1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of I Heart Radio. Welcome 2 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: to the show, Ridiculous Historians. Thank you so much for 3 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: tuning in now you know. Also, additionally, I mean it's 4 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: just me. I want to thank everyone who has bothered 5 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:42,600 Speaker 1: to chuckle, laugh, snort, laugh through their nose or occasionally 6 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: go faw at our jokes because comedy is tough. Him. Hey, 7 00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: I'm no, and I've never fancied myself a comedian. I 8 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: always say I'm a purveyor of dad jokes, and I'm 9 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: absolutely fine with that. But straight seahorse teeth seems to 10 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: be taking off online like Wildfire Ben. It's true already 11 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,080 Speaker 1: say your name? Yes, sorry I said hey second times. 12 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 1: A charm comedy is all about listening, you know what 13 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: I mean? Bad Wow, it's true shaming me, you know what? 14 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: Is pretty cool though? It's the official return of Can 15 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 1: we get a drumroll? Please? He asked super producer Casey 16 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: la bouche Pegrum. I know, Casey uh, when you were away, 17 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: did you hear that we kind of developed a mythology 18 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,720 Speaker 1: for you based on our knowledge of your French goings on. 19 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: I caught wind of this. Yeah, my my sources back 20 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: here in the States. We're keeping me uh informed, more relevant. 21 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: You know information. You're very tight in very connected spycraft. 22 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 1: You know you gotta you gotta be. You gotta have 23 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: your feelers out there. So I have a question, and 24 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,760 Speaker 1: you do not, please do not feel obligated to answer 25 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: this Casey. First off, this is I say this with 26 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: great affection. Uh, there was there was a Casey shaped 27 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 1: whole in my heart and we're gone. Uh. Now that 28 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: you are aware, along with all of our fellow listeners 29 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 1: about how your how your alleged double life in France 30 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: was portrayed, Uh, would you say that this is accurate, inaccurate, 31 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: a seed of truth. I don't know. I don't really 32 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: want to blow up my own spot like that, but 33 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: you know, UM, I'd say, if it's maybe not true 34 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: to the letter, it's certainly true the spirit. So al right, okay, 35 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 1: I can I can accept that. Well played, You've passed 36 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 1: the test, my friend, we have in honor of your return, 37 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 1: we have a not a surprise for you, but a 38 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: gift for you and hopefully for all of our fellow 39 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: listeners today. While back, I think in his episode one 40 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: oh eight or one oh nine, we did a two 41 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: part show on the History of stand Up with our 42 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: pal Wayne Fetterman, who is who isn't has an encyclopedic 43 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: knowledge of the history of comedy and Casey, we waited 44 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: until you returned with your US identity to the studio 45 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 1: to have Wayne Fetterman on this show today for you, dude, 46 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,119 Speaker 1: I know, and I'm so psyched about this because yeah, 47 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,520 Speaker 1: it was like a year ago that I was out 48 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: and he was on and it was driving me out 49 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: the wall because yeah, I'm a big fan of the 50 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: guy and big fan of the history comedy and everything else. 51 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 1: So yeah, it's great to be here for this. Well. 52 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: Wayne is an encyclopedic font of comedy knowledge. His podcast 53 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: The History of Stand Up on the Podglomerate Network with 54 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: his co host Andrew Stephen Um is just a delight. 55 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: And last time we had him on we talked about 56 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: um Lenny Bruce and kind of some more inflammatory comics 57 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: that sort of pushed the envelope of free speech. George Carlin. 58 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 1: George Carlin all would have over many filthy words on 59 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: terrible words there are. I think those are the only 60 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: two explicit episodes of the show we've ever ad because 61 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: we needed to be able to unbleep those words because 62 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: they were very important to the story it was about censorship. Luckily, however, 63 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,119 Speaker 1: we did with that episode. Uh. Wayne was charitable enough 64 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: guy that he came back to hang out with us today, 65 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: not to mention that my mic was cut for like 66 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: half of one of the episodes, and we still salvaged 67 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:23,039 Speaker 1: it with crack, our crack forensic audio team and made 68 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: it at least somewhat listening more. And also Wayne didn't 69 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: think were a bunch of hacks and agreed to come 70 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: back on which I really appreciate. And this episode is fantastic, 71 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: another exploration of some envelope pushing comedy, but in a 72 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:39,680 Speaker 1: slightly different way. So without having uh, without having deep 73 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:43,680 Speaker 1: dive demographics on how many of us are stand up 74 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 1: history buffs, UH, we'd like to introduce you to a 75 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: man named Dick Gregory, a pioneer not just in the 76 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,479 Speaker 1: world of stand up comedy that we very much was, 77 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 1: but also in the world of civil rights and activism. 