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'Best to ever do it': Fans pay tribute to 'You can call me Ray' Bill Saluga after death at 85

Bill Saluga amassed a massive fan following through his famous catch-phrase, 'You can call me Ray'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: American comedian and founding member of improvisational comedy troupe Ace Trucking Company funnyman Bill Saluga died on March 28 at the age of 85 after remaining in hospice care for several days. Saluga’s friend, Bill Minkin confirmed the news of his death due to complications in heart and arthritis this week to several news outlets. Bill Saluga amassed a massive fan following through his famous catch-phrase, “You can call me Ray.”

While his friend, Minkin, who was also a part of the Ace Trucking Company, confirmed the news of his passing to The Hollywood Reporter, he also told Deadline, “He was an icon.” Minkin further said that contrary to his on-stage persona, which was quite rough, Saluga was polite in real life.

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Saluga rose to the pinnacle of fame by portraying the character of Raymond J Johnson Jr, who famously smoked cigars. His famous skits would always include his mock anger on being called Mr Johnson as he used to said, "You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can call me Ray Jay, or you can call me RJ, but you doesn't has to call me Johnson!"

'That's really how it happened'

Once Johnson recalled the origin of the character of Johnson, as reported by an archival piece of The Washington Post. Saluga, then 41, said that while the character traces its origin to burlesque and ‘Amos 'n' Andy’, it was his impromptu revision that gave the character its iconic stature. He revealed then, “One night at the Bitter End in the Village I just got up an started doing this blustery character," before adding, "The response was good, and one of the guys says, 'What's your name?' and I said 'Raymond Johnson.' It was just a name I threw out, and that was it. Then the next night I did the character again and this time I said, 'Raymond J Johnson.' And pretty soon it was 'Raymond J Johnson Jr' I just stretched it out.”

He further elaborated, "Then he would call me Johnson and I'd say, ‘You doesn't has to call me Johnson.' And then, 'You can call me Ray, or you can call me Ray Jay, or you can call me R.J., or you can call me R.J. Junior, or you can call me R.J.J...." before adding, "We never sat down and figured it all out: it just came out. That's really how it happened."

Appearances on TV shows

Saluga appeared on several television shows including, ‘Redd Foxx’, ‘Mad About You’, ‘The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’, ‘The David Steinberg Show’, ‘Blossom’, ‘Sisters and Murphy Brown’, and ‘Home Improvement’. He is also credited for his appearances on ‘Seinfield’ in 1992 and HBO’s ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’, ‘The Simpsons’ and ‘King of Hill’.

'He was hilarious'

Frank Conniff wrote in tribute, "What was funny about the Raymond J. Johnson character? I have no explanation but I couldn't form the words anyway because I'd be laughing too hard. Also loved Bill Saluga in The Ace Trucking Company. He was hilarious. Rest In Peace." 'Kevin Geeks Out' host Kevin Maher said, "R.I.P. Bill Saluga, seen here doing his most famous bit in Hal Ashby's BEING THERE." Another fan said, "Here here. Sometimes, the gag lands, and it just keeps landing. It's like the Ramones: they only wrote one song but it was a REALLY good song. Grew up with this guy making me shoot drinks out my nose. Bless him."

Another fan reminisced, "Oh no! I was just thinking about him the other day for no reason. He just came into my mind doing his "You can call me Ray" routine. My dad loved this guy!" Another referred to Saluga's iconic joke in a similar manner, "My father would quote this joke, although not sure if he knew where it was from. A sign of just how influential Saluga was, I suppose."

Another fan said, "RIP TO THE BEST TO EVER DO IT, BILL SALUGA."

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