Bill Saluga is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 comedian

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

. He was a founding member, along with Fred Willard

Fred Willard

Fred Willard is an American actor, comedian, and voice over actor, best known for his improvisational comedy skills. He is known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films This is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration as well as...

, Michael Mislove, George Memmoli

George Memmoli

George Memmoli was a New York City born actor. Memmoli was a friend and frequent collaborator of director Martin Scorsese, providing memorable appearances in Mean Streets , New York, New York , and contributed to a documentary focused on a mutual friend of Scorsese's and Memmoli's - American Boy:...

, and Patti Deutsch

Patti Deutsch

Patricia "Patti" Deutsch is a voice artist and comedic actress. In the 1970s she was a frequent panelist on Match Game.-Match Game:...

 of the improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company. Saluga has appeared on several television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 programs, including Seinfeld

Seinfeld

Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...

, and is co-author of Bill Saluga's Name Game Book (ISBN 0-553-20754-7).

Raymond J. Johnson

Saluga is best known for his cigar

Cigar

A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...

-smoking

Tobacco smoking

Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...

, zoot-suit

Zoot suit

A zoot suit is a suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing was popularized by African Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and the 1940s...

-wearing television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 character “Raymond J. Johnson, Jr.” (also known as Ray J. Johnson

Ray J. Johnson

-The shtick:Saluga's shtick as Ray J. Johnson is to become annoyed when addressed as "Mr. Johnson", exclaiming in a loud voice, "My name is Raymond J. Johnson, Jr...

, Raymond J. Johnson, Jr., Ray, J, Johnny, Sonny, Junie, Ray J, RJ, RJJ, and RJJ Jr) and is famous for his catchphrase "You can call me Ray, or you can call me Ray Jay or you can call me...".

One of his best known sketches involves him as a reporter for an imaginary news syndicate where he is continually sent out on a story with hilarious results:

Fred Willard: We take you now to Raymond J. Johnson on location.

Ray Johnson: Yes, i'm coming to you, we're in the middle of a meelee here…

(Announcement Over P.A.) The Spring Hotel is proud to present our Sunday buffet currently serving in the lobby from 10 AM until 2PM.

Fred: Ray, Ray? Where are you? Where's your story? We're hearing about a riot across town!

Ray: Yes, well I'm stuck in the lobby here…

External links