Before Brian Noonan became co-host of Spanning the State, he worked in L.A. as an actor and comedian. Today, he talks with WTMJ’s Libby Collins about growing up in Chicago, getting his start in radio, working as a bouncer with the mob, being a game show winner, and so much more. It’s all ahead on this uproarious edition of WTMJ Conversations!
A partial transcript is provided below, courtesy of eCourt Reporters.
BRIAN NOONAN: So, they asked me, “Oh, Brian, what are you going to do if you win the money?” And I don’t know where this came from. I remember it to this day because people were quoting it to me on the street. I said, “Chuck, if I win the money, I’m going to get my back waxed and move to Tahiti.” And the place goes wild.
And, honest to God, we were looking at a house, we’re in the house, and some other people — it was an open house, some woman came up and she and her kid went, “You were just on TV, right? Did you get your back waxed yet?”
Then two of my brothers are in New Orleans for Marti Gras and they’re in line in a restaurant and they hear people talking behind them, and the people behind them were like, “Did you watch that show? Did you see that guy who said he was going to get his back waxed and move to Tahiti?” And I wish I was lying, I couldn’t make this up — I mean, I could, but it would be dumb.
Anyway, we got to a point where it was only three of us left. There was a 22-year-old bartender, a young attorney, and myself. We got to the end of the show and our question was going to be for $500,000. It was a question about Ms. America, and we looked at the captain, and he looked at us, and he was like, “Chuck, we’re going to walk away and keep the money.” So that was it.
Here’s the amazing part, it came it just a regular check. I walked to the mailbox on a Saturday there’s an envelope, oh. I open it up, oh, my God, okay. I go to the bank, and they say, “Oh, Mr. Noonan, will you be depositing checks like this often?” I go, “Oh, that’s my plan.”
