Florio ‘Uncle Floyd’ Vivino with puppet sidekick Oogie
The Uncle Floyd Show was a big part of my life growing up in New Jersey. Hosted by New Jersey native Floyd Vivino and originally broadcast on UHF channel 68, the show was a precursor to what would follow years later on Cable and Network television (Pee Wee Herman, Howard Stern, etc.). A parody of public television children’s programs, the show was filled with Vaudevillian sketches, sophomoric puppets, and live music.
The adult laden humor hidden behind a youthful, clownish delivery was subversive and liberating to kids with a dry, dark humor such as myself. It showed that such humor had a place in society. Not everything had to be educational or politically correct. It could be humorous for the mere sake of humor. The somewhat warped cast of characters behind the scenes and on the show would break up often and the laughs were simply contagious.
There was also a very real connection to the music of the time. The Uncle Floyd Show was an unlikely platform that featured all sorts of bands. Both upcoming and established acts would grace the tiny makeshift studio. Some of those acts would go on to infamy. The Ramones, Blue Oyster Cult, Bon Jovi, Cyndi Lauper, The Misfits, David Johansen to name a few. The show also had fans in two music legends.
The story goes that David Bowie was hanging with John Lennon one night and Lennon was gushing about this brilliant, funny public access show. A short time after Lennon was killed in 1980, Bowie went to see The Uncle Floyd Live Show at the Bottom Line in NYC. After the show, the two really hit it off and developed a friendship. Years later, Bowie would write a song about the show called ‘Slip Away’ (‘Heathen’ in 2002).
Sailing over Coney Island
Twinkle twinkle, Uncle Floyd
We were dumb, but you were fun, boy
How I wonder where you areOogie knew there’s never ever time
Some of us will always stay behind
Down in space, it’s always 1982
The joke we always knew
The Uncle Floyd show moved around networks, maintaining a dedicated audience through 1998. Floyd continued to perform the show live for years and had amassed some impressive film and TV acting credits including ‘Law & Order’, ‘Crazy People’, and ‘Good Morning Vietnam’. He also hosted a radio program ‘The Italian-American Serenade’ where he featured classic Italian songs from 1987 – 2013. Later there was ‘Uncle Floyd’s Garage Sale Music’ which featured songs from his vast personal music collection.
In 1999, Floyd set a world record for nonstop piano playing, playing for 24 hours and 15 minutes in a charity event to raise money for a sick child. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various charities and causes in his more than 40 years in show business. He will be missed.
Thankfully there is a large archive of videos on YouTube showcasing Floyd’s unique talent and humor. The legend lives on. In the words of David Bowie, “Twinkle twinkle Uncle Floyd.”
Website → unclefloyd.net
YouTube → youtube.com/@UncleFloydShowClips
