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MinM

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75. "My Grandfather Came from Lithuania--Though Lou Dobbs Tried to Stop Him"

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 09:16 PM

Dec 2013

August 25 / 26, 2007
"My Grandfather Came from Lithuania--Though Lou Dobbs Tried to Stop Him"
Mort Sahl's Punchline
By PAUL KRASSNER

On May 11, 2007, Mort Sahl turned eighty. He was a pioneer in stand-up comedy. He broke through the tradition of jokes about airplane food, Asian drivers, booze and frigid wives, instead sharing his wit and insights about political hypocrisy, racism, marijuana laws and monogamy. I first met Sahl in 1953 when he was a guest speaker in a course I was taking at the New School for Social Research. I was inspired by his satirical approach to serious issues.

"Every word I do is improvised," he once told me. "I don't rehearse anything. I start it on stage."

In the beginning, though, he would write key words on a rolled-up newspaper, which became his trademark prop. In 1960 he wrote jokes for presidential candidate John Kennedy, and Sahl's picture graced the cover of Time magazine in August during the conventions. When Kennedy was killed in 1963, Sahl endangered his career and was blacklisted as a result of becoming an associate of New Orleans D.A. Jim Garrison in his investigation of the JFK assassination...

http://www.counterpunch.org/2007/08/25/mort-sahl-s-punchline/

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Interview with blacklisted comedian, Mort Sahl, 1968 quotes and warnings after JFK's death. [View all] mother earth Nov 2013 OP

I remember when he talked about the man in the bushes Politicalboi Nov 2013 #1

1968 interview? Really? MineralMan Nov 2013 #2

They know the rules about CT's here... YoungDemCA Nov 2013 #4

Woo-believers? Art_from_Ark Dec 2013 #9

"woo" is always believing the official story. Yes it is. Enthusiast Dec 2013 #10

No, "woo" is beliving something for which there's not any evidence. Spider Jerusalem Dec 2013 #11

There's plenty of evidence that contradicts official stories as well. n/t cui bono Dec 2013 #54

Yet the post stands HangOnKids Dec 2013 #58

The rules about CTs are ignored by Hosts... SidDithers Dec 2013 #71

And I stand with you. Th1onein Nov 2013 #3

A comedian's opinion is not evidence. Progressive dog Nov 2013 #5

Moon Landings Not The Same Thing colsohlibgal Nov 2013 #6

Mort Sahl was correct. DUer Bobbie found this... Octafish Nov 2013 #7

"If America goes, it will surely be an inside job. " Scuba Dec 2013 #8

Mort was a very sharp and biting wit, he was on TV often during my childhood and I remember his Bluenorthwest Dec 2013 #12

He was the friends of jFK and Reagan had two degrees Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #13

I've got to remember that quote Art_from_Ark Dec 2013 #14

Good one! Raksha Dec 2013 #47

The Case Against LBJ Eddie Haskell Dec 2013 #15

Wallace's wife as well as Johnson's sister were enamored of Kinser (to put it politely) Samantha Dec 2013 #56

Mort Sahl interview on MaeBrussell.com... Octafish Dec 2013 #16

He has certainly been vindicated both ways. Raksha Dec 2013 #49

Mort Sahl supported Alexander Haig for President in 1988. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #17

Have you ever felt important, The Midway Rebel? Like when doing a job? Octafish Dec 2013 #18

Woo-hoo personal attack. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #19

Wow, a history teacher. Eddie Haskell Dec 2013 #21

Gee Eddie. Some Democrat you are. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #22

Thank you Mr. History Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #23

Wrong. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #25

you read and write for a living but can't tell the diff between "your" and "you're"? nt grasswire Dec 2013 #37

yeah a common error f ths waz my theesus i wud prrofred more The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #38

The Midway Rebel did it again. Octafish Dec 2013 #42

Yes, your correct. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #44

Thanks for calling attention to my thread, again. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #46

You're wrong there, too. Octafish Dec 2013 #48

Okey dokey. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #50

Figured you for a friend of zappaman. Apart from slurs, you also don't add or know much. Octafish Dec 2013 #63

Speaking of "John Hurt".... CanSocDem Dec 2013 #65

Thank you, CanSocDem! Dr. Grover Proctor does an excellent job filling in the blanks... Octafish Dec 2013 #66

Facts not speculation. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #68

That explains it. Octafish Dec 2013 #39

I am not impressed. Raksha Dec 2013 #51

Thanks for your honest opinions. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #53

What in the world is a Mid way Rebel? Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #20

I find it interesting all you have in this debate is personal attack and innuendo. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #24

OK.. What is a midway rebel? Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #26

You should look into the actual facts of the JFK assassination as earnestly as you have my DU sn. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #27

What grades to do teach history? Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #29

Kind of creepy. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #34

Ha.....LOL Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #36

Thanks Iching HangOnKids Dec 2013 #59

Why was he black listed in a country that claims to grant all Americans the right to speak their sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #28

Because his tirades against the WC simply were not funny anymore. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #30

So you're FOR censorship? I'm for the exact opposite, MORE speech. Those who support censorship sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #32

No, I'm for night club owners booking the acts they want. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #35

That's what the blacklisters in the 1950s said also. former9thward Dec 2013 #40

So....Elia Kazan and Bud Schulberg were in on the JFK assassination too?! The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #43

I pray you are just an internet "teacher". former9thward Dec 2013 #61

+ at least 16 solarhydrocan Dec 2013 #62

Thanks, my students appreciate your empathy. nt The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #69

I'm for night club owners who support the Constitution of the US and who are not influenced by sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #55

Yeah, I'm sure the night club owners were in on the JFK assassination too. The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #57

Are you? I don't know who was in on the JFK assassination, yet. sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #64

Well, if you can even insinuate that 60s club owners were part of the JFK conspiracy... The Midway Rebel Dec 2013 #70

So Morten Sahl equals Jackie Mason Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #33

But But But HangOnKids Dec 2013 #60

He was on Ed Sulivan's show all the time Ichingcarpenter Dec 2013 #31

The Blacklists of the late 40's and early 50's were political. Archae Dec 2013 #41

Sahl set up the Johnny Carson - Jim Garrison interview MinM Dec 2013 #72

BTW you can follow Mort Sahl on twitter MinM Dec 2013 #73

Thank you so much, I definitely agreee with you that this was an honorable man. sabrina 1 Dec 2013 #74

Outstanding post! Octafish Dec 2013 #77

Mort has been working since 1950! MortSahlFan Dec 2018 #78

Nothing will happen unless we have a REAL MEDIA upi402 Dec 2013 #45

Thank you, upi402. Octafish Dec 2013 #67

K & R. dchill Dec 2013 #52

"My Grandfather Came from Lithuania--Though Lou Dobbs Tried to Stop Him" MinM Dec 2013 #75

‘To all you with the guns out there. You may be able to slay the dreamer, but you haven’t slain the upi402 Dec 2013 #76

WOW! DumpTrump20202020 Jan 2021 #79