Playing Crocodile Club Catch Up

 meant to get all caught up with Crocodile Club last week, but I didn't. So here are the tidbits left out in the telling:

Host Ray Dunaway did a good job. He wasn't prepared to say the blessing before the meal, but the expected preacher didn't show, so Ray had to man up and do it. He figured his credentials as club president gave him "the authority" so he plunged right in. I don't think he'll be running off to theology school anytime soon, but I'd say he passed. On a side note, he told me his accordian was in rough shape, so he didn't bring it. Hope he gets it fixed in time for next year.

Ray had a bell that he said he'd ring if anyone didn't abide by the five-minute time limit on the speeches. The only time he had to use it was on the first speaker -- Bristol Mayor Art Ward -- who was just getting warmed up and hadn't even tried to be funny by the time the bell rang. The bell didn't stop the mayor from moving ahead with his remarks, though.

The picture here is one of me and Wally Barnes, and the mayor, before he got the bell.

Carolyn Norton was the only Norton at this year's dinner. She was the toast of the town and the belle of the ball. She had fun, too.

Lots of old timers were happy to see the club back, thanks to the permission of the Norton family, who owned the rights to it, the hospitality of Lake Compounce, the great food provided by Nuchies catering and the hard work of the New England Carousel Museum, which brought the event back as a fundraiser.

Tons of newcomers were excited to get to attend the club for the first time. Many of them were seated up front at the head table and they had to give speeches. There could have been some better briefing by staff, since a couple people didn't understand how the humor was supposed to be playful and remarks weren't supposed to be mean. Hopefully next time, they'll know what it is and get with the program.

The worst offender was Mark Boughton, who is running for lieutenant governor on the Republican side. He took a serious shot at Dan Malloy and the crowd definitely didn't like it. As he made his way back to his seat, I heard Malloy tell him his "joke" didn't go over "any better than when Ned Lamont told it."

Malloy and Tom Foley were both there for the first time. I'm not sure they were excited or enjoying themselves, though. When they weren't working the crowd, they sat next to each other at the head table and didn't look all that comfortable. When they spoke, they both tried to be funny. They were, but only a little bit.

Worst joke of all? Tom Marsh, the independent candidate for governor. "What's brown and sounds like a bell?" Marsh asked. "Dung."

No, I'm not kidding.

Linda McMahon surprised me with her wit. She had a few off the cuff remarks that were pretty good, including a swipe at Dunaway for noting her age when he introduced her and no one else's. Her opponent, Richard Blumenthal, joked about how un-funny he is and sure enough, wasn't especially amusing, except when he talked about being camera shy.

George Jepsen recited a short limerick, which in my book gets a few props for creativity:

"It is the year 2010

The crocodiles have assembled again

At long tables they eat

Some really odd meat.

For me, I will stick with the gin."

Classiest speaker, in my humble opinion, was Nancy Wyman, who raised a glass to the memory of Stretch Norton, recognized Carolyn Norton and just stayed in the spirit of the Crocodile. It's not hard to see why she's popular.

Not sure why the carousel museum decided to take a "break" in the middle of the program to draw a raffle number. It could have been done quickly but instead, a break was announced and a whole bunch of people, including many of the candidates on stage, beat a path to the door.

John Larson and Ann Brickley had to wait until after the break to speak, which didn't seem right to me, since much of the room had emptied by then. It is the U.S. Congress, after all.

The award for best patient goes to Betty Boukus, who is healing from total knee replacement surgery. She's getting around pretty well, she said, and is definitely following doctor's/physical therapist's orders.

Most conspicuous absence that day? Stretch Norton. Everybody missed him.

Biggest delight for me? Wally Barnes was there. My favorite moment of the whole thing was taking a spin on the park's antique carousel with him.

I discovered that, like me, he also prefers a jumper to a stander. He didn't get the brass ring, he said, but I felt like I did.

Wally hadn't expected to be in town, but when he found himself there, he "didn't want to miss it," he told me. I'm glad.

Crocodile Club, One Of The Missing Pieces

I wrote two stories about the Crocodile Club for today's edition of The Bristol Press, but I guess there wasn't room for everyone's comments, so in case you're the kind of reader who wants the whole enchilada, here goes:


First-timers joined old “crocodilians” at the Crocodile Club dinner at Lake Compounce Tuesday, rubbing elbows with many of the state’s candidates and reconnecting with old friends.

“It think it’s a grand event,” said Jill Fitzgerald of Bristol, who is the Republican candidate for the state House in the 77th district and attending the dinner for the first time. “I really like it.”

Many of the people there, both candidates and non-candidates, said they enjoyed the friendly, social aspect of the dinner that left serious politics at the door.

