Modified On March 8, 2008
An article in the Allentown Call-Chronicle affords the reader a peek into the strange world of Leo Gallagher (or Gallagher 1, as we like to call him). Many facts stuck out, among them that Gallagher has a degree in chemical engineering and that he has never had an agent or a manager.
Gallagher has been involved in a number of projects throughout his career. In the ’80s he did seven television specials. In 2003 he ran for governor of California.
He still produces videos, one of which illustrates his idea to use helicopters for clearing accident vehicles off the freeways in case of a terrorist bio-attack. His latest shows him dressing as “Uncle Earth” to speak about ecology.
We enjoyed watching some of those specials back in the ’80s. There’s lots of interesting stuff in between the fruit/veggie carnage. We heard a chunk of his new material on XMRadio and it’s well-written socio-political commentary that’s right up there with any other similar material.
We saw him live once at Congo Room at the Sahara (the same venue that Louie Prima played in his prime) and the show didn’t go very well. It was disappointing. The year was 1996. Perhaps the crowd was ornery. (How many of them came to the show having just heard a snide Gallagher comment or two in the MSM or in the pop culture? Imagine swimming against that tide every time you set foot onstage!)
Maybe Gallagher himself was “off.” (Even the seasoned pros have the occasional hinky show.) We’ll try to catch him again some day.