John Melendez
Encyclopedia
John Edward Melendez commonly known as "Stuttering John," is an American
television writer and former radio personality. Prior to his work on television as a writer and announcer, Melendez was a regular on-air personality on The Howard Stern Show. He became known for asking impertinent questions of celebrities on the red carpet
and at press conferences with his stuttering.
, Long Island and attended Plainedge High School. Melendez began to stutter when he was in the second grade. According to Melendez, his problem came about because of the psychological mistreatment from his father, who also stutters. Both he and his father suffer from a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.
In 1988, Melendez attended New York University
's film school, and belonged to a band called "Rock Slide." His college roommate, comedian Mitch Fatel
, was on the verge of quitting his internship with The Howard Stern Show, when Melendez asked him for a recommendation for an internship there. The show's producer, Gary Dell'Abate
, mentioned Melendez's stuttering to Howard Stern
who, without seeing him and even before he was interviewed, told the producer to hire him.
, Fred Norris
, and Jackie Martling
, premised on the idea that celebrities would not want to look bad by refusing an interview from a stutterer. He sported long hair and metal t-shirts and would often confront celebrities with puerile questions about their private lives. His interviews were characterized by punchline-free "joke" questions, such as asking actress Melanie Griffith
how her father, Andy
, was.
The absurdity of the questions Melendez asked were often amplified by the fact that Melendez himself appeared to lack common pop culture knowledge and often did not even seem to know who the subjects of his interview were or what they were famous for. Sometimes celebrities were a personal target of Stern's, such as Ted Williams
, who was interviewed by Melendez because Stern disapproved the idea of athletes charging money for autographs. Oftentimes the celebrity would react angrily, but other times the celebrity would take the questions in good humor. Melendez notably interviewed Gennifer Flowers
, Ringo Starr
, and the Dalai Lama. He asked the Dalai Lama, if anyone ever greeted him with "Hello Dolly!", in a joking reference to the play and movie; the Dalai Lama's translator whispered the translation to the Dalai Lama, who chuckled. Another time Stuttering John interviewed Debbie Gibson losing an award to Wilson Phillips
, to which she jokingly agreed with his idea that "the fat one would eat the statue". Stuttering John also provided comic interest with his misadventures, poor grammar and sloppy pronunciation.
According to The New York Post, Melendez says Stern didn't pay him fairly and "resented me doing any outside work"; Stern replied saying that Melendez is a "no-talent ingrate" and he should stick to holding up the mug on The Tonight Show.
show Tony n' Tina's Wedding
where he met his wife, Suzanna. Melendez had bit parts in the movies Airheads
, Meet Wally Sparks
, Dude, Where's My Car?
, and Howard Stern's movie Private Parts
. He has also appeared on television on episodes of Wings, Baywatch Nights
, and the 2003 U.S.
version of the reality
series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.
to promote I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2003 John received an offer from Jay Leno
to become a New York 'correspondent' who would ask celebrities questions on the red carpet, similar to one of his roles on the Stern show. John claimed on the show that he turned down the offer because he could not get a private conversation with Howard to ask him about it. Stern later claimed how "lame" an idea it was for Jay to reuse John the way he did (in a less edgy way). However, it was revealed during February 2004 in The New York Post that Melendez had been offered the announcer position (while the Stern's show was on vacation). It was a move that many perceived as a thinly veiled attempt to attract a younger demographic and nonsensical considering his "stuttering" moniker. The hiring of Melendez, which was carried out by Jay without Stern's knowledge, prompted a rift between Stern and Leno. Stern tiraded on his show for weeks on end, touting how Jay was "ripping him off", citing previously "lifted" material from his show such as "Jaywalking" ripping off Stern's "homeless game" for example stating "To an 18- to 25-year-old male, Jay Leno is gay. He might as well put a dress on." Since the move to The Jay Leno Show
, Melendez was replaced as announcer, but remains on the writing staff. Wally Wingert
has served as the announcer since that point.
He accepted the offer, debuting on The Tonight Show on March 29, 2004. On the show, he was identified as simply "John Melendez" (as opposed to "Stuttering John," which he was "not allowed" to be called). John held up a coffee mug on camera.
as a member of the writing staff on The Jay Leno Show
. Confirmation of his status on Leno's new prime time
show came later than that of Eubanks, weeks after the end of Leno's tenure on The Tonight Show, which led to speculation that he would not appear at all. Melendez's ambiguous job status prompted a sarcastic job offer from his former boss Stern.
When asked about Melendez's new role, Leno stated that Melendez would appear in comedy segments during the show and that the new show would not have a studio announcer. He described his interplay with Melendez on Tonight as "awkward," saying "I'd throw to Kevin Eubanks
, and I'd throw to John, and I realized that my guy is Eubanks." Melendez did not return as an announcer on the second incarnation of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
and is now employed as a staff writer and occasional segment host.
