Episode 45: Cory Tyler (Willie Tyler)

© Josh Mills. All Rights Reserved.

Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast is yet another first for us. Our guest today is Cory Tyler, son of ventriloquist Willie Tyler of, you guessed it, Willie Tyler and Lester. Omnipresent in the 1970s and 80s, Willie Tyler is a comedian who appeared in movies, commercials, television, showrooms and comedy clubs across the country from 1964 to present. It’s funny how you see an entertainer and think you know about them because well, all you did was turn on the television. But scratching just below the surface, we learned that Willie and Lester were MCs on the legendary Motown Revue live shows crisscrossing the country during civil rights and likely led to audience integration simply by performing on stage for a mixed audience. Or that he appeared in the recent  ?uestlove Hulu documentary Summer of Soul that was unseen for 50 years until it resurfaced to great acclaim this year.  And most amazingly, we learn Lester has basically been his only partner since he started performing professionally. No Mortimer Snerd for Willie Tyler. It’s only Lester. We talk to Cory about growing up in the San Fernando Valley, his own career as a dancer in the Michael Jackson film Moonwalker, his Star Wars toy commercials by Kenner, acting on hit shows like A Different World and his latest venture www.championfinances.com helping clients learn financial literacy. Cory and met when he tried to help girlfriend Jazmin Erving with her audio on episode #40 and it was a pleasure talking to him for this episode. It’s a fun and fascinating conversation about the upcoming Willie Tyler and Lester documentary “Hello Dummy, Transcendental Meditation, Orange Julius, stage moms, mindfulness and more. Take a listen, to the Rarified Heir Podcast.   

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Hosted by:  Joshua Mills
Produced & Engineered by: Jamie Harley