003 Rich Little – Presidential Humor – Part#2

Bob Smith 0:00
It may be hard to remember, but there was a time when Americans could laugh at and with their presidents.

Ronald Reagan voice 0:07
Yes, down in front.

Earl Dowd 0:09
Mr. President, may I ask a question concerning Cuba? At anytime in the future? Is there any chance that you might recognize Fidel Castro?

Ronald Reagan voice 0:18
Well, certainly I’d recognize him anytime. He’s got a big beard smokes as a garden, there’s one of those sissy caps.

Bob Smith 0:26
Coming up, part two, our two of our special on presidential humor. The first family Rides Again here on the off ramp with Bob Smith.

Hi, this is Bob Smith and welcome to the off ramp, a place to slow down steer clear of crazy and take a side road to Saturday. Today we’re continuing with part two hour two of a special I produced in 1982 called the First Family Rides Again. It’s about presidential humor, and features interviews with famous comedian rich little and comedy writer Earl Dowd. In our last episode, we asked Earl down what’s the secret to good political humor, the kind that everyone could laugh at the kind that is almost extinct today. He spoke of it in terms of the comedy medium at the time, LP records.

Earl Dowd 1:49
I think, first of all that people buy record albums about politicians who they like it’s very difficult to sell an album about an unpopular politician. But also I do know you can’t fool the public. You’ve got to give them funny material. If the album was not funny, it wouldn’t sell I don’t care who was about I did do other albums where I had the families of the Presidents more or less. The Honest to God, we really mean it very last mix of albums, which I did and Brunswick had the Nixon some of his family, Henry the first was about Kissinger. Right, his family. A Spiro T Agnew is a riot with Danny Meyer and handling. That, of course was about Spiro T Agnew. I’ve done about 12 hours, practically all of them are of a political nature, I think you have to be funny. I think you have to be timely, I think you have to be tasteful. And you have to be about somebody that they care about. Nobody’s gonna spend eight or nine bucks to buy an album about somebody who they don’t like. You would think maybe because you’re mean to them are nasty to them. And they’re unpopular that everybody would buy it. But I didn’t find that to be the case

Bob Smith 3:05
with the Nixon album, for instance,

Earl Dowd 3:07
that makes an album didn’t do well at all.

Bob Smith 3:10
Now, let’s get back to the fun with the First Family Rides Again, Nancy,

Ronald Reagan voice 3:15
look at that little boy over there. He must have gotten separated from the tour. Oh,

Nancy Reagan voice 3:21
you mean there’s no one standing there staring up the picture of George Washington there?

Ronald Reagan voice 3:25
Yes. I’ll just go over and stand behind him and tell him what a great country this is. Excuse me, a little boy. That’s the father of our country you’re looking at. His name is George Washington. He was also the first President of the United States. And a great president. He was two. He fought for our country and made it the great country that it is today. And after you finish school, you can grow up to be president, just like George Washington. And you can live here in the White House just like me. Watch me live.

I play it Sam played it for her. You can play it for me.

Bob Smith 4:12
How does one become an impressionist? There are no schools that teach the art. It’s difficult to describe just how to do the job and let’s face it, it’s more of a talent than a skill. Some people just will not be able to learn how to be an impressionist. For rich little his career as an impressionist began at a very early age and your stand your impressions began during your cowboy and Indian days when you were a youngster? You liked Alan Ladd?

Speaker 1 4:37
Yeah, I was a big fan Alan Ladd. He was the number one here I was after shame. And as a matter of fact, I got to meet him when he came to Ottawa. He’s making a pitcher called Saskatchewan speaking pitcher called Saskatchewan in Alberta, which was interesting but with the Shelley Winters and the came to Ottawa to Crawley films there to do the dubbing to do the looping. And, of course, my friend and myself or Alan Ladd fanatics ran, ran down to Crawley films with our with our little pictures that we’ve drawn of him in our scrapbooks. And he signed them and he was extremely nice. I always think about today when people come up to me with with pictures and programs and things I keep saying to myself, Hey, this is me. It’ll be nice.

Bob Smith 5:31
Does the name Clarence bills don’t mean anything and your best Clarence bill. He was a principal of mine that listener collegiate secondary or

Speaker 1 5:38
collegiate? Yeah, one of the first voices ever imitated actually squaring spell

Bob Smith 5:42
understanding look like WC Fields, do you?

Earl Dowd 5:46
Yeah. Well,

Speaker 1 5:46
he had a kind of a, I did have kind of a big nose. I had a list. He had a list. But he talked like this. Richard, what are you doing? And I used to answer but his voice and said nothing. Mr. Bell, I’m just studying. Why are you speaking in that stupid voice? And I was tempted to say, well, because I’m doing you. But I didn’t say that. You

Bob Smith 6:08
used to draw pretty good crowds at recess doing that, I guess.

Speaker 1 6:12
Yeah. Well, before the teacher arrived in the morning for class to see I’d get up and do what they were going to do when they got there. And of course, the kids would fall about you know, and then of course, we’d have a look at at the door and then a real teacher would come along and he would do exactly what I just did a few minutes ago and kids would slash Samar and for teachers could never figure out why walking in the door and talking and saying good morning. Got such laughs

Bob Smith 6:39
Mr. Fitzsimmons, he was a science teacher, you must have been one of the other folks that you imitated.