78 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: So we we hope that you enjoy our conversation here 79 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: with Wayne about not just comedy, but about progressive actions 80 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 1: in the United States, about civil rights in the sixties, 81 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: about the UH the oddly heartwarming actions of the often 82 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 1: controversial Hugh Hefner. Let's get right to it. The rumors 83 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: are true, ridiculous historians. We are joined once again with 84 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: a friend of the show and host of the History 85 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: of Stand Up podcast, Wayne Fetterman, Friend of the American People, 86 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: Wayne Fetterman, friend to our producer Casey pet From Wayne Fetterman, 87 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: how you doing, Wayne? I really would rather be speaking 88 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,360 Speaker 1: to Casey. That guy is incredible. He made shime in. 89 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: But you won't be able to hear him because he's 90 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: not piped into the phone. But we will relay any 91 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,559 Speaker 1: words of wisdom that he provides on his behalf. Alright, 92 00:05:55,640 --> 00:05:57,880 Speaker 1: Is he beaming right now? Because I'm talking about him? 93 00:05:58,080 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: He is, he says, He says that he has he 94 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: his face is obscured by a giant computer monitor, so 95 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: I can't speak to that person. But his voice in 96 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 1: my ears says that he is okay, and he just 97 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 1: leaned in and give a big smile. Fun story before 98 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: we get started, and this is a true story, Wayne. 99 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: When we were putting together this episode, Casey actually asked 100 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,799 Speaker 1: us to hold and he traveled all the way back 101 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: from Paris, France, uh to be here today. Very special trip. 102 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: It's true. Yeah, let me just say that's very much 103 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: on brand for Casey. So when we previously spoke together, 104 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: we looked at the history of what we call stand 105 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: up today, not just as the craft or the the 106 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: actual performance that we think of with somebody standing with 107 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,320 Speaker 1: a microphone and an audience that hopefully loves them, but 108 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: not always. We also talked about some of the bigger 109 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: social questions that stand up brings to the forefront. And 110 00:06:56,000 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: sometimes those can be uncomfortable questions that people don't typically explore. Uh. 111 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: Now they they laugh at it too, but sometimes they 112 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: leave thinking. Uh. In our earlier conversations leading up to 113 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: today's episode, Uh, you started telling us about someone that 114 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: was I think maybe vaguely familiar to us, but someone 115 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 1: we weren't super well acquainted with, which is the comedian 116 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 1: and activist Dick Gregory. Wayne, could you tell us a 117 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: little bit about, uh, just for our audience, who Dick 118 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: Gregory is. Well, Dick Gregory is famous in the history 119 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: of stand up for one specific thing, and that is 120 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: he became the first major and there's a caveat we 121 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 1: can go into it. Uh, comedian African American comedian to 122 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: play white nightclubs. And how that happened we will tell 123 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: you in a moment, I'm sure, but he was just, uh, 124 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, it was a funny kid. He was an athlete, 125 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: he went to college, he was in the service, and 126 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: then he moved from St. Louis to Chicago to pursue 127 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,760 Speaker 1: his dream of becoming a stand up comedian and could 128 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: only play the black clubs in and around Chicago and 129 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: was really struggling. Actually had a day job. He worked 130 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: at the post office. He watched cars all trying to 131 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: uh subsidize this career of his. And at this point 132 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: he's married, he has he has a lot of responsibility. 