Crazy Joe

That sounds like you mean Crazy Guggenheim. He was sort of a punch-drunk type (sadly portaying a retarded person). Joe (Jackie G) was the bartender whose character on Jackie Gleason Show, circa 1962-1968 would dialogue with Crazy. The character, played by Frankie Fontaine (a night-club singer/comedian from the greater Boston area..nr my home town).

Here's a link to see Joe and Crazy Guggenheim in operation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGPCHT_NAus

Incidentally, he actually was supposed to be portraying a drunk, not a mentally-challenged person. Wonder if that'as any lesser 'sin'?

Here's Frankie singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcpxOxhyfXw&feature=related

Ragman-
Thank you though there was no song. I will go to youtube and see if I can figure out how to view an episode with a song.

Who was the other simpleton that always said "golly -ee" ?
He was a beautiful singer.

Probably Jim Neighbors.

Strange coincidence. Heard a Jim Nabors interview on the local NPR station just last night (Sunday night). He'll be 80 this year and has been living in Hawaii for quite a number of years now. Amazing raconteur when he starts talking about his early career.

this works for me:

Here's Frankie singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcpxOxhyfXw&feature=related

Ragman-
Thanks, though I meant Joe (Jackie G) as the bartender talking with Crazy Guggenheim and then asking him to sing a song.

Ragman-
How can you know whether he was supposed to be portraying a drunk, not a mentally-challenged person?

If my memory is correct that he sang beautifully after his "challenged conversation," perhaps the message is to demonstrate the humanity in those often considered barely human.

Did Red Skelton and/or Carol Burnett employ a similar foil?

The answer is that you can't know - perhaps except for some possible interviews with Jackie Geason or Frankie Fontaine. Seeing that it was a tavern and he was a regular of that tavern perhaps logic is he was a drunk. Fontaine reprised his character from Jack Benny's show on the early TV or radio show.

I can't speak about either Carol B or Red. I can't recall any characters of Carol...but Tim Conway probably played some 'mentally slow' characters. Hard to say about Red, but for sure he played a drunk in famous routine...'Guzzler's Gin'.

Red Skelton had a stock character named Clem Kadiddlehopper [Sp.?] who was a sort of caricature of a really dumb country bumpkin. Carol's personae were usually pretty savvy gals.

Oh, wait a minute. You said 'foil'. I don't think Skelton used 'regulars' on any of his shows.