CDs with humorous lyrics, one on Atlantic Records
and one on Razor & Tie Records. In 2004, Melendez provided the voice of Bob the computer on Tripping the Rift
.
with his wife, Suzanna Keller, and three children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television writer and former radio personality. Prior to his work on television as a writer and announcer, Melendez was a regular on-air personality on The Howard Stern Show. He became known for asking impertinent questions of celebrities on the red carpet
Red carpet
A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.- History :...
and at press conferences with his stuttering.
Early years
Melendez grew up in MassapequaMassapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
, Long Island and attended Plainedge High School. Melendez began to stutter when he was in the second grade. According to Melendez, his problem came about because of the psychological mistreatment from his father, who also stutters. Both he and his father suffer from a form of obsessive compulsive disorder.
In 1988, Melendez attended New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
's film school, and belonged to a band called "Rock Slide." His college roommate, comedian Mitch Fatel
Mitch Fatel
Mitch Fatel is a stand-up comedian in New York. He was raised in Yonkers, New York and began doing stand-up at the age of 15. In 1988 Fatel attended NYU/Tisch School of the Arts and majored in Film and Acting Studies. Around this time Mitch was an intern on the Howard Stern show...
, was on the verge of quitting his internship with The Howard Stern Show, when Melendez asked him for a recommendation for an internship there. The show's producer, Gary Dell'Abate
Gary Dell'Abate
Gary Patrick Angelo Dell'Abate , also known as "Baba Booey", is an American radio producer, known for being the executive producer of The Howard Stern Show. His autobiography, They Call Me Baba Booey, was released on November 2, 2010.-Early life and career:Dell'Abate was born in Uniondale, New...
, mentioned Melendez's stuttering to Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
who, without seeing him and even before he was interviewed, told the producer to hire him.
The Howard Stern Show
On Stern's show, Melendez conducted outrageous street interviews, with questions written by Howard SternHoward Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
, Fred Norris
Fred Norris
Eric Fred Norris is an American radio personality known for being the longest-tenured staff member of The Howard Stern Show aside from Stern himself...
, and Jackie Martling
Jackie Martling
John Coger "Jackie" Martling, Jr. is an American comedian, comedy writer and radio personality. He is best known for being a writer on The Howard Stern Show from 1983 to 2001.-Early life and career:...
, premised on the idea that celebrities would not want to look bad by refusing an interview from a stutterer. He sported long hair and metal t-shirts and would often confront celebrities with puerile questions about their private lives. His interviews were characterized by punchline-free "joke" questions, such as asking actress Melanie Griffith
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Richards Griffith is an American actress. She is an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner for her performance in the 1988 film Working Girl...
how her father, Andy
Andy Griffith
Andy Samuel Griffith is an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan's epic film A Face in the Crowd before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead...
, was.
The absurdity of the questions Melendez asked were often amplified by the fact that Melendez himself appeared to lack common pop culture knowledge and often did not even seem to know who the subjects of his interview were or what they were famous for. Sometimes celebrities were a personal target of Stern's, such as Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, who was interviewed by Melendez because Stern disapproved the idea of athletes charging money for autographs. Oftentimes the celebrity would react angrily, but other times the celebrity would take the questions in good humor. Melendez notably interviewed Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers
Gennifer Flowers is a model and actress who allegedly had a sexual relationship with former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Prior to Bill Clinton's presidency, she also posed nude for Penthouse magazine and was an actress in two films and one TV show...
, Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
, and the Dalai Lama. He asked the Dalai Lama, if anyone ever greeted him with "Hello Dolly!", in a joking reference to the play and movie; the Dalai Lama's translator whispered the translation to the Dalai Lama, who chuckled. Another time Stuttering John interviewed Debbie Gibson losing an award to Wilson Phillips
Wilson Phillips
-Studio albums:-Compilation albums:-Singles:-Other charted songs:-Awards and nominations:...
, to which she jokingly agreed with his idea that "the fat one would eat the statue". Stuttering John also provided comic interest with his misadventures, poor grammar and sloppy pronunciation.
According to The New York Post, Melendez says Stern didn't pay him fairly and "resented me doing any outside work"; Stern replied saying that Melendez is a "no-talent ingrate" and he should stick to holding up the mug on The Tonight Show.
National exposure
Melendez received national exposure when Stern's show began airing on national television. During his 15-year run as Stern's employee, Melendez also starred in the Off-BroadwayOff-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
show Tony n' Tina's Wedding
Tony n' Tina's Wedding
-Film adaptation:The play was "freely" adapted for film by writer-director Roger Paradiso— "filmed primarily from the point of view of a lisping videographer"—with Joey McIntyre and Mila Kunis playing the title characters...
where he met his wife, Suzanna. Melendez had bit parts in the movies Airheads
Airheads
Airheads is a 1994 American comedy film written by Rich Wilkes and directed by Michael Lehmann. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi and Adam Sandler as a band of loser musicians called "The Lone Rangers" who take a radio station hostage, just so that their song would get played on the radio...
