On the Road Again

October 6-31: Northeast Corridor

by Lenny Hughes

We're BACK.

Actually, we've been back on the Road much of October. I've just been too lazy or too distracted to report our doings, but I'm taking a break, so I thought I'd bring you up to date.

Happy Halloween. I recently got back from my latest pilgrimage to New Orleans, which is decked out for the holiday, appropriately for a town whose ordinary house-for-sale signs indicate "Haunted" or "Not Haunted."

I snapped a shot of the most notoriously haunted place in the French Quarter, the LaLaurie Mansion, to give you an idea of what the city looks like in almost every doorway, window or balcony this time of year.

NOLAween

The mansion got its reputation from accounts of heinous tortures and murders of dozens of slaves in the early part of the 19th Century. More recently it was owned by Nicholas Cage until the actor reportedly had financial quirks a few years back. So the bad vibes continue.

Meanwhile, we've had nothing but good vibes on the Road this month. Started out for a couple nights at the Borgata in Atlantic City, armed with tons of new merch, including brand new recording of Lew's recent shows under the title "Black to the Future."

Borgata poster

Black to the Future CDs & DVDs

New merch

Lewis won a couple thousand bucks on one hand of video poker. Of course, over the years, he's probably lost a couple billion dollars playing his favorite gambling device, but it's all in fun.

That is, until the casino tried to tell him he didn't have the right ID to claim his winnings. "I could use this card to get on a plane and BLOW IT UP, but I can't use it here?" he asked politely.

They still were skeptical that he was legitimate, despite scads of posters with his name and picture hanging all over the casino.

Eventually they gave in, Lew got the cash, and he generously shared it with his well-deserving crew.

Along with the new CDs and DVDs, intrepid Tour Manager Ben Brewer has bugged out the bus with festoons of microphones, and we've begun to share our intimate musings with the world. Accordingly, the weekend after Atlantic City, in a parking lot in Worcester, Massachusetts, Lewis sent out an announcement about the "Black to the Future" discs. Besides radio broadcasts and the messaging system Periscope, they've hooked up with the Audible system, which you can access on your smart phone.

Pride & prejudice

The future

On Audible (which Amazon Prime members can get for free), Lewis sent out a hilarious monologue about the history of Atlantic City and his early mishaps as an amateur gambler.

After the show in Worchester (which may or not have anything to do with the sauce), we headed down to the Mayo Performing Arts Centre in Morristown, New Jersey (former home of Washington's headquarters and current home of Bayer aspirin), then capped off the run in Concord, New Hampshire.

Morristown NJ, home of Bayer Aspirin

Upper New York and New England were slowly bringing in the Fall with a few fiery leaf colors, and we happened on another fiery phenomenon on the shoulder after a tractor trailer had apparently exploded.

Autumn in New York

Fiery leaves

Fiery truck

We had a nice autumn break, when I went to New Orleans, then we resumed the mayhem in Stamford, Connecticut. And Lewis revived his grand imitation of Ben Carson, complete with Carson's absurdly meaningless hand gestures and equally absurd commentary.

Lewis' imitation of Ben Carson

Our old high school buddy Don Smith showed up with his wife Phyllis in Stamford where they recently moved. One of the best perks for being on the road is the chance to reunite with friends who are scattered all over the 48 contiguous states.

That night, we shot over to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the Sands Event Center (and casino). The show, of course, was great in the town that Lewis declared to be the actual birthplace of Jesus Christ.

Next night, we wound up back at Pennsylvania's good old Hershey Theatre for the last show of the weekend. The town is still decked out with Hershey Kisses street lamps, though most of the chocolate is made everywhere but Hershey.

Hershey Kisses street lamps

I made it home that night, thanks to a free ride from one of our favorite associates, and I'm readying my house for trick-or-treaters by pulling the blinds and dowsing the lights as I plan to spend the evening with my daughter Liza's family. I tried putting out candy on the honor system last year, but the first two kids scooped it all into their bags and kept it for themselves. (Would it be right to pray that they may have choked to death?)

Next weekend, we'll be in Albany and Rochester for a short little romp.

--Happy All Saints Day (how 'bout them Saints, by the way?!)

Lenny