Posted by Harcamone
A few days ago in a Goodwill store I saw an old LP, in good condition, of “The First Family,” the perfect-pitch satire of JFK & Co. by a comic named Vaughn Meader. Meader’s act was good; he was hugely popular and successful, and made a great living. And then Kennedy was shot, and that was it for Vaughn Meader. His career was over, and he went into obscurity, never to emerge again into the public light. I almost bought that LP. It was only a buck or so.
When I got home I googled, and found the entire album on streaming audio. It had me laughing out loud. I was not expecting that; I thought its funniness might have faded over so many years. But what moved me even more than Meader’s excellent humor and perfect delivery was the belly-laughing audience, who were in stiches, having such a good time, laughing about a president they loved!!!!
This was the sound of the laughter of our people at one time.