Speaker 1 6:46
Yeah. Yeah, he was one of the first ones. He had a very nasal voice like this. I used to end up doing all the teachers. And I was always worried that when I get out of school, that I’d have no career as an impersonator. Because how can you go around the country imitating teachers? Matter of fact, when I went into the Copacabana, this is true story and Oh 1965 or six, the COPPA, New York, which was a terrific thrill for me. The teachers came down from Ottawa to the Copa to see my show, and were very upset that I didn’t do them. Right. Yeah. I mean, do you imagine doing my teachers run? I’m an American audience. And so you’re what what why would I do that? I wouldn’t mean anything.

Bob Smith 7:31
After high school rich little get a job as a disc jockey at CJ et radio and Smith Falls, Ontario. But he continued to do his impressions before local clubs and civic groups and fraternal organizations. We ask him what some of his early impressions were. Jimmy

Speaker 1 7:45
Stewart was the first ones that ever rely on John Wayne was probably one that I was doing very early. And I do a lot of obscure voices like Fred MacMurray and Lloyd Bridges. People like that. Glen Ford. Sterling, a lot of voices that I never really use publicly. That’s

Bob Smith 8:06
sort of part of your trademark though doing people who other people don’t mimic some of the easier people to mimic everybody does you do those plus others? Yeah. Good current, the owner of spotlight studios manage you in those early days. He caught your act at one of the clubs you were doing clubs and fraternal organizations and things like that.

Speaker 1 8:23
Well, we were actually in theater together little theater. And he was managing a dance studio and he wanted to get into management and he started managing me and then he was gonna look at Paul Anka, but he never got around to doing it. And I think he, he regretted that because Paul took off like a skyrocket right about that time with Diana Gibb ended up just managing me and I traveling around the country with me, he came to Hollywood with me and then we parted our ways. 67 or something like that. One of

Bob Smith 8:57
the Canadian television specials that you did in those days it was called Liberace in Wonderland. Yeah. Now, that was what Alice in Wonderland with all kinds of

Speaker 1 9:05
love. Yeah, that was the first thing I ever played where I played all the parts. In other words, I prayed Liberace. Pardon the expression is ours. And sounds funny now. And George Burns as the as the caterpillar and Kurt Douglas is the Cheshire Cat and Alfred Hitchcock is Humphrey Humpty Dumpty, which was perfect. Because, you know, he’d sit up there and the woman says, Good evening, I’m Humpty Dumpty, and then of course it fall off the wall. Crack, you know, we’ll be back in a moment with an omelet. It was fun. It was of course been black and white. that dates me. And it was a little primitive, but it got a big reaction. And so, years later when I decided to do Christmas carol as a one man show with fields, Scrooge Some of those same techniques were used and I filmed that in candidate two and one on Home Box Office has been on there for three years now and won an Emmy and a lot of things but but that Liberace in Wonderland was the was the start of all that now I’m going to do Robin Hood is a one man show with great show as Robin Hood and John Wayne is Little John and Carol Channing is made Marian

Ronald Reagan voice 10:36
you pay Mr. President? Well, my goodness, I I am surprised blahblah candles Come on. Really, I will. All right. Here goes.

Now just let me rest a minute and blow out the other half.

Bob Smith 11:22
It’s ironic that rich little made political satire, a way of life in his act a way to support himself, because rich little comes from a very distinguished political family in Canada, I get several family members of the last century if yours were very much involved in politics, couple of them served in Parliament, was that John Wilson representing Wentworth and the upper parliament in the 20s 1820s. And William Carruthers little your great grandfather, a member of parliament,

Unknown Speaker 11:46
my mother just

Bob Smith 11:48
did a little reading.

Speaker 1 11:50
He went down to the archives. That’s got a little file. Very short. You already did your homework. Well, thank

Unknown Speaker 11:57
you. Well, yeah, I

Speaker 1 11:58
did. I did have a couple of ancient relatives that were in politics. Right on my mother’s side number of member of parliament. Yeah, that’s very true. Of course, so long ago, I mean, it’s no chance of imitating them or I guess it’s kind of a political family, although the last couple of generations resume but in politics,

Bob Smith 12:24
your father was in medicine, right

Speaker 1 12:27
father was a doctor, right? That wondered when I was going to stop talking to myself, think about an occupation

Bob Smith 12:33
that your folks view it that way at all. You were playing around? My brother’s dead.

Speaker 1 12:38
My brothers just thought I was weird. I mean, the guys in his room all the time in the tape recorder and being all these other people. I mean, you know, that’s just one step away from home as far as they were concerned. And they they were all you know, busy pursuing a career. I think, one on one I was gonna grow up, never amount to anything. So they go to their room and do their studies. And I go to my room with my tape recorder. You know, what did one your brothers do cartoon voices? Well, my eldest brother Fred did cartoon voices. And he still does and he does extremely well to as matter of fact, Mel Blanc thinks he’s about the best he’s ever heard. What was that? Right? Yeah, he’s sort of in the wings. You know, certain voices that Mel is having trouble with because of his age. My brother’s filling in for him. So he may he may step into Malissa shoes, but it’s gonna be hard because Mel is the best at what he does. And my brother knows that. But he’s he’s a close second.

Bob Smith 13:40
Presidential humor is our topic today on the off ramp. This is Bob Smith. And for this episode, we’ve gone back to my vaults for a 1982 interview I did with comedian rich little and comedy writer Earl Dowd.

Earl Dowd 13:59
Roger Atlanta control, this is Air Force One departing you now. request additional air check over.

Speaker 2 14:05
You know, I really have to hand it to the President. The way he handled those air traffic controllers. He taught them a thing or two.