133 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: So leading up to this big moment that we're gonna 134 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: get into that involves another kind of historical luminarian, controversial figure, 135 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory was kind of doing his best to get 136 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: into the kind of Chicago stand up nightclub scene, and 137 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: as you said, it wasn't a very welcoming scene for 138 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:41,520 Speaker 1: people of color. And I want to play this clip 139 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 1: from American Masters on PBS where Gregory kind of describes 140 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 1: this moment where he had to disarm a white audience 141 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,040 Speaker 1: at a club. I want to say in Alabama or 142 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,839 Speaker 1: something like that, um where someone calls him a racial 143 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: slur and he has to take that opportunity to diffuse 144 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: the situation rather than make a scene, and you know, 145 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: put his career in jeopardy because these were ultimately his 146 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 1: clients who he was there to entertain. So I think 147 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: this really is a very teachable moment about the kind 148 00:09:09,520 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: of climate that he was dealing with. So I go 149 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: down there and I'm not thinking of anything. I didn't 150 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: know at the time that a Negro is not permitted 151 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: to work a white nightclub. That's in all of America. 152 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 1: And I remember not knowing that. I used to practice 153 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: what do you do when some white person yell something 154 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: negative about or embarrass you? And so I used to 155 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 1: practice with my wife, but he didn't work because he 156 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 1: was too nice and kind. And then one night, I 157 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: don't know how I got this little job in this 158 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: little hick town, little missie Walker, Indiana, so that just 159 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: you know what to say, no more. So I'm in Walk, 160 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: Indiana and and somebody said, get that nigger off the stage. 161 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: Now I was ready for it, and everybody just froze. 162 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,680 Speaker 1: And I said, white boy called me, called me, oh Range, 163 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: his hearts called me trigger and everybody laugh. I'm out 164 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,440 Speaker 1: of it. There's no way you can feel sorry for 165 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: me or embarrassed in life. So when I got him back, 166 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: now I'm off, you know, and the guy walcome said 167 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:30,079 Speaker 1: thank you, Jesus Christ. I want to hit him myself. 168 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: And then the guy walks up and say sorry, and 169 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 1: they're sorry. I don't almost pay you man. I've been 170 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:38,199 Speaker 1: I've been trying to figure out how to get through this. 171 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: So Wayne, I wanted to know if if you thought 172 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,160 Speaker 1: that maybe this was kind of if he would have 173 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,080 Speaker 1: had to deal with similar situations like this leading up 174 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: to this moment, And he almost describes it as like 175 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: an aha moment where it's like, ah ha, this is 176 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: how I can deal with this kind of heckling. Right well, 177 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: he I feel like Dick Gregory, especially at that time, 178 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: had a very high emotional and comedic i Q on 179 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: how to handle crowds. And it's remarkable considering he's not 180 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: that experienced other than basically playing these black clubs. But 181 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 1: I just think he had an innate sense of one 182 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: had to perform in front of white audiences and to 183 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:22,959 Speaker 1: like how to diffuse these very volatile situations that I'm 184 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: sure would come up all the time, right because as 185 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: as you had mentioned before, he was he was working. 186 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: Let's see, his comedic career began in what the mid 187 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: to late nineteen fifties, Is that correct? Yes, yes, yes, 188 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: that's exactly correct. And at that time there wasn't a 189 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: lot of you know, African American comedians on television or 190 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: on the Ed Sullivan Show. Is just a few, and 191 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 1: once in a while he'd see somebody and there really 192 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: wasn't a big circuit to play. There was big and 193 00:11:52,040 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 1: white nightclubs, which we called nightclubs at that time, and 194 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: but they wouldn't use uh African American comedian. Once in 195 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 1: a while they would, but as a rule that's not 196 00:12:04,720 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: you know, they'd have an act, you know, Sammy Davis 197 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: could play there or something like that, or you know, 198 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 1: a team or a singer like Pearl Bailey or something 199 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: like that all the time, but not not a stand 200 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:17,440 Speaker 1: up Um. That saw a really interesting clip with the 201 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: comedian Paul Mooney, who was another very outspoken comic, a 202 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: contemporary maybe a little younger than Gregory, but still kind 203 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: of very much like in the same scene as Richard 204 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: Pryor so maybe like the next generation. But he talked 205 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: about how in Hollywood nothing could ever be too white, 206 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: but it was very easy too for something to be 207 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: too black. Um, And I think that's a really interesting distinction, 208 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: where like you talk about Sammy Davis Jrs. And like 209 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: performers of that caliber, they were a little more palatable 210 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 1: to a white audience, but a comic like Gregory who 211 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: wasn't pulling any punches that would be a little harder 212 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: to take for these folks maybe weren't