Friday, December 5, 2014

Hey, a Holiday Greeting from the Green Grocer, Joe Carcione




Joe Carcione was the beloved "Green Grocer" who waxed poetic about your favorite fruits and veg-a-tables  on Bay Area TV News back in the late 80's. Carcione made a lucrative living hawking this and that green --he was unique, funny and genuine to the bone.


Here's an early holiday greeting from Mr. Carcione himself and family.


Happy Friday.


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16 comments:

  1. AnonymousDecember 5, 2014 at 2:21 PM

    Who couldn't love Joe Carcione? He would hold a piece of produce with all of the love, and tenderness, that you would hold a new baby.

    When "Frank (Dill) and Mike (Cleary)," did mornings on KNBR, Joe Carcione was one of Cleary's many characters. I forget the name he used, and I think he was the "red grocer." My favorite line: "Now, take a leek...."

    Great duo on radio.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andy RDecember 5, 2014 at 9:00 PM

      I seem to remember Scoop Nisker on KSAN creating a character based on Mr. Carcione named Joe Carcenogennie- don't remember the context, but do remember the name...

      Delete
    2. AnonymousDecember 8, 2014 at 2:13 PM

      Mike Cleary's version of the Greengrocer was called 'Joey Garbonzo', with an even more exaggerated raspy voice.

      Delete
  2. AnonymousDecember 5, 2014 at 2:41 PM

    Saw him at the old Coffee Tree restaurant in Vacaville once, years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousDecember 5, 2014 at 2:45 PM

    According to Lieberman, any crap from the past is pure gold!
    And of course anything from the present is pure crap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ChristineDecember 5, 2014 at 5:57 PM

      Seriously 2:45, what so-called new crap do you find golden?

      Delete
    2. AnonymousDecember 6, 2014 at 10:44 AM

      Christine,

      Apparently they never taught you how to read at that third class law school of yours. 2:45 didn't claim that any of the "so-called new crap" is golden.

      I believe the point was that crap from the past is still crap except through the distorted eyes of Rich Lieberman who worships any detritus from the past.

      And talking about detritus from the past, Christine, how's your broadcasting career going?

      Delete
    3. AnonymousDecember 7, 2014 at 8:23 AM

      10:44 AM, You've had a whole day to review your behavior. Are you man enough to apologize to Christine for being so unnecessarily rude?

      Delete
    4. AnonymousDecember 7, 2014 at 10:21 AM

      8:23 AM Christine has had a whole lifetime to review her behavior. Is she man enough to apologize to anyone for being so utterly annoying?

      Delete
  4. AnonymousDecember 5, 2014 at 2:52 PM

    Loved, and miss, 'ol Joe. The man knew his produce, and what a great delivery and presence he had!

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  5. Stan the ObserverDecember 5, 2014 at 3:05 PM

    Lets go way back to "Dig it With Albert" the lovable grouchy old man with the beret. He would chew Jim Dumbar out for calling a spruce a pine or like that.
    Even farther back-- Pipa White. She was big in the bay area,and then- as I googled- became a performance artist. She was perky. Sheand Albert are almost never mentioned when people go over past bay area personality's.
    So ,I mention.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousDecember 7, 2014 at 10:28 AM

      Is Albert the fellow who occasionally visited Bob Tannem, took calls, and often concluded with "Too Much Water!" saying the caller had been drowning their plants?

      Delete
  6. AnonymousDecember 5, 2014 at 5:00 PM

    He just wasn't the Green Grocer on TV he owned a pretty big produce company out at South San Francisco Produce Mart.

    His son is a big time attorney in Redwood City.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Mike PechnerDecember 5, 2014 at 9:57 PM

    I was Joes producer when he first came on KCBS in the 1970's.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousDecember 7, 2014 at 8:26 AM

    My, how time flies. Joe has been deceased for almost 26 years, yet we all hold vivid memories of him being joyful and in his element.

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousDecember 7, 2014 at 7:16 PM

    That guy was as SF as it gets.

    ReplyDelete

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