Inside Shelley Berman: Buttermilk Holiday

By JULIETTE ROSSANT No chef should go through life without hearing Shelley Berman, yet unless your parents or grandparents have a copy of his 1959 classic record album, Inside Shelley Berman, you may have gone unwittingly through a life of unnecessary deprivation. That's all because of Mr. Berman's views on buttermilk. What further to say, except get ahold of a copy and hear for yourself. This is the man who made comedic monologues what they are today. He was the first (and for a time, the most famous) stand-up comedian in America. And that record, Inside Shelley Berman? First live comedy album to go gold. First Grammy winner. TIME Magazine called him an "Everymanic-depressive." Just look at how many articles come up on him at TIME. Big time stuff. Mort Sahl, Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby? All came after Shelley Berman. The funny thing is that many Americans today know Shelley Berman in other, more recent guises, as discussed in the current issue of AARP Magazine. For instance, he stars in the HBO hit Curb Your Enthusiasm -- that's Shelley as David, a neurotic perfectionist. He has also had cameo roles in reent film like Meet the Fockers and The Aristocrats. Looking for something vintage to give for the holidays? Make yours a Berman. Previous articles: Robert Klein: The Amorous Busboy of Decatur Avenue [complete Cookbook Reviews] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine --> subscribe to superchefblog --> back to superchefblog