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Even if you didn’t know John “Jack” Palmer, there’s a good chance that he made you laugh.
He died on Aug. 9 at the age of 86, but not before he showed us all how to live a life of laughter — even if it meant laughing at yourself sometimes.
Palmer and his wife of 65 years, Sonya, became accidental internet sensations thanks to an inability to pronounce three words together: Buttery, flaky crust.
The Palmers, especially Jack, wrestled with that phrase while shooting a 2013 commercial for Dysart’s Restaurant on Cold Brook Road in Hermon, where they were longtime regulars. The outtakes of that commercial shoot, especially Jack’s glee and self-deprecation despite the repeated verbal flubs, generated millions of views online and even a “Saturday Night Live” spoof.
“He loved his family and the many pet companions they had through the years. Jack enjoyed collecting guns, target shooting and harness racing,” reads his recent obituary in the Bangor Daily News. “Jack and Sonya were long standing customers of the Cold Brook Road Dysart’s Restaurant. As a result of these (almost) daily visits, they made many friends, some who were like family. You may also remember Jack and Sonya from the Dysart’s ‘buttery, flaky crust’ ad, promoting their famous chicken pot pie. Jack’s presence on this earth will be missed by many.”
Palmer, of course, was so much more than that viral moment and the fame that came with it. He brought that same energy and enthusiasm to the BDN where he worked for 37 years. And he brought it to Dysart’s all the time, too, not just for the cameras.
“He was the most loyal customer you can imagine,” said Mary Dysart Hartt, a longtime owner who retired a few years ago. “His laugh was infectious. He was always smiling. I remember right after the blooper video went viral, they were just totally unaware of it. That fame did not change them one little bit.”
The BDN’s Emily Burnham spoke with the Palmers about that fame back in 2016. And though Jack seemed to bristle at the idea of being famous, insisting that he and Sonya are “just ordinary people,” he maintained a delightfully good nature about the attention, and the people who would still come up to talk to them about it.
“You really meet so many nice people,” Jack said in that 2016 interview. “People ask me for my autograph, and I say ‘You’ve got to be joking.’ Let her do it. She’s got good handwriting… She’s put up with foolishness for so long, she deserves a medal.”
Sonya, their daughter, Barbara Miller, and their entire family deserve support now too. They have our condolences for their loss, and we hope they can find some comfort in knowing that Jack’s positivity and laughter will continue to ripple out into the world.
We encourage everyone to go back and watch the “buttery, flaky crust” video. Good luck trying not to burst out laughing. And notice that, despite totally messing up again and again, nobody seems to be having more fun than Jack Palmer, laughing at himself. It’s a good reminder that, even when things aren’t going as planned, there is still joy to be found.
