Paul Krassner reviews Mort Sahl tribute. Still in business, funny as hell.
Finally, Sahl himself took the stage--wearing, of course, his signature red pullover sweater.
"I've been very moved by everybody tonight," he said. "And I had a good time laughing. I want you to know it really did knock me out. And I also want you to know that I'll do it as long as they let me. I didn't want this to be a retirement party, you know. I'm still in business. And to reference that business--when Bill Maher came down to so graciously keep us company, was talking about the Bush administration--you know, I know the president, and he told me that he doesn't drink. And he said, 'I don't need it, because I've been born again. And what occurred to me in the moment was: If you had the rare opportunity to be born again, why would you come back as George Bush?...Cheney went to the hospital. Got an aneuryism in the right knee. You know, the one that replaced the left knee. Also he's had four heart attacks and also a pacemaker. They're reconstructing Cheney, a Halliburton corporation. And they're overcharging him."
At one point, someone shouted, "Hey, Mort! You avoid 9/11 in your act. You always talked about the Warren Commission. You were all over it!"
"You hear that?" Sahl asked the audience. "It was something to do with the Warren Commission. Well, you know that's how I went out of business for about twelve years. But I stuck to my guns, because I remember something Kennedy said: 'To all you with the guns out there. You may be able to slay the dreamer, but you haven't slain the dream.' I came to this because I really thought I was an American and really had the capacity to dream. You all know that if you watch Turner Classic Movies. That's what the movies were about--it was a dark place where people could fall in love and moral issues could be resolved. My grandfather came from Lithuania, although Lou Dobbs tried to stop him....I dreamed that dream.
"When I started this act," he concluded, "although I was just lonesome and looking for a family, in a larger sense I saw it as a rescue mission for America...but I believe it more than ever, in spite of the odds. That the good guys'll win....I tried to get to your funny bone and get into your head, but apparently I also got into your heart."...[Open in new window]
Finally, Sahl himself took the stage--wearing, of course, his signature red pullover sweater.
"I've been very moved by everybody tonight," he said. "And I had a good time laughing. I want you to know it really did knock me out. And I also want you to know that I'll do it as long as they let me. I didn't want this to be a retirement party, you know. I'm still in business. And to reference that business--when Bill Maher came down to so graciously keep us company, was talking about the Bush administration--you know, I know the president, and he told me that he doesn't drink. And he said, 'I don't need it, because I've been born again. And what occurred to me in the moment was: If you had the rare opportunity to be born again, why would you come back as George Bush?...Cheney went to the hospital. Got an aneuryism in the right knee. You know, the one that replaced the left knee. Also he's had four heart attacks and also a pacemaker. They're reconstructing Cheney, a Halliburton corporation. And they're overcharging him."
At one point, someone shouted, "Hey, Mort! You avoid 9/11 in your act. You always talked about the Warren Commission. You were all over it!"
"You hear that?" Sahl asked the audience. "It was something to do with the Warren Commission. Well, you know that's how I went out of business for about twelve years. But I stuck to my guns, because I remember something Kennedy said: 'To all you with the guns out there. You may be able to slay the dreamer, but you haven't slain the dream.' I came to this because I really thought I was an American and really had the capacity to dream. You all know that if you watch Turner Classic Movies. That's what the movies were about--it was a dark place where people could fall in love and moral issues could be resolved. My grandfather came from Lithuania, although Lou Dobbs tried to stop him....I dreamed that dream.
"When I started this act," he concluded, "although I was just lonesome and looking for a family, in a larger sense I saw it as a rescue mission for America...but I believe it more than ever, in spite of the odds. That the good guys'll win....I tried to get to your funny bone and get into your head, but apparently I also got into your heart."...[Open in new window]
posted by Dan at 6:38 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home