“It’s bringing back a lot of memories,” said Bristol City Councilor Ken Cockayne, who said he used to come to the park to watch his late grandfather, Patsy Cistulli, help longtime organizer Stretch Norton with the cooking.

“So far, it’s great,” said Republican Ann Brickley, who is hoping to unseat Congressman John Larson in November and was attending her first dinner.

“This is an excellent crowd,” said state Rep. Betty Boukus, a Plainville Democrat. She said she’s happy that the carousel museum has taken over the dinner and will benefit from it.

Wallace Barnes of Bristol, whose attendance at the Crocodile Club goes back to the 1950s, said he came back early this week from an out of town trip and came to the dinner because he “didn’t want to miss it.”

Thomas Morrow, executive director of the Bristol Community Organization who has attended many Crocodile Club dinners in the past, brought his friend James Gatling of Southington.

“It’s got a rich history,” said Morrow, who said he’s glad that the Crocodile Club dinner now benefits a non-profit agency.

Gatling, who runs a similar agency in Waterbury called New Opportunities, said he didn’t know quite what to expect but was wowed by the number of people there and the fact that politicians from both parties came together in one place.

“I’m really impressed,” Gatling said.

George Sobestanovich of Bristol, who wore a Crocodile Club shirt and hat he bought at the last dinner in 2002, said it was a good afternoon.

"I'm glad they resurrected it," Sobestanovich said. "I hate to see these old traditions fade away."

John Lodovico of Bristol also said he’s glad the club is back, adding that the ballroom at Lake Compounce provided a “very comfortable setting” for the event.

State Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat, said he saw a lot of friends he hadn’t seen in years. He said he was happy to support the dinner, which was a benefit for the New England Carousel Museum.

“This is non-political,” said Colapietro.

“It’s entertaining,” said Tunxis Community College President Cathryn Addy, who attended the dinner for several years before it ended with the last one in 2002. “I’m happy to see it back.”

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who had a reputation of arriving late and leaving early at the dinner each year, vowed to stay “for the duration” this time, and did.

“It’s a great tradition,” Blumenthal said. “I’m just delighted to be here again.”

Crocodile Club President and host Ray Dunaway pronounced the dinner a success.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been at an event when Dick Blumenthal stayed till the end,” Dunaway said.

The Crocodile Club was videotaped for later broadcast on CTN.

Crocodile Club 2010

It was a great time and a huge success for the New England Carousel Museum.
I'll have more to say, I promise, but it was also a long, hot day and I'll post about it Wednesday. I wrote stories for The Bristol Press, and they should be in Wednesday's paper or online at http://www.bristolpress.com/, but I'll have other bits to share here as well.

Extra B.S. Exclusive: Original Crocodile Club Lyrics By Wallace Barnes

One of my favorite Bristol people is Wallace Barnes. I know him pretty well, but he still surprises me with his stories and recently, he shared one about the Crocodile Club that I can share with the readers of Extra B.S.

In 1954, at the tender age of 26, Wally ran against Tom Dodd (Chris Dodd's dad) for Congress in the First District. Our man from the Mum City "lost big time," as he put it, but had a lot of fun in the process.

In fact, he said, he was "infected by a lifetime case of 'politicicis.'"

A highlight of the race, he told me, was attending the Crocodile Club and performing a song at the event on the ukelele. He wrote the lyrics, set to the tune of "Five Foot Two."

It was, he told me, "one of the limited number of tunes I could play."

Now for your Extra B.S. exclusive,which I saved for right before the Crocodile Club.

Here are the lyrics, published with permission from the ukelele-playing Wally Barnes himself:

"Out in Bristol, by a clear cool lake

Every year there's a big sheep bake

They named it after a crocodile.

 

Gad Norton's plan was not too deep

He approached the boys who liked roast sheep

And they all ate like crocodiles!

 

Now, whether this tale is false or true

Is very hard to say.
But the Good Lord wasn't too dismayed
'cause the sun always shines on Crocodile Day.

 

So, eat the sheep, enjoy the fun
And doze away while the speeches run
Today we all are crocodiles."

Malloy Ready To Be a Crocodilian

Democrat Dan Malloy is taking time out from his race for governor to attend the Crocodile Club tomorrow.

Malloy was kind enough to call me today to let me know that he's looking forward to the event at Lake Compounce.

"I've never been, so I don't know what to expect," Malloy said. "I feel uninitiated."

He wondered if it's a casual event, so though I told him most people dress pretty casually and normally, I warned him about the likelihood of seeing old guys in plaid shorts and black socks.

