Jerry Devo's Belushi Coke Yarn and Other Stories

Crawdaddy!: Didn’t the immortal Fred Willard host the episode of SNL you did?

Casale: Yeah, I think so. I think—wasn’t Martin Mull on it as well?

Crawdaddy!: Oh, I don’t recall.

Casale: They were both on Fernwood 2 Night, right?

Crawdaddy!: Yes, they sure were. Did Devo get down with F. Willard new-wave style?

Casale: We had a little interaction, but what I remember more was hanging out with the mega star cast. People like John Belushi, Laraine Newman, Bill Murray. When we did SNL, that was the first night I ever bought cocaine. I was saving it for after the show, like, if we did well that would be my big reward. Doing coke. So at the after-party, I was in this side room with my manager and Bill Murray, and I pulled out my vial. I felt like, all right, I’m growing up. “Anybody want some coke?” My manager and Bill Murray said no, so I laid out two lines for myself and put the vial down on this desk Bill Murray was sitting behind. Just then, John Belushi comes in, still in his Blues Brothers outfit, and starts imitating Curly Howard. [affects high-pitched voice] “Hey, it’s Jerry Devo! Jerry Devo! You guys were really great, nyuck nyuck!” I said, “Would you like some coke?” “Nyeah, don’t mind if I do!” Belushi reached into his pocket and whipped out this glass coke straw, grabbed my vial, put the straw in, and, looking right at me, snorted the entire vial. My mouth dropped and I stood there like an idiot. Then he goes, still in that Curly voice, “What, what is it? Ya want me to pay ya?” So he pulled out this fat wad of money with a red rubber band and peeled off a couple hundreds. I was trying to be cool, so I said, “Oh, no, don’t worry about it, John.” So he stuffed it back in his pocket and left.