used to seeing 213 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 1: things like that. Is that would you say that's accurate? Yes, 214 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 1: Mooney is a percent on on Like people would go, okay, 215 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 1: this is this is too much for us. But again, 216 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory, I think, really learned how to thread the needle, 217 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: almost like in a Jackie Robinson kind of way, that 218 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: he was like able to like take white audiences expectations 219 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 1: of what a black guy would talk about, and he 220 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: talked about racial stuff all the time. That was the 221 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 1: centerpiece of his act, but he did it in a 222 00:13:20,600 --> 00:13:25,559 Speaker 1: very non threatening, very human way as opposed to an 223 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: angry way. In that same NPR PBS clip that we 224 00:13:29,320 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: just heard later on, he talks about that he was 225 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,960 Speaker 1: always respectful and that he wasn't bitter, and that he 226 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: wasn't angry, and this was all I'm sure underneath. But 227 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: that again, I just feel like his emotional, like you, 228 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 1: was throw the roof on how to handle these situations. 229 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: So it wasn't like Paul Mooney, who would not you know, 230 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:54,840 Speaker 1: I can't imagine Paul Mooney handling that situation in that 231 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: club the same way. It would be way more confrontational. Yeah. Absolutely, 232 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: I agree with that statement about emotional I Q no recently, 233 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:07,720 Speaker 1: this this is not a plug. I actually do listen 234 00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:11,079 Speaker 1: to the history of stand up Uh. Yeah, has season 235 00:14:11,120 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: two started and in season two, Uh, you guys just 236 00:14:14,880 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: had an episode come out recently about the Playboy circuit 237 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: and this was something that I I didn't recognize. This 238 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: episode for anybody listening is available now when our episode 239 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: comes out, so give it a listen. This brings us 240 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: to something that we'd we'd love for you to explore 241 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: with us here, which is the interactions between Dick Gregory 242 00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: and Hugh Hefner, the mastermind behind Playboy Magazine later the 243 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: Playboy Empire. No, this is something you were alluding to 244 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: in the beginning, right for sure, And this Playboy Club. 245 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: I didn't realize, um was a big source of um, 246 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: you know, entertainment and huge, massive, you know opportunity for 247 00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: working comics. If you got a regular gig at the 248 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 1: Playboy Club, which was in Chicago at the time. Um, 249 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:04,960 Speaker 1: that was a massive break for you. Can you tell 250 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,120 Speaker 1: us a little bit about how Dick Gregory uh literally 251 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:10,680 Speaker 1: kind of stumbled his way into this massive break. The 252 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,680 Speaker 1: story is fantastic. Well, this is I assume, this is 253 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: why I'm talking to you guys. This moment is very 254 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: important in the big history of stand up and we 255 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: covered it briefly in our first season and then went 256 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: a little closer. And thank you for the kind words 257 00:15:24,360 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: about the Playboy episode. UM, I appreciate. I appreciate it 258 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: for anyone. It's the eight of us that are interested 259 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,880 Speaker 1: in the history of stand up. So this is what happened. 260 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:39,720 Speaker 1: February the first Playboy Club opens. You're like, what does 261 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: that mean? A Playboy Club. Well, in fifty three, real quickly, 262 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 1: Hefner publishes this magazine December fifty three called Playboy Marilyn 263 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: Moan Rose on the cover. There's no date stamped on 264 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,000 Speaker 1: it because it might have been the last one and 265 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: it's basically has newdy pictures in it, but nothing too graphic. 266 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 1: I hope that's clear what that means. And then like articles, 267 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 1: and he was into literature. And so anyway, this magazine 268 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: out of Chicago, this kid who had this dream becomes 269 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: this runaway success in the fifties. So he is like 270 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: printing money by fifty seven is out selling Time Magazine, 271 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: is out selling Esquire. It's like this incredible end has 272 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: a big female readership as well. So he three things 273 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,640 Speaker 1: happen around this time. One he does this huge indoor 274 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 1: jazz festival called the Playboy Jazz Festival. Two he buys 275 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 1: a mansion in Chicago and who called the Playboy Mansion, 276 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: which is like this party house. And three he opens 277 00:16:46,120 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: the Playboy Club. And also for there's another thing I'm forgetting, 278 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: he starts this syndicated television show called Playboy's Penthouse, which 279 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: is this black and white in the first two years, 280 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 1: and you kind of get sort of presents like this 281 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: hardy that you're invited to. So people are sitting around 282 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 1: and they're drinking and they're smoking, and there's a guy 283 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,280 Speaker 1: playing piano and suddenly Sammy Davis comes in and sings 284 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:12,159 Speaker 1: and then Lenny Bruce does some comedy. It's it's just 285 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 1: a very incredible like insight into like the world he 286 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 1: wants to create. And that was kind of like a 287 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 1: variety show for him, right, Is that where we get 288 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 1: that idea of him with the pipe and the smoking 289 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: jacket in the whole? Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, but it's 290 00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 1: not it is a variety show, but not on a 291 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: precenium stage in like a living room. And then we 292 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,160 Speaker 1: let's go over to the dining room and then let's 293 00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:35,199 Speaker 1: get some cocktails made over here, and let's listen to 294 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: CYCLEM and play Witchcraft, and then it's it's just a 295 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: great like promotional tool for the Playboy brand, which was 296 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:45,760 Speaker 1: and we talked about it in the podcast that he 297 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 1: was going for sophistication like that was his Like he thought, God, 298 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: if I could make nudy picture, you know, this part 299 00:17:56,320 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: of a sophisticated lifestyle with high fidelity and sports cars 300 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: and jazz music and great literature that and that's what worked, 301 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:06,479 Speaker 1: you know what I mean. So it was like suddenly 302 00:18:06,560 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: not a smudgy, behind the counter kind of embarrassing thing 303 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 1: if you wanted to see pictures of beautiful women so 304 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:17,200 Speaker 1: that was that was another genius. Hugh Hefner's so he's 305 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 1: making he's killing he's killing it, killing it. During Eisenhower's administration, 306 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:25,959 Speaker 1: so he opens this Playboy Club February nineteen six, and 307 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: the Playboy Club was this. You had to pay twenty 308 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: five dollars. You got a key literally a metal key. 309 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 1: It later became a card, and that gave you access 310 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:38,720 Speaker 1: to the Playboggle. You were like a key member and 311 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,480 Speaker 1: to serve these men. It was a men's only club, 312 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 1: but you could bring women. They created the Playboy Bunny, 313 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:49,239 Speaker 1: which is different than the Playboy Playmate, which were in 314 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: the magazine. And the Bunny, how would you describe it? 315 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 1: If let me, I'm gonna throw it to you because 316 00:18:54,119 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm talking too much. They were like 317 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 1: cocktail waitresses or they were kind of hostesses. They would 318 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: receive eve the gentlemen in their dates when they'd come in, 319 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 1: speak to them by name, make them feel very welcome, 320 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: and kind of cater to their their needs. It was 321 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: similar to the idea I guess we would an analog 322 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: would be a hostess club in Japan. You know, these 323 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 1: people are not necessarily what we would call sex workers. 324 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: They hang out with you, they laugh at your jokes, 325 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: they converse with you. Uh. There were also there was 326 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: also a uniform that changed over time, but that was 327 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: like from what I remember. Thanks again, Dad, I'll admit, 328 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: if you're listening to the show, that I did steal 329 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: some of your playboys from what I remember. With the 330 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: advertisements they used to have in the magazine for the bunnies, 331 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,160 Speaker 1: there was it was like there were even ears at 332 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:45,560 Speaker 1: some point, a little cotton tal Yeah. And then maybe 333 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: I feel like I'm remembering some kind of caller things 334 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:55,440 Speaker 1: right and off the shoulder, almost kind of like boostier 335 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: leotard kind of ones thing. Uh. And I believe they're 336 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: wearing stockings and high Some of them would have those 337 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: cigarette carts that they would carry and you know, sell 338 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,920 Speaker 1: cigarettes and get people's drink orders and stuff. But sometimes 339 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: they would change it up a little bit for the holidays. 340 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,120 Speaker 1: That makes sense. Yeah, you're good, great, you did great? 