Ronald Reagan voice 14:14
Would you mind if I sat in with you? Oh, good

Earl Dowd 14:17
morning, sir. We’d enjoy very much having you sit up here with us. We were just remarking what a good job you did with the air traffic controllers. Well,

Ronald Reagan voice 14:24
Dennis Morgan and I used to fly these things together. Is that so sir? Oh, yes. Yes. In painting the clouds with sunshine and hail cancer. The Navy we logged over 100,000 hours. That’s incredible, sir. You know, I shot down four Japanese fighter planes in one afternoon in 1944. That was in the Pacific. No, that was in last he comes home.

Earl Dowd 14:52
But again, sir, our congratulations on the your handling of the air traffic controller problem, right.

Speaker 2 14:57
Like I was saying sir Have you taught them a thing or two?

Earl Dowd 15:01
That’s for sure. Tallahassee Senator this is Air Force One request your clearance for current heading and altitude over.

Speaker 3 15:08
Thank you for calling Tallahassee Senator control. We’re not in right now.

Earl Dowd 15:16
But if you leave your flight

Speaker 3 15:17
number two at the sound of the beat we’ll get right back to you. Right back to you. Right back to right back.

Bob Smith 15:30
Obviously with rich littles voice talents, you can become in sound almost anyone he wants to be. You could do a very expensive sounding show with the top names of show business past and present for relatively pennies if you had one man. And don’t think radio station managers around the country didn’t think of that as a gimmick to exploit Well, I

Speaker 1 15:49
you know, what I used to do as a station managers had this idea across the country that if I came on on April Fool’s Day, and and took over the radio station for the entire day, as different celebrities, it would be a cute idea because it was April Fool’s Day. And I did like the early morning shows Jimmy duranie And I did rock shows Elvis Presley or something. And I get the news as David Brinkley in the women’s news as Carol Channing and it was a cute idea. It was a lot of work. But it went over tremendously. And other stations found out about it. The first thing and I’ll every April 1, I was doing this marathon for very little money, because it was the hardest thing I think I ever did in my life. You know how hard it is to do your shift. Imagine doing six others. But what happened was in Toronto at a station called CHM was when it really backfired. Because here I was, you’re almost done out Elvis Presley was, you know, playing playing records. I’m doing my son of course. And, and John Wayne. Well, they come and Terry. And the first thing you know, one of the program, managers were saying there’s a crowd outside the studio here. They all think these people are in here. And then the next time we looked out, he said there’s 200 people out here waiting for Elvis, waiting for Jimmy Stewart and John Wayne. And then we found out that people were coming by car. Some people were flying, some people coming by bus, they’re walking from all over to meet the real celebrities. And when I stepped out because I wasn’t well known that when I stepped up I almost started a riot. Where’s Elvis? Elvis was right here. They said you’re a fraud. Tell him you know, Lord. And I think running out of town as fast as I could. Maybe it’d be better today that I’m more well known but there were a few angry people who had spent their their allowances you know, the weeks paid to get to the studio. Isn’t that amazing, though to be able to fool them like that? That’s very good. I was a nice compliment for me, but very good for my health.

Bob Smith 18:11
Does it still surprise you sometimes when an impersonation or an impression that you’re not quite completely satisfied with goes over so big with people?

Speaker 1 18:22
Well, there’s a lot of people that I do that, that I’m always disappointed they’re not more well known, because there’s some of my best I do Tony newly Anthony Newley Am I act, which is a lot of fun to do, because he’s so exaggerated cockney accent and everything. But a lot of people don’t know him. It’s interesting that a lady came up to me one time and said to me that she thought my Anthony, Newley was my best impression. And I said, Oh, you big fan of yours. And she said, Well, not really. I’ve never seen him. And I said, Wait a minute, you’ve never seen him. She said, No, you’ve never heard him or seen him. She said, No, I don’t know who he is. I said, Well, how can I be my best if you don’t know who he is? And she said, Well, I saw you doing before on TV. And it’s better now. I said, Wait a minute. You saw me do it before and it’s better now how do you know it’s better if I said just forget it. But I started thinking about that as this very strange, you know, that she didn’t know who the original was. But I can understand that to a certain degree because sometimes when I go to England, I’ll watch England’s greatest impersonator, which is Mikey Arwood who does all the political ones over there and I’ll go and see him perform. And I find myself applauding and laughing and reacting to Harold Wilson and the leader of the Conservative Party and people I don’t even know what they sound like. And it just because it sounds different and the accents there and he’s he’s funny lines and stuff. I find myself laughing and I don’t even know who he’s doing. You know, so it is true that you know, sometimes you think it sounds good. You’ll react

Bob Smith 19:52
at home I understand your daughter has a favorite impression and it’s not political and it’s well that she’ll business but it’s one of her favorite characters on a TV show. Kermit the Frog. Kermit

Speaker 1 20:01
the Frog. Well, it’s a toss up whether she likes Kermit the Frog better than Frank Sinatra, Kenny Rogers. Was that right? Yeah, but she likes all three of them. She loves Frank because she sings New York. My daughter sings New York. And she knows all the words and everything question. Oh, she’s 25 But she’s four years old. Four years old. She and I love it when she sings New York because she’ll do what Frank does, she’ll go if I can make it there, that’s funny to hear that. I told frank about it. He said he’d love to hear it. So I’m, I’m trying to sneak up behind her someday when she’s doing it with the tape recorder on. Once she knows I’m taping her. She’ll clam up. Oh, you know the way kids if they do some funny, now do that for as many and Uncle Harry and then there’s nothing. But she She’s funny too, because we’ll be driving in the car. And she’ll hear Frank sing in New York, the real Frank. And she’ll say to me, is that your data? Is that Frank? I’ll say no, no, that’s right. Then she’ll just sing it with.

