MY FATHER, PAGLIACCI & SAL RICHARDS

Marash Girl's father, Peter Bilezikian, often told the tale of Pagliacci which went something like this.  There was a man who was always very sad, so sad that he finally decided to go to the best psychiatrist in town.  The psychiatrist had the ultimate cure: "Just go to see the famous clown Pagliacci.  That will cure what ails you!"  The sad man answered, "But I am that clown. I am Pagliacci!"

Sal Richards signing his autobiography, BEHIND THE LAUGHTER, HIDDEN TEARS

I was reminded of my father's story when funny man Sal Richards stood before an audience at Villa Roma in Callicoon, New York, and made everyone laugh for over an hour, but after the show he sold an autobiographical treatise on his not so funny life: Behind the Laughter, Hidden Tears.

Sal Richards holding his autobiography, BEHIND THE LAUGHTER, HIDDEN TEARS

While Marash Girl was standing in line waiting to purchase Behind the Laughter, Hidden Tears, she decided to ask Sal to write "something funny" in the book.  And he did exactly that, writing on the title page, "Something funny. Sal Richards", eliciting yet another laugh from the audience that was still waiting to purchase the autobiography.

When you read Sal's book, you'll understand why Marash Girl remembered Peter's Pagliacci story .