He said he's working on his remarks, and I advised him to be funny. He said he didn't play an instrument, so he won't be jamming with host Ray Dunaway, who is expected to bring his accordian, or Rep. Frank Nicastro, who will bring his trumpet.
Malloy, who was mayor of Stamford from 1995 to 2002, said he never got an invitation before.
But then, he said he's never had so many friends as he seems to have right now.

No Butts - Cigar Smoking Tradition Snuffed

One of the traditions of the Crocodile Club -- enjoying an after-dinner cigar -- is over this year.
The state law prohibiting smoking inside bars and restaurants, which took effect in 2004, means that Crocodilians won't be able to light up and puff while listening to the speeches at tomorrow's dinner.
That's good news for those who like to breathe.
For those who like to smoke, there's an outdoor smoking area just outside the building, said Jerry Brick, general manager of Lake Compounce, which is hosting the dinner.
The last dinner was in 2002, before the smoking ban.
The New England Carousel Museum is reviving the Crocodile Club dinner, which for many generations was put on at the park by the Norton family. The dinner is now a fundraiser for the non-profit museum.
I wrote about the change in tradition for Tuesday's edition of The Bristol Press, so you can see the full story at http://www.bristolpress.com/.
So if you're a Crocodilian inclined toward a cigar, be prepared to take it outside.

Tickets to the dinner are still available, until 5 p.m. Monday at the museum and at the door on Tuesday. The party starts at noon.

Croc Tickets On Sale Today!

Until 5 p.m., you can buy your ticket to the Crocodile Club dinner at Lake Compounce for $50.

Tomorrow, at the door, they'll cost $55.

Not that the $5 will go to a bad cause -- proceeds are going to the New England Carousel Museum, which is worth a donation, but still, five bucks is five bucks and you might need it.

So you heard it here, folks -- get your tickets today at the museum on Riverside Avenue, or call them at 860-585-5411 and charge it.

A little while ago, Louise DeMars, the director of the musuem, told me nearly every candidate for statewide office, including both Dan Malloy and Tom Foley, candidates for governor, will be at the event.

About 300 tickets have been sold so far, which is impressive for the first year back since the last Crocodile Club dinner in 2002.

Foley May Attend Croc

Tom Foley, Republican candidate for governor, told me recently that he's still figuring out whether he'll be able to make the Crocodile Club on Tuesday at Lake Compounce.

The Crocodile Club, an institution in Connecticut politics, will be Tuesday, Aug. 31 at the Starlite Ballroom at the park. It's being revived this year after ending in 2003. The New England Carousel Museum, which will benefit from any proceeds, is bringing it back.

I contacted both Foley and his Democratic opponent, Dan Malloy, to see if either of the candidates for governor will be at the dinner, and Foley answered right away. He didn't have a definitive answer but he got back to me and promised to follow up.

Something I really like about Tom Foley is that not only is he pleasant in person, each time I've reached out to him, he's responded pretty quickly and with a great deal of courtesy.

I know candidates are generally more responsive than seated officials, but my experience with Foley makes me think that if I had a question for Governor Foley, I'd be able to get an answer, from him.

That's not the case now with Gov. Rell. She's friendly when I see her in person, but there's no way to ask her anything directly if we're not eye to eye. 

I haven't heard from Malloy yet. He's always very friendly in person, but getting an answer otherwise hasn't been easy. I'll let you know when I hear again from either of them.

I hope they both decide to attend. It'll be a better event for it, and they'll have fun.

Larson Will Attend Crocodile Club

I just learned from Congressman John Larson's aide that he will be attending the Crocodile Club dinner on Tuesday at Lake Compounce.
The Crocodile Club is being revived after a break of several years. It will benefit the New England Carousel Museum.
Lake Compounce is donating the use of the uber cool Starlite Ballroom, Nuchies is catering and Ray Dunaway is the emcee.
This is an event not to be missed, especially in this election year.
I'm not sure what political heavy hitters will be making an appearance besides Larson but I will try to find out and pass it along to you.

Crocodile Club Retrospective

I've been talking with people about the Crocodile Club's history.

The New England Carousel Museum is reviving the tradition started long ago by Gad Norton and continued until 2002 by his descendants at Lake Compounce, the family's amusement park.

The late, great Stretch Norton hosted the last Crocodile Club event in 2002 and sadly announced the next year that he could no longer manage it. That was the end of an awesome gathering, until the carousel museum this year got the permission and the blessing of the Norton family to start it up again.

Watch The Bristol Press for an upcoming story that looks back at the club's history and ahead to its revival, but don't wait to get your ticket -- contact the museum for that at http://www.thecarouselmuseum.org/.

As Stretch would say, "No tickee, no lambee!"

Former Crocodile Club Prez Warns Dunaway

Gerry Brooks, a Hartford NBC news anchor, served as Crocodile Club president some years ago, at the request of the late Stretch Norton, who ran the dinner for decades.

