Christine Pedi Shares Touching Tribute to Joe Franklin

Christine Pedi recently took to Facebook to share a tribute to the late radio/TV host Joe Franklin.

She said, "I've often heard the term "end of an era" but now I know what it truly feels like ... and it's pretty awful. Joe Franklin's office was a threshold into another time. It was a show business snow globe with pictures of Eddie Canter, Eydie Gorme albums, black & white stills of Sinatra & Ava Gardner & disco balls floating around. You'd see something glistening in the corner of your eye and it would be: a trombone that once belonged to..., a program from the 1944 broadway production of ... a one of a kind, out of print ... He kept everything. A Never Never Land for those of us whole want to hold on to the charm, style & magic of the past (include camp & corny in that category as well.) This place was an honest to God portal into another dimension where you could hear Crosby crooning, see Jolson down on one knew mugging and & the Three Stoges were ... just making a mess.

"I remember taking him up to Sirius Radio to be on my show. As we were walking out a studio door swings open and I smiling DJ who looks like he just saw Santa Claus says "Joe Franklin?! ... um ... Do you wanna be on the Folk channel?" "Certainly my friend". He pops in and he tells personal stories about Bob Dylan and Peter Paul & Mary. Never pausing for a thought or groping for a long forgotten anecdote. Quick, fast & perfect. As I escort him down the hall another studio door swings open "Joe Franklin!!!! Is that THE Joe Franklin? Do you have a minute to be on the ELVIS channel" "Of course my friend. I knew Elvis". He proceeds to discuss very specific moments in Elvis's career and mentions that he owns one of his guitars (it's probably under a stake of Boswell Sisters 78's). One story after another, crisp, concise, informative.

"I suspect I'm gonna miss Joe Franklin more and more with time. Who will hold on to the past like he did? With that flair & eccentricity. I often have dreams that my dead grandparents are somehow still alive and living in an apartment somewhere far away. When I saw Joe in his office I'd have that sensation. The same one in my dream. This is another realm I've entered and this grand old trouper is keeping it there just for me. An altered universe that only certain people can exist in. I love neat stacks, paperclips, files and order but in Joes offices everything was perfect. The Al Jolson record leaning on the Marilyn Monroe glossy with the Playbill from Golden Boy peaking out underneath it ... Everything was where it should be and he knew where everything was. There always seemed to be. Balance, despite the chaos & clutter that the untrained eye might see. And the "Memory Lane" sign was always prominently displayed - that was the name of his show and thats what his office was and his purpose in life, to keep & honor in his charming Nicely Nicely Johnson old school way all the memories. Joe was a character with character who loved characters and he cherished the magic that they made.

"Goodbye and thank you for being MY favorite New York landmark Joe Franklin. (Say hello to Jolson for me.) "