Minnesota State Fair recently concluded it’s annual 12 day run. WCCO-AM’s Dave Lee invited me again to be in his “Minnesota Hospital” comedy Soap Opera on both Fridays of the Fair.

I played “Dr. Trump” the administrator. Dave’s character, Dr. Gil Whitney always has a guest starring as his love interest, Dr. Helen Trent. The first Friday the great singer-radio host Jearlyn Steele played Dr. Trent. The next Friday it was Sweet Martha (Martha Olson of “Sweet Martha’s Cookies” fame). Here’s a little know fact about the Fair.

 

My wife Judy was one of the founding partners of “Sweet Martha’s Cookie Jar” back in 1979. The first booth was about 10’x10′, designed and hand-built by the partners, family, and friends, located outside the beer garden on Dan Patch Avenue. Judy did a segment at the booth with Steve Edelman from Channel 5’s “Good Company” about the new Chocolate Chip Cookie booth. We can’t find the video of it but she did a great job selling the concept. Judy decided to sell her share to the other partners after that first season.

We knew it was going to grow but never guessed it would become the cultural icon it has become, with 775 employees and over 4 million dollars in sales, plus a national Cookie Dough distribution deal with Target.

Later on we ran into TV News Correspondent Harry Smith, who was doing a segment on the Fair. He had fond memories of guesting on “A Prairie Home Companion”. Said it was one of the highlights of his career. He joined the acting company on “The Lives of the Cowboys”, a Garrison Keillor classic.

Our State Fair-It’s a Great State Fair!

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