Floyd Vivino

The Uncle Floyd Show

The Uncle Floyd Show aired in New Jersey and New York from 1974 to 1998.^[1] The show adopted the visual style of a children's television show but used it to deliver deliberately odd, improvised, and often adult-leaning humor that functioned as a parody of the genre rather than a conventional kids' show. Much of the humor had a twist aimed at adults, in the style of shows by predecessor Soupy Sales (1950s–1970s).^[2] The show featured character comedy, puppetry, some audience participation, musical guests, and Vivino's piano playing. One of Vivino's puppet sidekicks, actually a Pelham Puppets Walter Ego ventriloquial puppet, was named Oogie. He would interact on-air with off-camera staff and sidekicks. Local bands such as The Smithereens, Mucky Pup, and R. Stevie Moore, and touring performers with Benny Bell, Blue Öyster Cult, Jan and Dean, Joe Jackson, David Johansen, Cyndi Lauper, NRBQ, The Misfits, Monty Python, Peter Tork, The Ramones, Squeeze, Paul Simon, Dave Edmunds, The Blasters, Marshall Crenshaw, Eddie Money, The Boomtown Rats, and Tiny Tim also appeared on Vivino's program. Jon Bon Jovi made his debut television performance on the show.^[3][4]

The show made its debut on UA-Columbia Cable TV of New Jersey, now part of Cablevision, on January 29, 1974. Beginning in November 1974, it aired on UHF-TV station WBTB-TV, Newark, broadcasting on channels 68 and 60, which later became WTVG, then WWHT, as the station's ownership changed.^{[citation needed]}

The show's first cast members in 1974 included Pat Cupo, Bob D. Caterino (known for his Groucho Marx skits), and Marc Nathan, the cameraman. Later members were Scott Gordon, Craig "Mugsy" Calam, Richard "Netto" Cornetto, Jim Monaco, Art "Looney Skip" Rooney, Charlie Stoddard, David "Artie Delmar" Burd, and Clark the Wonder Dog. A phonograph album based on the show, The Uncle Floyd Show Album, was released on Mercury Records, and a number of 45 rpm singles on the Bioya label were released around 1979–83. Vivino also released a few CDs as a solo artist.^{[citation needed]}

In 1982, The Uncle Floyd Show went into a small syndication circuit, which included 17 markets, among them WNBC-TV channel 4 in New York, then WTAF-TV channel 29 in Philadelphia, WPWR-TV Channel 60 in Chicago, WSBK-TV Channel 38 in Boston, and WHCT-TV Channel 18 in Hartford. It aired right after SCTV on WNBC. The national syndication deal was seen as a huge step forward for the show, which until that point could only be viewed in and around New Jersey and New York City on a single UHF channel, and, at times, local cable.^{[citation needed]}

From 1983 to 1986, The Uncle Floyd Show ran on the statewide PBS network, New Jersey Network, which consisted of four channels: WNJS (Channel 23, Camden), WNJN (Channel 50, Montclair), WNJB (Channel 58, New Brunswick), and WNJT (Channel 52, Trenton). When the show was cancelled, the president of the Uncle Floyd Show fan club petitioned the New Jersey Network and received $159 back that he had donated to the public broadcasting station on the understanding that it would go directly to the show.^[5]

Starting in late 1986, The Uncle Floyd Show was then seen on statewide cable channel CTN (Cable Television Network Of New Jersey).^[6] During this time, the show went through various incarnations, with Vivino sometimes hosting a music-only show, showcasing local bands. Vivino also hosted a show called Uncle Floyd's New Jersey, in which he would visit various towns and businesses in the state. First-run production of The Uncle Floyd Show ended in 1992, with CTN showing repeats until that channel's demise in 1999.^{[citation needed]}