341 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:15,640 Speaker 1: Did great? Again? I was, I did. I was never 342 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:18,159 Speaker 1: at the Chicago Club, so I only know from the 343 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 1: pictures and such, but yes, that was so that was 344 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 1: the vibe of this club again with the boatie I guess, 345 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: sophistication and I'm using quotes around it. And because these 346 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,320 Speaker 1: were just young women, but the rule was you weren't 347 00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:37,160 Speaker 1: allowed to touch or date these women. He was very 348 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: careful to make it not a quasi strip club or 349 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: a quasi like you know, you're gonna hook up with 350 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,400 Speaker 1: these girls or anything like that. And also they wanted 351 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:48,400 Speaker 1: to make it, you know, get as many women customers 352 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: in there as well. So part of this, and this 353 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 1: is an interesting we didn't go into it. The guy 354 00:20:53,440 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: who ran the food and drink concession for this club 355 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:59,880 Speaker 1: and then eventually it became a circuit was Arnie Moore, 356 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: who eventually has these famous steakhouses all across the country. 357 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: Wait the mort steakhouse guy. Yes, yeah, same guy, same guy. 358 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: So this is one of his earliest gigs. And they 359 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:17,320 Speaker 1: had this crazy pricing plan which was everything was a 360 00:21:17,359 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: do this winted over. Everything was a dollar fifty, a 361 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,679 Speaker 1: drink was a dollar fifty. Uh, your meal was a 362 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: dollar fifty. Pack of cigarettes and a lighter with the 363 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,719 Speaker 1: Playboy logo on it was a dollar fifty. Like that 364 00:21:28,800 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: was there kind of thing. And it's like again with 365 00:21:32,080 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: half it's a runaway success. Like thousands and thousands of 366 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: people are pouring or paying twenty five bucks to be 367 00:21:38,680 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: a member. Everyone kind of got accepted and then UH 368 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 1: and then could get part of this sophisticated lifestyle surrounded 369 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: by these beautiful women. And part of the experience was 370 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 1: there was always two rooms for show business, and those 371 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: were usually a singer and a comic. So this is 372 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: where Dick Gregory comes into the picture. Now at the time, 373 00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 1: it's you know, Chicago has this big nightclub called the 374 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: sha Peri, which is run by the Mob, and as 375 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: a white nightclub, that was like the big place you 376 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:18,920 Speaker 1: could play in Chicago. So acts from the Shaperi would 377 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: also play the Playboy Club and one of these acts 378 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: in January, So it's I guess eleven months later UH 379 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,920 Speaker 1: is named Professor Irwin Corey or does that name ring 380 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,160 Speaker 1: a bell to any either of you? That I gotta 381 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 1: be honest, not to me, not right now? Okay. He 382 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: was a very curious, kind of almost experimental, avant garde 383 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,880 Speaker 1: comedian who pretended to be professor and then would give 384 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 1: lectures on different topics in a very crazed kind of 385 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: remember like the way Einstein had his hair all crazy. Yeah, 386 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: that was that was so Irwin Corey for some reason, 387 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: is like, I don't want to work seven days a week. 388 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: I don't want to work Monday through Sunday. Can I 389 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: get Sunday off? You know, I appreciate this gig you're 390 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:11,200 Speaker 1: giving me here at the Playboy Club, but um, I 391 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 1: don't want to do it. So hef who had seen 392 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory he was the host of this club called 393 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: the Robert Show Club, which is his black club in Chicago, 394 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 1: and said, well, why don't we give this kid a 395 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: chance for fifty dollars. So he hired him that night, 396 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,360 Speaker 1: and there were some Southern people in the crowd, and 397 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory got there late, it was snowing, gets on 398 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 1: stage and just kills it, like all of his instincts 399 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,440 Speaker 1: are a hundred percent correct on how to handle these crowds, 400 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: how to talk about race, how to talk about the 401 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,679 Speaker 1: fact that he had been in the South, And he 402 00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 1: did the joke you know I spent four weeks there 403 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 1: one night or that kind of thing, and and kills 404 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,320 Speaker 1: it and then immediately like, oh, let's hire this guy. 405 00:23:56,640 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: And in a way, that's the first time African American 406 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,679 Speaker 1: comedian had been hired in a white nightclub with a 407 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,640 Speaker 1: couple exceptions, but that, yeah, but that was a big thing. 