Summer 96 Volume I Issue 3

hat a coincidence. On the premiere day of my new cigar radio talk show, Lighten Up, George Burns, the world's most famous cigar smoker, passed on to the great humidor in the sky after a century of good living. I began the inaugural Lighten Up show with a dedication to Burns -- the world's most famous cigar smoker -- and a story of my first meeting with the legend. I had just finished a big Hobo steak at Chasen's in Beverly Hills and was leaving when I noticed a frail but extremely alert Burns being helped into a black Rolls Royce by Dinah Shore. I had only one question for the old man, "What is the meaning of life?" to which he replied, "Gracie, of course." He paused, and then added, "Oh, and never let your cigar go out." And that's how it all began -- the premiere of the new radio talk show devoted to cigars and those who enjoy them. My numerous years of radio, television, and entertainment experience -- from performing at the world-famous Magic Castle, at the age of 15 to my stint on the "Gong Show" to working as a DJ in every major U.S. market -- had prepared me for Lighten Up. Throughout my career, I've had to make everyone from Grand Master Flash to Tiffany sound like and intellectual -- and if that can be done, imagine how much happier I am in dealing with cigar smokers, who are on the whole are a far more cultured crowd. But that's not to say that the show is about culture -- in some deep, dark crevice it might be -- mostly the show is about fun. Like so many people, I've always wanted to combine what I love with what I do for a living (which is also a passion in its own right -- so, hey, I'm one lucky guy). The idea for Lighten Up came into my head a little over five years ago when I had my first cigar. I'd been invited by some radio executives to a wine and cigar party -- the thing was, I wasn't really into either. One of the head honchos gave me a Hoyo de Monterrey Double Corona as my first cigar. I politely puffed on it, finishing about half and then letting it go out. I couldn't understand what the big deal was; the love for cigars did not hit me at first. It was a fine taste, but hey, what did I know? I left the party and forgot about the whole thing. A week later, I opened the door to my weekend car, the one I had driven to the party; and this smell -- odor really -- overwhelmed me. The Hoyo had been sitting in the car all week. At this

time in my life I was living in New Jersey and, it being summer, the cigar had kept just fine in the humid weather. Instead of going out to run whatever errand was on my weekend agenda, I sat on the stoop of my house and smoked that baby right down to the point of needing a roach clip to get anything else out of it. It was in that quiet moment I realized what cigars were all about. I've been hooked ever since. Once the idea of Lighten Up was firmly nestled in my brain, I had to go about organizing it. The first thing that prompted my motivation was getting canned from my last gig (just kidding -- it was mutual really!). Then another set of trials and tribulations began, including lengthy negotiations with unsavory characters and such. Finally, I said to myself, "Hell, if I'm going to host this thing, I might as well produce it too!" And that's just what I set out to do. As with all new things, the coast-to-coast Lighten Up show has not gone off without a bump or two. I suppose the biggest one was that the first show was heard only in L.A. -- so in that case, coast-to-coast meant Ventura County Line to Laguna Beach. The second show was much better -- this time we did it out of the New York studio, with numerous guests. But still the gremlin reared its ugly head again, because our 1-800 number for listeners was far from ready, so every call that came in cost you, the listeners, but hey, fame has its price. By the fourth show, we had the satellite hook-up, and the 1-800 number, and everything was perfect. Well, as perfect as live radio can ever get. Now you can listen to us in our state of zen-like perfection every Saturday afternoon, in Los Angeles at 12 Noon on 870-AM KIEV and in New York on 1050-AM WEVD at 3 p.m. Many more markets will be added in the near future -- just look in the pages of SMOKE for those cities and dates. Lighten Up, hosted by my alter ego Mr. Cigar, is a live forum, featuring discussions with celebrities such as actor/cigar store partner George Hamilton, actor/radio personality Jay Thomas, The John Larroquette Show star Chi McBride; as well as cigar industry leaders like Manny Ferraro from Ashton, Brad Weinfeld from Hollco Rohr, Richard "Dick" DiMeola of Consolidated Cigar Company, SMOKE editor-in-chief Aaron Sigmond, and many more to come! So please join us, and remember, if you happen to catch a glance of Mr. Cigar, "Please, no flash photos!"

"MAGIC MATT" ALAN has hosted numerous shows on VH-1, MTV, Comedy Central, and the Home and Garden Network. His radio experience includes broadcasting New York, L.A., Philadelphia, Seattle, Houston, and San Diego. He currently hosts the new cigar radio talk show "Lighten Up" which broadcasts every Saturday in New York and L.A. Matt is also a professional magician who has performed through the U.S. including shows at the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA.