A President responds to TV comedians making fun of him...

[brooklynite]

LBJ's 11/9/68 letter to Smothers Brothers after they satirized him on TV:

“It is part of the price of leadership of this great & free nation to be the target of clever satirists. You have given the gift of laughter to our people. May we never grow so somber or self-important..."

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

1. I remember watching that final show when it first aired. They were so ahead of their time.

And the Johnson kingdom skit they did with David Fry playing all the lead roles which led to that final episode. Great satire.

Sadly, Baldwin's portrayal isn't satire any more. It has become way too real.

[IronLionZion]

2. Didn't Nixon use his influence to get that show canceled?

Trump is more like Nixon

[Haggis for Breakfast]

3. Supposedly true.

But then, remember that Nixon had an "Enemies List." And the Brothers were on it.

[kskiska]

4. Yes, he did.

I'm old enough to remember when it happened. They had a hit show until Nixon shut it down.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

9. I believe Nixon got PBS to cancel "The Great American Dream Machine"

IIRC the Smothers Brothers issues were more with CBS and their internal censors.

[griloco]

10. As I recall

They became less funny when the show became how victimized they were by the censors.

[George II]

5. I heard about this earlier today, was thinking of posting it sometime. What a difference between...

...Lyndon Johnson and donald trump.

Sorry President Johnson, "May we never grow so somber or self-important..", I'm afraid someone has!

[apkhgp]

6. Yes sadly and disturbing

that we are forced to watch OUR White House disintegrate into what it has become today.

A stinking pile of cow manure

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. Old joke, updated; "I never met a man I didn't like" - Will Rogers

"Will Rogers never met Donald Trump"


(The old joke named George Wallace)

[Mr.Bill]

11. Ted Cruz would work for that one, too. n/t

[hibbing]

8. Thanks for posting this, i had never seen this n/t