Not Cool, Brad Garrett

Celebrities are usually given the honor of commanding drivers to start their engines before NASCAR races. Being that the Los Angeles area is well stocked with movie and television stars it is not difficult to find someone to do the job.

More often than not, once handed the microphone the chosen celebrity will take advantage of the fact that he or she has a captive audience and use the moment to promote a new movie or television show, to mention the race’s sponsor or to promote some worthy cause.

On Sunday, actor Brad Garrett chose to go another route. Instead of mentioning his latest project or drawing attention to a good cause he decided to take a verbal jab at one of the drivers.

He began with a very dramatic, “Could I have your attention, please!” At that point I was waiting for some wise crack about the weather in Southern California or to mention something about the children he had on stage with him. However, his next line was, “I have lost a two year old child in Kyle Busch’s left ear.”

Was that really necessary? In the grand scheme of things it may not have been a big deal, but it seemed like an awfully cheap attempt to get a laugh.

Maybe there is a story behind the verbal abuse. Perhaps Garrett had had a run in with Busch before the race. Maybe Busch had made an unkind remark about the actor.

Or, maybe Garrett has not had as much success in his career since he played the lovable loser, Robert Barone, in the television show Everybody Loves Raymond and felt like the jab would draw attention to himself and how funny he is.

Whatever the case, I hope this type of humor does not become a frequent part of pre race activities.

By the way, I wonder why Garrett chose to go after Kyle Busch and not go after some other driver, like say, Dale Earnhardt, Jr?

Richard Allen is a member of the National Motorsports Press Association. His weekly column appears in The Mountain Press every Wednesday.