, Meet Wally Sparks
Meet Wally Sparks
Meet Wally Sparks is a comedy film released in 1997 by Trimark Pictures. It stars Rodney Dangerfield and was directed by Peter Baldwin.-Plot:...
, Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car?
Dude, Where's My Car? is a 2000 American stoner comedy film directed by Danny Leiner. The film stars Ashton Kutcher and Seann William Scott as two young men who find themselves wasted and forget where they parked their car....
, and Howard Stern's movie Private Parts
Private Parts
Private Parts may refer to:*Intimate parts, such as the human sex organs*Private Parts , a 1993 autobiography by radio personality Howard Stern*Private Parts , a 1997 film based on Howard Stern's autobiography of the same name...
. He has also appeared on television on episodes of Wings, Baywatch Nights
Baywatch Nights
Baywatch Nights was an American police and science fiction drama series that aired in syndication from 1995 to 1997. Created by Douglas Schwartz, David Hasselhoff, and Gregory J. Bonann, the series is a spin-off from the popular television series, Baywatch.-Synopsis:The original premise of the show...
, and the 2003 U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
version of the reality
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!.
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Following a guest appearance on The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
to promote I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2003 John received an offer from Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
to become a New York 'correspondent' who would ask celebrities questions on the red carpet, similar to one of his roles on the Stern show. John claimed on the show that he turned down the offer because he could not get a private conversation with Howard to ask him about it. Stern later claimed how "lame" an idea it was for Jay to reuse John the way he did (in a less edgy way). However, it was revealed during February 2004 in The New York Post that Melendez had been offered the announcer position (while the Stern's show was on vacation). It was a move that many perceived as a thinly veiled attempt to attract a younger demographic and nonsensical considering his "stuttering" moniker. The hiring of Melendez, which was carried out by Jay without Stern's knowledge, prompted a rift between Stern and Leno. Stern tiraded on his show for weeks on end, touting how Jay was "ripping him off", citing previously "lifted" material from his show such as "Jaywalking" ripping off Stern's "homeless game" for example stating "To an 18- to 25-year-old male, Jay Leno is gay. He might as well put a dress on." Since the move to The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
, Melendez was replaced as announcer, but remains on the writing staff. Wally Wingert
Wally Wingert
Wallace E. "Wally" Wingert is an American actor and voice artist. He is originally from Des Moines, Iowa but he currently works and lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the current announcer for the second incarnation of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the current voice of Jon Arbuckle in...
has served as the announcer since that point.
He accepted the offer, debuting on The Tonight Show on March 29, 2004. On the show, he was identified as simply "John Melendez" (as opposed to "Stuttering John," which he was "not allowed" to be called). John held up a coffee mug on camera.
The Jay Leno Show
Melendez reunited with Leno and former Tonight bandleader Kevin EubanksKevin Eubanks
Kevin Tyrone Eubanks is an American jazz guitarist and composer who was the leader of the Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led The Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.- Personal background :Eubanks was born into a musical family...
as a member of the writing staff on The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show
The Jay Leno Show is an American comedy show created by and starring Jay Leno, that aired from September 14, 2009 to February 9, 2010 on NBC following the May 29, 2009 conclusion of Leno's first tenure as host of The Tonight Show...
. Confirmation of his status on Leno's new prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
show came later than that of Eubanks, weeks after the end of Leno's tenure on The Tonight Show, which led to speculation that he would not appear at all. Melendez's ambiguous job status prompted a sarcastic job offer from his former boss Stern.
When asked about Melendez's new role, Leno stated that Melendez would appear in comedy segments during the show and that the new show would not have a studio announcer. He described his interplay with Melendez on Tonight as "awkward," saying "I'd throw to Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Eubanks
Kevin Tyrone Eubanks is an American jazz guitarist and composer who was the leader of the Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led The Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.- Personal background :Eubanks was born into a musical family...
, and I'd throw to John, and I realized that my guy is Eubanks." Melendez did not return as an announcer on the second incarnation of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
and is now employed as a staff writer and occasional segment host.
Other work
Melendez plays guitar and sings. He has released at least two hard rockHard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
CDs with humorous lyrics, one on Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
and one on Razor & Tie Records. In 2004, Melendez provided the voice of Bob the computer on Tripping the Rift
Tripping the Rift
Tripping the Rift is a CGI science fiction comedy television series. It is based on two short animations published on the Internet by Chris Moeller and Chuck Austen. The series was produced by CineGroupe in association with the Sci Fi Channel...
.
Personal life
He currently lives in the city of Calabasas, CaliforniaCalabasas, California
Calabasas is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California in the western United States. It is located in the hills in the southwestern San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains between Woodland Hills, Agoura Hills, West Hills, and Malibu, California. As of the 2010 census, the city...
with his wife, Suzanna Keller, and three children.
External links
- John Melendez's Official Site
- 'Stuttering' John to announce 'Tonight Show'. USA Today, 2004-02-19. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.
- Grammy Out of Control. Rolling Stone Magazine 1997-01-07. Retrieved on 2008-03-02.