Bob Smith 21:07
We took you about seven years to do Frank Sinatra. I understand. Yeah, Frank’s difficult

Speaker 1 21:11
to do. It’s an attitude more than anything, but I enjoy doing them because I admire him so much. And he’s a good friend. And he’s a good man. And I got a kick out of doing him because I know all his mannerisms backwards. You know,

Bob Smith 21:23
speaking of celebrities, one of the cuts and the First Family Album deals with the death of a show business personality.

Speaker 2 21:31
And now, to say a few words on behalf of the deceased, the President of the United States.

Ronald Reagan voice 21:40
You know, they say the President’s schedule is a busy one. And it is, but not too busy to say goodbye to a friend. So today, I have canceled a shopping spree with Nancy to come back to Hollywood to pay my final respects to a great actor. You know, he had a way with him, and he will be sorely missed. His passing has definitely created a void in my life. He was unselfish. And he was always thinking of others. You know, I remember one day after working on a picture in very humid weather. I was tired. He came into my dressing room, smiling that smile of you. And then I remember he took a glass of water out of my hand. And without batting an eye, he poured it down my pants. He then shoved a banana up my nose. wheel will all miss you Bonzo you will always be the champ.

Bob Smith 22:54
Coming up, we’ll look at comedy writing. And we’ll tell you how an airline employee of the 1950s became one of the top TV comedy writers of the 1960s 70s and 80s. Next, a conversation with Earl Dowd. This is Bob Smith and you’re listening to a 1982 feature I did on presidential humor with comedian rich little and comedy writer Earl Dowd. The first family Rides Again.

Ronald Reagan voice 23:20
You know, I like the Lincoln room. It’s nice and comfortable and traditional. Especially since the Carter’s took the farm tools out. Think I’ll just turn on the television here.

Humphrey Bogart voice 23:36
I play it Sam played it for her. You can play it for me. I play it for everybody. Play it for him and play it for them. And keep playing it to like say don’t play it. And then play it. Play it again.

Ronald Reagan voice 23:51
I hate musicals.

Speaker 3 23:57
Ronald, Ronald. What’s that? Over here, Ronald?

Ronald Reagan voice 24:03
A pale white transparent figure. Is that you Nancy? No,

Speaker 3 24:08
no, no. I’m the ghost of Abraham Lincoln.

Ronald Reagan voice 24:12
The Abraham Lincoln. The

Speaker 3 24:16
15th President of the United States. Well,

Ronald Reagan voice 24:19
excuse me, sir. But if I remember my American history correctly, you were the 16th president.

Speaker 3 24:25
I never account Polk.

Ronald Reagan voice 24:31
No, nobody ever does. Tell me Mr. Lincoln. I mean, what can I do for you?

Speaker 3 24:37
You’re the actor, aren’t you? That’s right. I was shocked by an actor.

Ronald Reagan voice 24:45
No, it wasn’t me sir. I’ve got witnesses. I was home doing my homework that night.

Speaker 3 24:52
relax, just relax. I like to drop by every once in a while to see what’s happening. Is that bratty kid still around? No,

Ronald Reagan voice 25:03
the Carters moved out.

Speaker 3 25:08
Good, good. Boy. I’ve had a terrible time relating to some of the occupants. You know, you really had some flakes in here. There was this one guy from Texas who kept showing me his scar.

Ronald Reagan voice 25:23
That was Lyndon Johnson. And

Speaker 3 25:25
there was this one guy who kept falling into the drapes.

Ronald Reagan voice 25:28
Oh, that was Jerry Ford. Were there any presidents that you admired?

Speaker 3 25:33
I like President Haig.

Ronald Reagan voice 25:44
He is not the president. He’s just my Secretary of State.

Speaker 3 25:48
That’s not what he told me.

Ronald Reagan voice 25:53
You know, we have a lot in common. I mean, you’re from Illinois. I’m from Illinois. You’re a Republican. I’m a Republican. You made a great speech at Gettysburg. I had some dramatic lines and a Sinatra roast. Actually, our careers are running quite parallel. Still, is there any way I can be assured of being as famous a president as you? I mean, could you give me some tips?

Speaker 3 26:21
Yes, I can. remember three things. Be honest. Be humble. Yes. And dance a jig on Fifth Avenue with a banana in your ear.

Ronald Reagan voice 26:35
Really,

Speaker 3 26:35
I guarantee it.

Ronald Reagan voice 26:37
Well, thank you, Mr. Lincoln. Thank you very much out, I’ll try it.

Speaker 3 26:44
I finally got even with an actor.

Bob Smith 26:50
The man behind much of the humor of the first family albums is Earl Dowd, who wrote and produced both the Vaughn meter albums and the sequel with rich little, he’s a top television comedy writer who’s worked for live TV shows situation comedies, humor magazines, and the movies. But it wasn’t always that way.

Earl Dowd 27:07
I wanted to be an actor, actually, I had devised a series for TV. I was working at American Airlines as a ticket agent. And I had an idea were a part of the co pilot to stewardesses, that there would be a series about them, and that each week, they’d be in a different location. And what a natural for an airline to sponsor because their product would be all over the screen all the time. So I thought I’d really, you know, hit the gong with this. And I went to American and TWA, but I just couldn’t make a sale with this. Couldn’t get them interested in doing it. It was the very early days of television, perhaps it was a little too expensive. But I wrote a script. And someone saw who told me they thought I should get into writing. And then the girl next to me at the airline was a friend of Bob and Reyes. Have you ever heard of that? Oh, yeah. I said, Could I please submit some material to them? And she said, Okay. And they liked it and gave me a job. You must try if you want to be a comedy writer, to get your material to a working comedian, somehow if you can. That’s how it will happen for

Bob Smith 28:16
you. You work with Jackie Gleason? Also, yeah,

Earl Dowd 28:20
was that ever met him? Is that right? I wrote for him for six months. I never met him. I sit next to him in the men’s room one. He was coughing a lot.

Bob Smith 28:35
Who was the easiest to work with? When you were writing for people like Steve Allen Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Was there somebody who, more or less came in and said, Hey, that sounds good. We’ll try that more or less trusted you. As opposed to say someone who may be second guessed is writers of mine.

Earl Dowd 28:48
Yeah. Jack price was timeless to me. I have a special kind of writing talent and he let me work alone at home. And we did a lot of drag Mets takeoffs on that your audience may remember. I liked working with Jack Paar very much. He was very nicely Bob and Ray was my most fun interview. Bob and Ray was the first thing that I ever did. And I found them really relaxed and fun to be with. I was the only guy and so we could and we did all sorts of wild things. You know, they used to have that overstocked warehouse where they were always getting putting these things on sale. I remember there was a bread factory that caught on fire and we offered for sale 5000 pieces of toast

Bob Smith 29:37
you know, you said I was the only guy does that mean? It was just you Bob and Ray. Me Bob and Ray. That was been tremendous. Yes. They had tremendous comedy. I was like their material to Yeah,

Earl Dowd 29:46
they were great. And it was five shows a week was pretty busy.

Bob Smith 29:49
And Wally blue. Did you have anything to do with Wally? Yeah, no, they

Earl Dowd 29:53
do. Warren. Yeah. While he was there, but they did marry Magoo. own with her recipes. Ginger Ale salad. And octopi. Yes, Mary used to talk like that I did her voice as the house nurse on the first family. But everyone I worked with that, like Johnny Carson, I have a lot of respect for as a writer. He was a writer before he was a comedian. Jonathan Winters is perhaps the most creative comedy mind in the business, but also the most undisciplined. You can ever get him to read a script. Caesar was great. I enjoyed working with him. Every everybody who I was with

Bob Smith 30:39
little doubt also wrote for a show that today is lampooned for what people feel is its unreality, the unreality of a family situation. And that show is Father Knows Best.

Earl Dowd 30:51
That’s kind of a preppy family today, I guess. But that’s a long time ago. There were families like that there still are a lot of families like that. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of families like that

Bob Smith 31:02
that is your family like that. No.

Earl Dowd 31:04
My family is more like the Adam. The Father Knows Best. Welcome back,

Bob Smith 31:11
Connor was a completely different type of series in terms of sort of street humor, in a way almost what we would have at one time considered crude, was it hard to make a transition into that?

Earl Dowd 31:19
No, well, you’re starting to have to adjust and I had help. There were other writers who perhaps were more immune to that show than I was. My favorite. One that I did was called Epstein Madonna, where they painted a new dawn the back bends to beautify the school. Potter’s lifespace do remember that particular episode? I think in order to exist, you have to be versatile and able to adapt to different things. Television writing is very difficult for me. It’s it’s a certain kind of level of writing that I find hard to do. I would rather write Cary Grant and Irene done movies. Or I would rather write Arthur, something like that. Dudley is a good friend of mine. Incidentally, we’re talking about maybe doing an album together.

Ronald Reagan voice 32:09
Nancy? Yes. Do you? Now be honest, at my age, do you think I should be doing something like this?

Nancy Reagan voice 32:18
Believe me, Ronnie, every once in a while it’s healthy to do this sort of thing. It isn’t just for young people. You know, a lot of people our age do it. I hear even George Burns did it.

Ronald Reagan voice 32:28
But not while wearing roller skates? Probably not. And why shorty pajamas? Why can I just wear the normal lounge type?

Nancy Reagan voice 32:40
Oh, Ronnie, you look good, dear. I like the way you look.

Ronald Reagan voice 32:45
And the water wings.

Nancy Reagan voice 32:50
I like those to listen,

Ronald Reagan voice 32:52
can I take off the water wings in the money year? Oh, I wish you wouldn’t. Nancy, I’m really surprised at you. I mean, this is strange. I wouldn’t think you go in for this. And I’ve known you an awful long time.

Nancy Reagan voice 33:07
I suppose you want me to take off the pirate boots and throw away the pogo stick and the Dumbo ears.

Ronald Reagan voice 33:14
Can I remind you of something? I am the President of the United States.

Nancy Reagan voice 33:20
That’s what makes it so wild. Now Ronnie, Ronnie, do just grit your teeth and say, I’m going to jump in with both feet.

Ronald Reagan voice 33:32
All right, I’ll do it. But I just wish I could take off the beaver tail and get rid of the skates.

Nancy Reagan voice 33:39
Oh, it’s too late. No, dear. No. Good luck. I’ll

Ronald Reagan voice 33:43
probably be sorry in the morning.

Earl Dowd 33:45
Our standby. Mr. President, you’re on and cue the president.

Ronald Reagan voice 33:51
Live from New York. It’s Saturday night.

Bob Smith 33:58
More of rich little and rural Dowd and the First Family rides again in just a moment. This is Bob Smith and you’re listening to a 1982 feature I did on presidential humor with comedian rich little and comedy writer Earl Dowd. The first family Rides Again. Good evening.

Ronald Reagan voice 34:17
This was Walter Crone. God, I’m at the White House and we’re about to tour this historic landmark with the current resident President of the United States Ronald Reagan. Gold evening, President Reagan will Walter will come to our home. Now just follow me down this hole and it’s not Roma hub, the White House press room. Will yes it is Walter. This is where our press secretaries and various staff members hold magazine and newspaper interviews on my way go down way allow just open the door.

Speaker 2 34:50
It’s not gonna work. I think the President’s wrong. Don’t

Earl Dowd 34:53
quote me but he just doesn’t know what he’s doing.

Speaker 3 34:56
I didn’t tell you this, but this is not the right way to go.

Ronald Reagan voice 34:58
Money can’t buy I that kind of loyalty Do you miss the good old days of Hollywood? Well, I’m sorry, Walter. I never speak of films. I hope you don’t mind. Hollywood to me is a thing of the past. I understand. Where were we? Oh, so unless the Dolly Madison room. It is water, but we renamed it. It’s the Ginger Rogers Salloum. As you may recall, she was Dolly Madison, also kitty Foyle, Roxie, Hart, Tom, Dick and Harry. And of course, stagedoor follow the fleet and monkey business. All of you make me films whether I am sorry, Walter, I never speak of films. I hope you don’t mind.

Bob Smith 35:52
writing for television and records isn’t the only thing that’s kept drill down busy over the years. He even wrote for that humor magazine. Just about every little boy reads at one time in his life. Mad Magazine.

Earl Dowd 36:04
I run a lot of stuff from that. I love Mad Magazine.

Bob Smith 36:08
Because that sort of something you did on the side for you’re more or less for your own ego. What was that? I knew you did it for money. I’m sure. Everybody does things for money do anything for money.

Earl Dowd 36:18
That’s why I live in this one room shack.

Bob Smith 36:23
I don’t believe your URL. I can’t see you, but I don’t believe it. Well, we have two rooms, two rooms? Shakha. What was that?

Earl Dowd 36:29
I do it for money or love more? I did it for free issues. They sent me they still send me mad. No, I really love doing that. And Matt does pay fairly well. And but you write everything on spec for that magazine. No, no one’s listening. Right? Okay, you have to write and then get it accepted that you know, they can turn you down. So you don’t like to write for speculation. But most of us who’ve been writing for it for a long time don’t have a problem with that.

Bob Smith 37:00
Earlier in the interview, little Dad told us that it’s difficult for him to write comedy. We asked him if you knew anybody, it was easy for

Earl Dowd 37:08
I know, I’ve never really known anyone it’s easy for but if I were a comedy writer, or I wanted to be a comedy writer, or a writer of any kind, this is a very strange business. And sometimes it’s dangerous, to be honest. But let me be honest. A business where you have to innovate sounds very cliche, but you have to be at the right place at the right time. And it isn’t always how good a writer you are. If you have a friend on the show is going to hire you. And I’m being very honest with you. It’s television, to me is not a medium for art’s sake. What you write quite often doesn’t turn out to be what goes on the air? Am I answering your question? Yes, I totally forgot to keep your question. I’m into my own thing. You go ahead, keep on with it. Because I’m trying to do the greatest thing I can for what I’m being paid to do. But I shouldn’t really do that I should just sit down and write it and say I don’t care whether they change it or not. And that’s the right attitude. I

Bob Smith 38:14
know what the enacting and in writing that it’s not it’s not like the eight to five or nine to five occupation most people but at times, you might be a staff writer for a particular program you’re going to

Earl Dowd 38:25
do to become a staff writer for a show. When they set up a situation comedy, they hire four or five staff writers. And those staff writers write as many episodes as they can because they get paid residuals per episode. And then if you’re a freelancer, like I am at the moment and have been for a long time, then you get what they what’s left over that they can’t handle. And it’s few and far between. So I’m not staff. We’re talking about situation comedy now. Of all the variety shows that I did, that was really good was and Gleason, and whatever, those were stacked on by staff writers, and they don’t have they don’t buy outside stuff. Now,

Bob Smith 39:08
Jackie Gleason got one of those big lifetime contracts from the network years and years ago. Did that mean his writers were paid that well?

Earl Dowd 39:16
No. But technically, some pays very well, because he knows what it is to be poor. And he appreciates that and he appreciates talent. And Jackie Gleason is known in the business as a man who almost overpaid, you might say, which is not necessarily true at all comedian certainly is true with him. He’s a very generous man.

Bob Smith 39:36
We since we started out talking about Sid Caesar and Father Knows Best and then those shows and then we compare it to what you’re doing today. You probably have a lot more creative freedom in the topics you can cover as opposed to what you’ve covered in the 50s Yes,

Earl Dowd 39:48
definitely. Because the last thing you can say and get away with so to speak today that you couldn’t in those days you were terribly restricted. So I do feel that you can write about more, and there’s a lot more to write about. But of course, there’s a lot more that’s been done that you can’t do again.

Bob Smith 40:11
Some people think that they work better with limitations. It makes them work harder to find things that are funny. But

Earl Dowd 40:16
you don’t want to work hard to get that weekly check and go home. I can’t fall in love with writing for television. As I said before, you know, I just do the best I can and, and sometimes I get I fall in love with something and I really try and do a great job. And that’s when it’s destroyed. Do I sound bitter?

