By Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

(Editor‚Äôs Note:  Jimmy DelPonte is a well-known local radio personality and Somerville native who has always been more than generous with his time to help out our community and local organizations. His father was a dear friend of ours and we are lucky to have him as a regular guest commentator here. We know you will enjoy his stories and anecdotes about living in this great city of ours. Enjoy.)

Silly is my way of life.

I have earned a living being silly in the Boston radio scene since 1986. I have played in silly bands with silly names such as The Sled Dogs. Being silly is a way of life for me. It also comes in handy when you have two boys ages 9 and 11. (I am a big Sponge Bob and Nick at Nite fan!)      

I was one of many class clowns at St. Clement’s, Western Junior High and Somerville High School and then I became that silly substitute teacher with the mullet and the bikey jacket. (Don’t laugh РI may have had you in class!)

Over the years, I have found that there is a thin line between silly and stupid. When I was a kid I did some things that I thought were silly, but turned out to be stupid. Remember when someone wrote a somewhat vulgar phrase on the Somerville Theatre marquee in the early 70’s? Well, that was me and yeah, that was stupid. Remember when Woolworths had the entrance on Elm Street and a back exit on Herbert Street? Well I was the nut that rode the “sting ray” bike with the banana seat in one door and out the other Рjust about every Saturday – that was silly. (Probably not to Mr. Wise – sorry about that!)

I even directed traffic in that old round Somerville Police podium thing that use to be in the middle of Davis Square – that may have been both silly and stupid – although my friends thought it was a riot.

Now I am a grown up, tax paying, full-time working father of three who must look to other avenues for my silly fix. I like wearing Beatles, Alice Cooper and Aerosmith shirts Рwhich isn’t silly in and of itself – but it’s when the guy wearing it is in his mid- fifties that makes it silly. Listen, it’s okay to be silly, as long as no one gets hurt.

Did I mention that silly runs in my family?

My father was the guy who used to sit in the Supreme Deli in Davis Square wearing a Kiss 108 jacket and a Yankees hat – see, even my dad was silly.

So how am I silly today? Well, my job is writing silly songs and doing silly voices five days a week with Boston’s King of silly РDale Dorman – on Oldies 103.3 FM. I still have somewhat of a modified mullet and I would still wear my leather jacket if I could drop enough weight to zip it up.

And so, I will continue to live on the silly side, and I plan on writing silly stuff here for The Somerville News Рafter all, a wise man once said: “You’re never too old to do goofy stuff.” That wise man was none other than one of my heroes РWard Cleaver.

Jimmy Del Ponte can be reached by e-mail at jimmydel@rcn.com.