It Ain't Ober Till It's Ober (R.I.P. Ken Ober)

In 1987, while students at the University of Connecticut, my good buddy Richard Fronapfel and I were walking through the Student Union, discussing the Iran-Contra Affair, when a sign on a bulletin board caught our attention.

MTV was coming to UConn to audition contestants for a new game show they were planning called Remote Control. Those auditioning would be required to display a sweeping knowledge of popular culture and stand up and talk about themselves, two things Rich and I were better at than most.

Rich and I auditioned a few days later with dozens of other Huskies and, lo and behold, we were both chosen to be on the show.

I went down to the studio in Manhattan on a Wednesday to compete on the show, but was bumped and rescheduled for what happened to be the same day as a final exam, which I alas could not move. I was never on.

Rich, however, went on Remote Control a few days later and won it all. Remote Control, of course, was hosted by Ken Ober, who sadly passed away last week at age 52.

Richard, whilst devastated by the loss of his partner in pop culture immortality, was kind enough to share his memories of working with the late, great Ken Ober. Take it away, Rich:

Kenny Wasn't Like the Other Kids; Lamentations for a comic hosting pioneer
by Richard Fronapfel

22 years ago last month, I lay comfortably on a Craftmatic(TM) adjustable bed (complete with duckie-adorned sheets) in a TV studio on Manhattan's west side made up to look like the late Ken Ober's basement.

60 seconds later I found myself pulling Remote Control creator and host Ken Ober onto the bed in celebration after correctly identifying Dire Straits's "Walk of Life" video to win a trip to Jamaica (as well as a Brother Word Processor, a wardrobe from Naf Naf, a Casio keyboard and other various and sundry prizes). Sidekick Colin Quinn and the show's cute, quirky hostess, Marisol Massey, were hugged and pulled with equal abandon, and I basked in the reverie of a truly unique day.

At this point, Remote Control had yet to have its on-air debut. I had no idea what I was getting into; nor did I realize that Ken Ober's brainchild would be MTV's first foray into series television and a cult favorite for years to come.

All I knew was that on a crisp, fall day in 1987, I met a gracious, funny pioneer who was quick, engaging and approachable. Without hesitation, he pulled Colin and I into a candid discussion about the peaks and valleys of stand up comedy, and I caught a glimpse of the boyish enthusiasm with which Ken Ober approached this project and his career. Au revoir, mon frere!

Remote Control, 1987 (alas, not featuring Richard Fronapfel)