Tim Reid and Tom Dreesen recall their racially charged comedy act". September 14, 2008. D8.