Media Credit: Courtesy Arron Ross, Ed Forman Show Producer Aaron Ross stars in The Ed Forman Show as Ed Forman, a '70s motivational speaker

Media Credit: Courtesy Arron Ross, Ed Forman Show Producer

What do you get when you mix Ellen, Oprah, Johnny Carson and a drunk?

What else but The Ed Forman Show? A comedic throw-back to talk shows of the 1970s, The Ed Forman Show was created by Aaron Ross. Forman is his alter-ego.

Ross has been involved with comedy for five years and got his start by taking improv classes at Portland State University.

He worked with sketch comedy groups like Kick the Squirrel and Renob Control, and last year he created a one-man show called "Al Gore Memorial High School."

One of the characters at Al Gore Memorial High School was Ed Forman.

In a thrift store in Montana, Ross found a success guide written by a man named Ed Foreman called, "Laughing, Loving, Living."

Ross found inspiration in a photograph of the author, which features Foreman wearing stylish '70s clothes and tinted glasses. "Not only is his shirt unbuttoned six buttons down, but he's wearing a chain with the word Terrific in diamonds and silver," Ross said. "So, I had a lot to work with."

The character Ed Forman, a '70s motivational speaker, was born.

Ross started the Ed Forman talk show in January of this year.

"It was a big success here in Portland. As Ed says, 'Life's for living,' so we decided to go on a five-week tour," he said.

Ross said talk shows in the '70s were much different than they are today. "A lot more personality shined through as opposed to today where things are driven more by pop culture," he said.

"It was more laid-back. You ended up with your pants at your ankles, Burt Reynolds was there and everybody was having a good time."

The Ed Forman Show's format is a mixture of improv, sketch comedy, stand-up, music and interviews, Ross said.

"We didn't invent the wheel. We made it better," he added.

Halfway through the phone interview, Ross said, "Let me go grab Ed."

He paused for several seconds before blurting, "Ed, if you just...right over here."

A few seconds later Ross started speaking as Forman, Ross' standup personality.

"God bless you. Laughing, loving and living, I'm sure," he said. "I was patched in. My producer's cell phone has a speaker tap in the living, so I was listening in the living room."

Forman described several of the show's segments, including "WastEd," "In Bed with Ed" and "Get Rid of Your Edgression."

The segment "A Match Made in Ed" places a man and a woman from the audience together on a date during the show.

"Heaven did not bring them together, but Ed did, and that's almost as good," he said.

Forman gives the man dating tips and offers the new couple a baguette and bottle of Carlo Rossi wine.

"I like to do a little acting, which is no surprise because I went to Julliard Community College and I was also in the 1983 classic 'Cannonball Run II,'" he said.

Forman also said he was endorsing himself for president this year. He is not actually on the ballot, but he welcomes any write-in votes.

Forman had nothing but praise for this year's race to the White House.

"My mom was the president of our house, so I have to love Hillary," he said. "Barack's a good guy. It's good to see him out there challenging the status quo."

Forman joked that he used to play craps with McCain, who he said is a big gambler. "I told him 'your campaign slogan, McCainy, should be "When I gamble, I win."' But he didn't want that one."

According to Forman, this isn't his first experience with politics, as he was a U.S. representative in Arizona and New Mexico. He said his legacy in those states is maintaining the cleanest bathrooms in the country.

When Forman is not involved in politics, he likes to motivate people, he said.

Forman offered his motivational advice to University students.

"I always suggest not to have more than 23 drinks in a week," he said. "Give or take 10. That's good living."

treagan@dailyemerald.com

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