He's clearly got a good memory of the event and told me organizers made a good choice in picking WTIC's morning talk show host, Ray Dunaway, as this year's emcee.

“I'm glad they got Ray to preside over the festivities,” said Brooks. “He knows everybody, everybody knows him, and he's an equal opportunity offender.”

But Brooks said being the emcee won’t be all fun and games.

“His biggest challenge, of course, will be to try and deny Dick Blumenthal's request that he speaks first because he's ‘gotta run.’ And believe me, that is a challenge.”

The Crocodile Club used to draw hundreds of politicians, local celebrities and hangers on to the Starlite Ballroom at Lake Compounce every August. The last dinner was in 2002. After that, Stretch, whose great-great grandfather, Lake Compounce founder Gad Norton, started the tradition, announced that he couldn't manage it anymore.

The event is being revived as a fundraiser for the New England Carousel Museum, which seems fitting, given the love Stretch had for carousels.

Tickets are $50 each for the dinner, which begins at 2 p.m. in the ballroom following a social hour. Mail orders to the Crocodile Club, c/o the New England Carousel Museum, 95 Riverside Ave, Bristol, CT 06010. For more information, contact the museum, at (860) 585-5411 or download the reservation form on its website at www.thecarouselmuseum.org.

What Wheezy Windbag May Appear at the Croc

I'm not sure why the story I wrote yesterday for The Bristol Press about Ray Dunaway hosting this year's Crococile Club didn't make it into today's paper.
I think it's pretty interesting news.
It's not on the Press website yet, either, and I'm not supposed to reproduce stories on the blog, so I'll just give you a little bit of it.
Ray Dunaway plays the accordian. He might, and I say MIGHT, mind you, bring his up out of the basement, dust it off and bring it to Lake Compounce for the big event.
That would be sooo cool!
There are places an accordian really fits in, and the Crocodile Club is one of them.
I hope this year's Crocodile Club president (that's you, Ray!) brings his squeezebox to the Starlite Ballroom and favors us all with a tune.
In case you didn't hear, the revived club will meet again this year on Tuesday, Aug. 31. It's a benefit for the New England Carousel Museum and tickets are $50, available through the museum.

Ray Dunaway is Top Crocodilian

WTIC's morning host, Ray Dunaway, will be the emcee for this year's Crocodile Club on August 31 at Lake Compounce. The Crocodile Club, which is being revived by the New England Carousel Museum as a fundraiser for the museum, is the nation's oldest eating club. The museum is lucky to get Ray, a well-known talk show host with a good following. He's also a fan of the Crocodile Club, having attended for many years before the late Stretch Norton ended the tradition in 2003 with the sad announcement that he could no longer handle the workload of pulling off the party for hundreds.

So Ray knows the history of the event, which helps a lot. He sounded happy and excited about doing it when I talked with him today. He wants it to be a success and so do I.

The Crocodile Club dinner used to be the place to be each summer, drawing politicians of all stripes from all over the state and sometimes beyond. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to its revival.

I wrote about the selection of Ray for Friday's edition of The Bristol Press, so you can see the whole story at http://www.bristolpress.com/.

The Croc Is Back!

Yesterday I wrote a story for today's edition of The Bristol Press about how the New England Carousel Museum is bringing back the wonderful tradition of the Crocodile Club to Lake Compounce.
The "club meetings" were one of the most interesting, fun and charming events I discovered after moving to Connecticut in 1993 to work for the Press. I loved going to the Crocodile Club and attended every year. I even went while on maternity leave, bringing my infant son. I think he should be on record in Stretch Norton's book as the youngest Crocodilian!
Anyway, it's a great tradition. I will miss the late, great Stretch Norton, because he and the club were interchangeable in my mind. But Stretch had a lot of support to pull off the party every year, so I've no doubt some of them will lend a hand to make it happen this year. It's hard to imagine it going on without him, but then again, it's a very cool legacy for Stretch to have. I'm sure the museum will do everything it can to make sure his presence is felt.
The photo above is an old one of the Casino at Lake Compounce, where the Crocodile Club always meets. Jerry Brick, the general manager of the park, is donating the Starlite Ballroom and furnishings and Dave and Mike Pasqualicchio at Nuchie's are handling the traditional meal of barbecued lamb, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sliced tomatoes, watermelon and a beer.
Louise DeMars at the museum tells me that Tom Barnes has the secret corn recipe (how did he get that???) and that Jack Driscoll is in charge of cigars, so it seems they're on track for a wonderful time.
So mark your calendars for August 31. Tickets are $50 and are available from the museum, or on its website: www.thecarouselmuseum.org.