Monday, October 17, 2005

Rocket Man

Charles Rocket committed suicide last week. He was one of the members of the "Saturday Night Live" cast of 1980-1, the season when the entire original team had left and producer Jean Doumanian wasn't up to the task of revamping the show. Rocket, who was the key member of the cast that season, is best known for having been fired for saying "fuck" on the air (this being, apparently, the time before tape delays), but he was one of the better things about the show in that dismal year.

His best-known TV guest appearance was probably as Bruce Willis's brother in the second season premiere of "Moonlighting," competing with Willis for the attentions of Cybill Shepherd. He was a failed con man who started the episode by trying to plug the ultimate miracle product, "Rich 'n Thin," by doing the first and (deliberately) worst rap number by a white guy in prime-time TV.

This article is the best I've seen on Rocket's career. RIP.

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