I have that Vaughn Meader album, “The First Family”. It was recorded on October 22, 1962, at the high noon moment of the Cuban Missile Crisis, but that’s a small detail.
To listen to it now is to hear a wistful snapshot in time when life seemed simpler (though it wasn’t, as we later learned). The entire album is lighthearted joshing of a beloved President and his even more beloved family.
I was 14 then & remember those times.
Most tracks had only one punch line. The funniest for me was “White House Summit Lunch” where JFK orders sandwiches rather than host a formal dinner, to save time. The reactions of the heads of state are hilarious, especially Khrushchev, Castro, & Nasser.
Needless to day, Vaughn Meader’s career mostly ended after the assassination.
“The First Family,” yes. We listened to it over and over. Eventually it got retired to the basement and I don’t recall ever seeing it again.
“Khrushchev, Castro, & Nasser.”
A blast from the past.
from wiki:
According to several sources, standup comedian Lenny Bruce went on with his November 22 nightclub show as scheduled. Just hours after Kennedy’s death, Bruce walked onstage, stood silently for several moments, then said sadly, “Boy, is Vaughn Meader f**ked.” The joke proved true. Meader discovered that he was so completely typecast as a Kennedy impersonator that he could not find anyone willing to hire him for any of his other talents.