Cowboy Joe was one of the first "commercials" conceived for It's All Been Done Radio Hour. Usually only a page or two long, it featured a man who claimed to be a "real-life" cowboy, not one o' them Hollywood types. He appeared to sell various products "released" by the IABDRH company, usually relevant to his current situation. The episode titles were the products he was selling.
(There is no IABDRH company and these products are not real.)
As the episodes unfolded, we learned that Joe was on the run from the law. While he presented himself as goofy, it turns out that he was a serial killer, and was eventually executed.
This commercial was discontinued due to the death of the character, though due to his popularity, he had been worked back in a couple of times. Since Joe's death, he has appeared as a ghost and in a "lost" episode that takes place during the original run. Additionally, the Pirate Jack and Astronaut Jake commercials were inspired by this one.
It is likely that the Cowboy Joe commercials take place in The Topnotch Tangler dimension, since Joe is pursued and arrested by Lt. Carson of the Tipp Town Police Post. Though it is possible this Tipp Town and Lt. Carson are in another dimension.
Cowboy Joe was part of the first six live Radio Hour shows, which were collected into a single installment of the regular podcast called "The Saga of Cowboy Joe." This was before commercials were released as 'bonus' episodes.
Characters
Cowboy Joe was played by Keith Jackson. He appeared in all the Cowboy Joe segments.
Other Characters
- Joe Morales played Lt. Carson in episode 2 "Boots" and episode 5 "Handcuffs."
- Dallas Ray played the judge in episode 4 "Public Defender."
- Katelyn Hamilton played the court stenographer in episode 4 "Public Defender."
- Amanda Iman played the public defender in episode 4 "Public Defender."
- Katie Boissoneault played the execution doctor in episode 6 "Electric Chair."
- Packer & Ratcliff appeared in episode 7 "Ghost Trap."
Episodes
The Original Run
| # | Title | Writer | Director | Live Show | Podcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Brand" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show I | 21 |
| 2 | "Boots" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show II | 21 |
| 3 | "Police Scanner" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show III | 21 |
| 4 | "Public Defender" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show IV | 21 |
| 5 | "Handcuffs" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show V | 21 |
| 6 | "Electric Chair" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show VI | 21 |
Post-Death Appearances
| # | Title | Writer | Director | Live Show | Podcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | "Ghost Trap" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Show XIII | C16 |
| 8 | "Fidget Spinner 'Lost' Episode" | Jerome Wetzel | Jerome Wetzel | Columbus Podcast Meetup May 2017 | C43 |
Re-runs
| # | Title | Live Show | Podcast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Brand" | OGP's West Grandview Fringe Festival 2016 | C19 |
| 4 | "Public Defender" | IABD Classic 1 |