Bob Smith 40:37
You sound like what I’ve heard. Okay. Well,

Earl Dowd 40:39
I’ve heard that I’ve been there, I guess.

Bob Smith 40:41
You kind of get an indication of Earl doubt sense of humor when you realize he’s a man who in New York City once did a radio talk show called Earl Dowd’s banana paradise.

Earl Dowd 40:52
I’ve lived on this island and I took John Lennon and everybody for walks around the island, made believe there were all sorts of things for them to do like to take the tire away from the gorilla was one of the things we had, and I put them through the wringer there. I’m trying to do that as a TV show now in a different sort of way where I will interview you and it will rain on us in the studio. Nobody pays any attention.

Bob Smith 41:18
Is this a pilot or? Yeah? You’re not gonna tell me any more than that. No, no,

Earl Dowd 41:24
I couldn’t give me my idea. You’re too good. No, no,

Bob Smith 41:26
I didn’t mean that. Ladies

Earl Dowd 41:27
and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

Ronald Reagan voice 41:44
Ladies and gentlemen. I think we should get right to the questions over here. chock

Speaker 2 41:52
full a buffalo and Nicola. Mr. President. Yes. Check. What is your reaction to the environmentalists claim that Secretary of the Interior was selling out our precious natural resources to greedy business interests?

Ronald Reagan voice 42:04
Well, I don’t know. But I let him answer that as soon as he gets back from Yellowstone National condo. Yes, yes. The lady with the rash? Yes.

Speaker 2 42:19
Is it true that you’re planning to divorce Nancy so that you can marry Brooke Shields?

Ronald Reagan voice 42:26
I’m sorry, I refuse to answer questions from the National Enquirer. Please identify yourself before asking the questions with you. The gentleman with a duck? Yes, sir. I have a question, Mr. President. Well, listen, I asked you please do identify yourself. How am I supposed to know who you are? You’ve got to state who you are. Now. Go ahead. George Bush.

Who was he? He’s the Vice President. Well, what happened with the deal with Ford? fell through. All right, go ahead. Mr. Bush. Mr. President last week, you invited several Liberal Democrats to dinner. Did you have a special purpose and having them at the White House? Yes. Nancy has never seen one. The lady in the rear over there. Yes.

Speaker 2 43:30
The anti abortion lobby says that every unborn baby has a right to life. In your opinion, sir. At what point should a fetus be regarded as a human being?

Ronald Reagan voice 43:41
When it votes Republican? Yes, down in front.

Earl Dowd 43:47
Mr. President, may I ask a question concerning Cuba. At anytime in the future? Is there any chance that you might recognize Fidel Castro?

Ronald Reagan voice 43:56
Well, certainly I’d recognize him anytime. He’s got a big beard smokes as a garden was one of those sissy caps

Bob Smith 44:03
coming up rich little in URL down tell us what their favorite comedy routines are on the First Family Rides Again. Presidential humor is our topic today on the off ramp. This is Bob Smith. And for this episode, we’ve gone back to my vaults for a 1982 interview I did with comedian rich little and comedy writer Earl Dowd, rich little and Earl Dowd both received rave reviews for their teamwork on the First Family Rides Again album. In fact, they received very high praise from a very important critic, the President himself. Nancy wrote your letter and said they were just howling at the

Speaker 1 44:39
other howling at it. Yeah, we we held at it from beginning to end. I always tried to picture Nancy howling at it. I couldn’t do that. Well, he apparently liked it is that I don’t know. He loved it. You really did. And I’m glad he did in a way you know, because you could go the other way, and have an album that he didn’t like And then of course that sells albums to people and want to hear what he didn’t like. But I was delighted that he liked every cut. If you talked to Earl, he probably told you that he said that he liked I liked it all.

Bob Smith 45:11
Now, by contrast, when you imitated Nixon, he wondered why that man was talking funny that way.

Speaker 1 45:17
Nixon never knew what I was doing. That Nixon was sort of in another world, he not much sense of humor there. He you know, he never really knew what I was doing. I mean, when I shipped my job. Let me show you this about that. I want to make this perfectly clear. He didn’t know why I was doing that. He didn’t see himself to set the path. Why is that young lads speaking in that strange way.

Bob Smith 45:44
And what was rich Little’s favorite comedy routine on the First Family Rides Again,

Speaker 1 45:48
my favorite cut really was was late night phone call with Johnny Carson, because I had more fun doing it when I play both parts. And I was really happy with a lot of the material on that because it was it was pretty far out. But it was pure Carson. And that I think that’s my favorite.

Ronald Reagan voice 46:11
Hello, who is this? Johnny Carson, this is your president speaking? Ah, no kidding. Well, what can I do for you, Mr. Sarnoff? No, not the president of your network, the President of the United States. Well, why the heck you’re calling me in the middle of the night? Well, you’ve been depriving millions of American sleep for years. So I thought it was time to turn the tables. Besides, I have a bone to pick with you. I thought all the bones were going into your school lunch program. No, I’m talking about your late night show. I found your Carnac bit particularly offensive. It started with a very first question. No, that’s answer. Carnac the ancient and mysterious visitor from the east always starts by giving the answer. Now the questions are sealed in the envelopes, which are being placed on mayonnaise jars and kept under funk and Wagnalls porch, and they’ve been there since noon. And the first answer was send in the clowns. And the question is how does President Reagan will call a Cabinet meeting

