Tale of Two Warrens: A Comedy

Even Abbott and Costello would have laughed.

“Hello, my name is Doris Warren, and I’d like to order the Warren Dorris Special,” she said phoning in her curbside meal.

Like a line out of the famous comedy sketch “Who’s On First,” a Joliet realtor called the restaurant where a fundraiser was happening for the Joliet City Council At Large candidate in January.

This Tale of Two Warrens has been happening for many years.

“People would call me and say ‘I’d like to talk to you about the lot you’ve got for sale,’” said Warren Dorris, pastor of Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ, who is running for city council. “And I’d tell them ’that’s not me, that’s Doris Warren.’"

So when Pastor Dorris filed his candidacy, friends of Mrs. Doris Warren mistakenly called her saying they didn’t know she was running for office.

“I’d say, ‘it’s not me, it’s Warren Dorris,” the realtor explained.

Over the years, the two have developed a random, but warm relationship, occasionally bumping into each other at the grocery store. She said she followed stories about Pastor Dorris in the newspaper “because there is some name similarity,” she explained.

In fact, she brought the cover of the recent Herald-News that featured the five police chiefs endorsing Pastor Dorris to jokingly brag to coworkers.

In January, Pastor Dorris held a kickoff campaign fundraiser. Due to Covid-19, the event featured a curbside pickup of a BBQ sampler platter, called the “Warren Dorris Special.”

“I heard it on the radio that morning, he was inviting people to come,” she said. “I thought, I’m going to do it — it was just fun."

When she arrived to get her order, more laughter ensued.

“Do you have the to-go order for Doris Warren?,” someone asked the Dock’s wait staff.

“Can you tell us what else was with that order because there are a lot of Warren Dorris tickets back there,” a server answered.

“No, it’s for Doris Warren — a woman — she ordered the Warren Dorris special,” the comedy continued.

“Oh yes, I took her order,” laughed the bartender who had answered the phone.

When the food was ready, Pastor Warren Dorris delivered the Warren Dorris Special to Mrs. Doris Warren.

“And it was delicious, by the way,” she said.

On Thursday, Pastor Warren Dorris is hosting another fundraiser at Cemeno's Pizza, 1620 Essington Road from 5-7 p.m. The cost is $30 per person for pizza and pop, with a cash bar.

Dorris is being endorsed by the past Joliet police chiefs, the Joliet Police Supervisors FOP, the Sierra Club, Stop NorthPoint LLC,Councilman Mike Turk, Senator John Connor, Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr., and Will County Board Members Herb Brooks and Denise Winfrey.

Mayor Bob O'Dekirk's slate of candidates includes Jan Quillman, Joe Clement and Bob Wunderlich.

To learn more about Warren Dorris, visit www.Joliet4.Joliet.com.

(Editor's note: Joliet's mayor said he has not endorsed any slate of candidates in the April 6 races.)