The David Letterman Oscar inspiration
Wherein some of this made me laugh...I'll admit it
Remember when David Letterman hosted the 1995 Oscars? And he started off with the comic masterpiece, Oprah-Uma? Just to refresh your memory, go view this minute long clip on google video.
I'll wait.
Finished?
How about now?
When I heard him do that, I immediately thought of this comedy album I bought in 1977, Trust Me. Basically a Vaughn Meader-esque take on Jimmy Carter and his family produced by an Augusta, GA , morning DJ. Later, I'll unroll the whole record; until then here's the one clip that I think will convince anyone that either David Letterman or someone on his writing staff also owned this album. I give you Idi, Meet Eddie.
Remember when David Letterman hosted the 1995 Oscars? And he started off with the comic masterpiece, Oprah-Uma? Just to refresh your memory, go view this minute long clip on google video.
I'll wait.
Finished?
How about now?
When I heard him do that, I immediately thought of this comedy album I bought in 1977, Trust Me. Basically a Vaughn Meader-esque take on Jimmy Carter and his family produced by an Augusta, GA , morning DJ. Later, I'll unroll the whole record; until then here's the one clip that I think will convince anyone that either David Letterman or someone on his writing staff also owned this album. I give you Idi, Meet Eddie.
posted by bill at 10:53 PM
5 Comments:
Vaughn Meader's story is a sad one, but the political impersonation album remained popular for years. I remember one my folks had from the Nixon era (along with Allen Sherman, Newhart, Cosby and others - what happened to the comedy album?).
And I think I remember actually hearing that Idi-Eddie sketch before. It's the kind of album my parents would have had.
I have Vaughn Meader's "First Family." Also have Rich Little's First Family Rides Again, about Reagan. I remember it not being very funny.
I could argue that listening to my dad's comedy albums from the 50s and 60s, and then finding my own from the 70s, did much to shape my views on language and observing current events and pop culture. Ended up with all these political and cultural references I didn't understand at the time, that would then reveal and explain themselves at any odd moment.
The comedy albums? Maybe too much mass exposure and availability in other mediums. Seems like half the albums my dad owned had the comedian performing in front of a brick wall at the Hungry I in San Francisco.
Standup comedians aren't as a big a deal as they once were.
Another thing, when listening to "Idi-Eddie" keep in the mind that the album jacket says it was produced in a studio. Not in front of an audience--that's all canned laughter.
"listening to my dad's comedy albums from the 50s and 60s, and then finding my own from the 70s, did much to shape my views on language and observing current events and pop culture. Ended up with all these political and cultural references I didn't understand at the time, that would then reveal and explain themselves at any odd moment."
Ditto, and roger that.
It's bad enough I know the lyrics to Harvest Moon, but I can't read the lyrics without the voice of Bill Dana as Jose Jimenez singing them in my head.
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