Jose Leiva

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Pulpit of zany-ness

Some might look for the wind-up key in the back of zany performer Rick Adam, 55, of Buckfield. You won’t find it. His energy comes from his belief that “Humor is a great healer. There is no better medicine than laughter.”

Society today is infused with high-tech entertainment, but Adam provides simple “recycled from the town dump” instrumentation to accompany his “The common sense of humor!”

Adam has been a full-time entertainer for 35 years. He says he began as a pudgy 14-year-old guitarist. He weighed more than 200 pounds. “My father said if I was going to be an entertainer, I had to do something about my weight.” That motivated him to live a healthy lifestyle.

Entertaining in China and Russia, he has shared the stage with Phish, Dick Cavett, Garth Brooks and Phyllis Diller. He was invited to perform for Bruce Springsteen. He has entertained schoolchildren in the Bronx, Queens and Harlem, bringing them a message that “There are other ways of having fun. I preach from my pulpit of zany-ness to keep your sense of humor.”

He characterizes his entertainment as “turn-of-the-century story songs, old style comedy” performances that have Vaudeville flair. His heroes are Spike Jones and Jerry Colonna. His impersonation of Jimmy Durante doing a Beatles song adds timelessness to his entertainment. “It’s a great life,” Adam said.