From 1992 until 1996, cast member Mugsy produced and appeared in a spin-off show entitled The Eleventh Hour.^[7][8] The show was written and produced in the same vein as The Uncle Floyd Show. It was broadcast live from studios in Nutley, New Jersey, on the statewide CTN cable network, and on two Northern New Jersey public-access channels, Cablevision of Oakland and Suburban Cablevision of New Jersey in East Orange (later acquired by Comcast Corporation).^{[citation needed]}

In 1998, production of The Uncle Floyd Show began in the Cablevision studio in Oakland, New Jersey. One hundred shows were produced and aired on Cablevision systems throughout the region. Musical guests included Marky Ramone and The Misfits. Although viewer response was enthusiastic, the show was canceled by Cablevision management after the first cycle of episodes.^{[citation needed]}

At its peak, the Uncle Floyd Show fan club had 13,000 members.^[9]

Other work

Floyd performed as an emcee, a stand-up comic and a live musician at shows up to 300 times a year at small venues across New Jersey and New York: nightclubs, restaurants, and Knights of Columbus halls at night, "Meatball the Clown" shows at schools during the day.^[10][4] He recorded a jingle for the Wild West City theme park and performed there often.^[11][12]

Vivino appeared on several television shows filmed in New York City, including Law & Order, 100 Centre Street, and Cosby, and was a regular on the Sirius Satellite Radio program The Wiseguys Show on Raw Dog Comedy (channel 104) hosted by former The Sopranos cast member Vincent Pastore. Vivino performed the jingle of, as well as appeared in the TV commercial for, the frontier-themed amusement park Wild West City, located in Byram Township, New Jersey, a jingle that is still used today by the park. He also had parts in the movies Good Morning, Vietnam, Crazy People, and Mr. Wonderful.^[13] He also shot a scene for One-Trick Pony, which was deleted.^{[citation needed]} In 2000, Vivino played the bit part of an announcer in the Insane Clown Posse movie, Big Money Hustlas.^{[citation needed]}

From 1987 to 2013, Vivino broadcast on WVIP-FM 93.5 radio from New Rochelle, New York, where he played a wide range of Italian music on his Sunday afternoon program, The Italian-American Serenade. He claimed to have the largest collection of Italian records in the world. The program was revived on sister station WVOX 1460 AM in September 2018.^{[citation needed]}

In 1999, Floyd set a Guinness World Record by playing a piano continuously for 24 hours and 15 minutes.^[14]

From 2001 to 2004, "Uncle Floyd's Restaurant" operated out of the Holiday Inn in Wayne. Vivino performed there several nights a week.^[14][15]

In January 2013, Vivino began the internet-based radio program The Uncle Floyd Radio Show, which was streamed twice a week from the show's website and through various SHOUTcast mobile apps and links.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2013, Uncle Floyd's Garage Sale Music began on WVOX 1460 in New Rochelle. This show featured records from Vivino's large personal collection, most of which he found in thrift shops, yard sales, and curbside garbage piles. The program featured discussion between Vivino and his co-host about the music and artists whose recordings are heard on the show, many of whom Vivino worked with personally. Also, some segments feature written comments and questions submitted by listeners. Beginning in June 2014, a second weekly Garage Sale Music program began airing and streaming on Sundays 9:00 to noon over WFDU 89.1 FM in Teaneck, New Jersey. The WVOX program ended in September 2018, returning to The Italian-American Serenade format.^{[citation needed]}

Vivino was selected to be the vocalist on Vince Giordano's 2020 recording of "Ain't Misbehavin'", but was replaced by Loudon Wainwright III due to a conflicting appearance commitment.^{[16][better source needed]}

Vivino hosted and starred in The Last Authentic American Traveling Burlesque Show, a tribute to the lost entertainment style of burlesque.^[17]

Vivino also wrote a weekly column covering Italian and Italian American topics and culture, titled Italian American Serenade, for the Italian Tribune from 2000 to 2026. He was also the long time master of ceremonies for the Italian Tribune's Columbus Gala, which highlights accomplishments of Italian Americans from the proceeding year.^[18]

In 2009 and 2017, Vivino ran for Governor of New Jersey as a write-in candidate.^[19][20]