what about current x next answer, and atheist and Reagan’s economic program, an atheist and Reagan’s economic program. And the question is, name two things that haven’t got a prayer? And the next answer was even worse. How worse was it? Washington, Jefferson, and Reagan, Washington, Jefferson and Reagan. And once the answer will Osage of the East name three presidents born in the 18th century May a disease pole dreamin stage of picking contest in your shorts? Come on, Mr. President. What was your sense of humor? Now? I know you like good jokes because your budget is pulled on. How about this one? Agent Orange Agent Orange. And the question is who handles the President’s here at the William Morris Agency? What while that may have bugged you but the next letter from Carnac wasn’t political at all. Remember the answer was a wax missile. A wax missile in the question is at Madame Tussauds in Paris. What is the figure of Bishop sheen holding in his hand? Yes, blue camel with a weak kidney find your jelly bean jar. Well, that’s very amusing, but I’m still upset about the rest of current X answers. Especially the one that said Mediterranean fruit fly Mediterranean fruit fly. And the question is what kind of zippers do you put in an Italian sissies pants

I never did that one. I know I just wanted to see if I could say it without spitting. But you did do a current Hang on William Sapphire. The answer was William Sapphire. And the question is, what was Shakespeare’s first name king fish

may have dog in heat romance sure shim for the month of November. You know if you found out offensive, the last envelope must have made you bananas. Well, it certainly did. The answer was King Hussein, Richard Nixon and Alexander Haig, aka King Hussein, Richard Nixon, and Alexander Haig name is chic as sneak in a geek.

Years Reagan, good night, Johnny.

Bob Smith 50:59
Listening to Earl dad’s first family albums, the Vaughn meter albums and the rich little one, you’ll find the humor to be almost identical, good, clean, fun poked at the leader of the country.

Speaker 1 51:10
I’ll never change that format from the first album, the First Family I mean, it’s basically the same format entirely. In other words, what you do is you have a sketch on Reagan, and people around him on everyday situations that happened to him. And then you have a surprise ending, usually at the end, a little cute ending. And that’s what he did on the wrong meter on the Kennedy album. And that’s what he’s doing in this one and really the album’s are, are very similar. In a way I was really delighted that that the material turned out as well as it did. And I can say that because I didn’t really write that much on the outline ended up rewriting a lot of things. But I think that the writing was pretty good.

Bob Smith 51:54
When Ronald Reagan wrote his letter to rich little congratulating him on his impression of the chief executive, he said he couldn’t understand why rich Lilla was having so much trouble with the third piece of the pie. And that humorous remark refers to Earl Dad’s favorite cut on the First Family Rides Again.

Earl Dowd 52:12
Well, I like Reaganomics because I think it’s pertinent to something that’s going on today that everyone’s very concerned with. It sort of says something too. And I wrote a very modest standby. Mr. President, we’re on the air. Okay

Ronald Reagan voice 52:30
to Brinkley. Mr. President, I want to start off this interview by asking you about your economic policies, which have baffled the experts. Can you please explain Reaganomics and what Reaganomics really mean? Well, certainly, now I’d like to keep things simple so we can all understand. Let’s suppose your mum baked a big blueberry pie. Now that pie represents the wealth of this country. Now take that pie and cut it in half. The top half is defense spending. The bottom half is for domestic programs, and the other half was for the national debt. Well, wait a minute, we have three halves. And a pie has only two hands. No, you don’t seem to understand. Let’s look at it another way. You have three apples, not two apples, but three apples. Now one apple is for the Congress. The second Apple is for the judicial system. And the third Apple is for the military. Now you have three glasses, divide the first apple into four parts, and put one part in the third glass and the two other parts in the first and second glass. Now that’s the gross national product for the next fiscal year. Now take the second apple and divided into four parts. Put three of the parts in the first glass with two of the parts from the first apple and put the remaining two parts of the second apple into the second glass with one of the parts from the third Apple, which you will divide up into six parts. Now that represents the balance of payments, the debt figure on the New Jersey lottery and the foreign aid deficit. Now take all the pies and all the apples from all the glasses and mash them together. mash them together. That’s right mash them together with the blueberry pies in the galvanized tub. And that represents the entire budget of the United States of America. Mr. President, that would be a mess. That’s right.

Bob Smith 54:56
One thing both rich little in URL doubt seem to appreciate is the spirit with which all this nonsense was taken in the White House. It’s probably a measure of the man that the most powerful leader in the world can laugh along when others poke fun of him. And it’s a measure of the country when it gives its people the right to laugh at the leaders if the people want to. But Rich little wasn’t prepared for one thing that happens. I understand the President even did some impressions for you when he met you.

Speaker 1 55:22
Yeah, he did. Truman Capote and Jimmy Stewart for me, which shows what a wild sense of humor he is Jimmy Stewart was fair, but it’s true. Capote was quite funny. Because He rubbed his eye and he did things he did a Truman quite interesting to see the president of our country doing Truman Capote. You know, if you imagine him standing up about a President will address the nation, Mr. President,

Earl Dowd 55:51
well,

Unknown Speaker 55:52
I then I opened with a German polish

Earl Dowd 56:00
I wouldn’t say he’s gonna do that. But he has a wild that’s a human.

Bob Smith 56:08
The first family Rides Again, rich little and Earl doubt. And that’s it. Part two hour two of the First Family Rides Again, our special unpresidential humor and interview feature I did back in my radio career in 1982. Hope you enjoyed it, and hope you’ll join me next time for more fun on the off ramp.

The off ramp with Bob Smith is produced in association with CPL radio and the Cedarbrook Public Library Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai