Austin, TX -- Sam Greenfield doesn't want to brag, but he always thought he would get the attention he always thought he deserved. Head over heels with his new swelled head, he's the lucky winner of the newest and shiniest crown in show business: Radio's Comic Wonder.
Comic Wonder, the world's first and only online competitive audio joke telling arena, partnered on the national contest with McVay Media and National Association of Broadcasters to search for the funniest radio personality on the planet.
The veteran NYC based comic and morning talk show host on 1160 AM is gaga over the moon trying to figure out what to do with the thousand bucks and stunningly worthy trophy he gets. Maybe put it next to that hockey mask that Dick Cheney hands out to his hunting buddies.
But he's still pinching himself over the best part--in his wildest dreams, when he was making cracks in comedy clubs in the wilds of Alaska, Montana and one of the Dakotas—he can't remember which one—he never thought he'd get to meet Murray Langston, aka The Unknown Comic, who got his start on "The Gong Show" opposite the world's shortest CIA operative, Chuck Barris.
Greenfield moseyed down to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Radio Show in Austin, TX, where, on September 18, Langston and legendary comic Vic Dunlop emceed Greenfield's coronation.
Greenfield was pretty happy about getting free airfare and accommodations to the show, but he didn't start bragging to his friends until he found out about the prize he was really after—a signed, framed and mounted bag that The Unknown Comic wore over his head on "The Gong Show".
"Like all the good fortune I have had in my career, I don't take it for granted – I deserve it," jokes Greenfield. "Seriously, though there are many funny people in radio -- ok, that's not true -- not many, but there are some, and I would like to recognize Jonathan Doll and Howard Stern, who opened so many creative doors for me. I would like to thank the Don Imus crew, especially Rob Bartlett, for making me laugh out loud so early in the day."
While the foundation of his career is standup comedy—he's seriously and proudly split sides in 48 states—Greenfield has made a huge impact on the talk radio format since he began his career in 1997 as an afternoon drive time host on the CBS owned Las Vegas news/talk station KXNT (AM 840). His guest roster ranged from Hilary Clinton to John McCain, from Joy Behar ("The View") and Ann Coulter.
After leaving Las Vegas, Greenfield began his career in television back in New York on the NBC cable network "America's Talking". He co-hosted "Pork", an hour-long daily television show discussing government waste. He also appeared on the Fox News Channel's weekend entertainment show "The Insiders" and has made dozens of appearances on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC. From there, he became a host on News/Talk 1050 AM WEVD and "Drivetime Dialogue" on 1600 AM WWRL before manning the mornings on WVNJ in New Jersey.
The quick-witted radio host also has a knack for rapid fire trivia as a serial game show winner with appearances on NBC's "$25,000 Pyramid", Discovery Channel's new show "Cash Cab", and he brought home $100,000 from the Meredith Viera-hosted "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire".
One of the perks of Greenfield's radio job is that he frequently gets to broadcast from home. When he's not hanging out with his wife, performer and writer Barbara Singer, and his daughter Cassie, and being active in community affairs, he's busy performing at the Broadway Comedy Club in NYC.
"A professor of divinity at Howard University once told me that my ability to make people laugh is a ministry. I should never waste it. It's a ministry because it leaves people feeling better than before I met them. I hope my ability to make people feel good never leaves me," concludes Greenfield.
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