By Carl Keith Greene / Staff Writer
A major mark in Laurel County history will be made Friday morning at Weaver’s Hot Dogs on London’s Main Street.
At 9:30 a.m., a ribbon marking the establishment of Carl Hurley Lane will be cut and Laurel’s “funniest professor” will forever live in the county’s legacy.
Hurley, 68, grew up north of East Bernstadt near the county line separating Laurel and Rockcastle counties near the Rockcastle River.
He has said he grew up in a two-room log cabin, graduated from Hazel Green High School, then worked his way through Eastern Kentucky State College at Richmond milking cows on the college farm.
By the time he earned his master’s degree in 1966, the college’s name had changed to Eastern Kentucky University.
By 1971 he had earned a doctor’s degree in education at the University of Missouri at Columbia.
For eight years he was a professor and coordinator of secondary education programs at EKU, and that move developed into his career as a humorist.
In 1971 he made an effort to liven up a boring school conference with his down home stories.
A conferee at the meeting was impressed with his style and asked him to speak to his company’s employees.
By 1982, Hurley’s educational experience had morphed into full-time entertainment, doing stand-up comedy, convention keynotes, seminars and workshops.
He became known as America’s Funniest Professor.
Hurley’s comedy is often heard on satellite radio and he’s been featured on television shows produced by Bill Gaither. He’s appeared at the Grand Ole Opry and the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center, just north of the place where he grew up.
He’s produced 15 comedy recordings and written a book about growing up in the hills of Kentucky called, “We Weren’t Poor — We Just Didn’t Have Any Money.”
The road to be renamed is Ponderosa Lane north of East Bernstadt. To get there, turn north onto KY 490 off U.S. 25. Travel eight miles to KY 1228. Turn right on Mt. Zion Road then left onto Carl Hurley (Ponderosa) Lane. The actual ceremony with Hurley will be at Weaver’s on Main Street in London.
