2008 Woodie Awards
Duo reaches 30 years
Clayton Vertrees
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: News
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After 30 years of comedy under the name "The Communicators," McGaughey and Valentine not only maintain a mutual respect for one another, but remember coincidences that provide their similar mentalities.
McGaughey and Valentine, both faculty members of the department journalism and mass communications, remember their first performance in January 1978.
"That was the year of the big snow, big enough that we didn't have classes for three days right at the very first of the semester," McGaughey said. "There was a foot and a half of snow that had fallen within an hour-and-a-half. I had never seen anything like it."
To entertain students trapped in their rooms by the heavy snow, McGaughey and Valentine performed routines from comedians like Abbot and Costello.
Following their first paid performance, McGaughey said a graduating senior asked the duo to entertain at the Fulton, Ky., Banana Festival.
"The girl in charge said, 'I would like to hire you to work the dinner for the Banana Princess Festival,'" McGaughey said. "'And she said 'You and Valentine do your act.' I said 'Well, we don't have an act,' and she said 'Well, I'll give you $500.' I said 'how long do you want this act?' So, Bob and I sat down, he had some material, I had some material, and we wrote out about five skits, and started working."
As "The Communicators" continued touring, Valentine said the respect felt between he and McGaughey developed.
"McGaughey is a very learned man who thinks everything has to be funny," Valentine said. "Comedy is a very dangerous tool, it's like dynamite - it shouldn't be handled by amateurs. Most people are afraid they'll appear foolish, but what we worry about is the audience's reaction."
The two find ways to entertain their audiences and they said they have never had a bad show. As a duo, The Communicators perform for workshops involving advertising, communication, and public relations and comedy shows, on which the pair call "miscommunications."
At the end of all performances, McGaughey said he and Valentine end by giving the audience tips to become better communicators at home and work. No matter the situation, Valentine and McGaughey said they tell the audience to take time to listen to others and never lose their sense of humor.
"When we tell the audience the two ways to be better communicators, I hold up three fingers, and Valentine will say 'that's two,' and I will hold up two," McGaughey said. "Not only is that the sign of victory from World War II, but of course, a Roman ordering five beers."
Clayton Vertrees can be reached at james.vertrees@murraystate.edu.
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