408 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: But there's more to the story. Can I keep going? Please, 409 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: We're on the edge of our seat here actually, So 410 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,959 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory starts, you know, he had never heard of 411 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: making fifty dollars a night time seven. Like that was 412 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,960 Speaker 1: like out of It was mind blowing to him that 413 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,480 Speaker 1: he could be making this much money doing comedy, and 414 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: words spreads quickly about this kid who is doing great 415 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,480 Speaker 1: at the Playboy Club. So the New York Times, luckily 416 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: like writes a review of it, and then Time Magazine, 417 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 1: and this is where the story gets really interesting to me. 418 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,320 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory's dream was to be on the Tonight Show 419 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: with Jack Parr. That was the big break that he 420 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 1: was the Carson before Carson of course, so um. He 421 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 1: was friends with this singer named Billy Eckstein, another guy 422 00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: you're not going to know, but a famous forties fifties singer, 423 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: and Billy was like, I don't know if you've noticed this, 424 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: whenever there's a black comedian on Jack Parr, he lets 425 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 1: them do their act and that would usually be like 426 00:25:11,680 --> 00:25:13,919 Speaker 1: like an impression. It's like he had George Kirby on 427 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,919 Speaker 1: that kind of thing, but he would never bring him 428 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:19,239 Speaker 1: over to the couch to sit down like he's just 429 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: a normal American person, when in general, getting brought over 430 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: to the couch is the dream of any comic doing 431 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: the late show, doing a late show like that. Yeah, yeah, 432 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: no question, no question, no question. But when this Time 433 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: magazine article hits, Jack Parr producer calls Dick Gregory AND's like, 434 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,560 Speaker 1: we'd love to have you on the show, and he's like, 435 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm not going to do on the show unless you 436 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,160 Speaker 1: let me sit down and talk to Jack Barr. Because 437 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:47,320 Speaker 1: he had never even thought of this, He never realized 438 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:51,199 Speaker 1: until he Billy Eckstein pointed it out to him that 439 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 1: this was a thing that Jack Barr was doing, whether 440 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 1: consciously or unconsciously. So the producers like, well, you know 441 00:25:58,040 --> 00:25:59,640 Speaker 1: that's not the way it works. You do it, said, 442 00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,399 Speaker 1: if it goes well, you might come back into another set. 443 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: He's like, well, then I'm not doing your show. And 444 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: then apparently a couple of day later, the producers like, fine, 445 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: you can do the show and we'll talk to you. 446 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:15,120 Speaker 1: And so again I'm keep going back to this emotion, 447 00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:18,639 Speaker 1: like you of how to handle this situation and parlaying 448 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 1: what little I mean you can imagine this is he's 449 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: just playing the Playboy club, what little power he had 450 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: to get what he wanted. And that was also a 451 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,560 Speaker 1: breakthrough moment. And then he became, like, you know, a 452 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 1: hero and that's the moment. That's why we're talking on 453 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,880 Speaker 1: this to you right now, like that moment and then 454 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: everything changed from there. I have a question before because yes, 455 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 1: everything changes from there. But there's one question wanting to 456 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,119 Speaker 1: clarify here, especially with the with uh the Tonight Show 457 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 1: with Jack Parr, it sounds like there was an emotional 458 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:58,639 Speaker 1: calculation on his part or at least some very clever diplomacy, 459 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:03,359 Speaker 1: because didn't they invite him more than once and eventually 460 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 1: like par finally called him. Right, That's that's the thing 461 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:08,960 Speaker 1: that got me about it, because, oh, is there more 462 00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:11,000 Speaker 1: to that that might be right? You're saying that that 463 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 1: before like par just wanting him on the show. He 464 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:17,119 Speaker 1: eventually part calls him personally and he says to Jack Parr, 465 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: who we idolized, I'm not gonna do the show unless 466 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: you have me on. Is that correct? That's what That's 467 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 1: what That's what I had heard. I wanted to see 468 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,720 Speaker 1: that source because to me if that's if that's what happens. 469 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 1: What's fascinating about that is that it gets to a 470 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:36,239 Speaker 1: point where it's kind of leveraging maybe the ego of 471 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,639 Speaker 1: the host of the show, because they're like, you know, 472 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: I'm this huge show, what this guy is too good? 473 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:44,919 Speaker 1: What gives you know? Yeah, I I you know, I 474 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:46,959 Speaker 1: will look into that, because I did. We didn't go 475 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 1: into we just more we're talking about the club. And 476 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: I do know that he turned down the show. I 477 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: don't remember that Jack Parr himself called, but that could 478 00:27:56,040 --> 00:28:00,560 Speaker 1: be absolutely correct. And if that is, I mean there's 479 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: also if you think about it, there was like this 480 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:08,280 Speaker 1: thing about black people and being pushy and up at 481 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 1: and all like that was like a way to like 482 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: marginalize a lot of those So I like that he 483 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: was willing to risk that all of that to sit 484 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 1: down on the couch with and part ended up loving 485 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 1: him and having on the show numerous times, and that, 486 00:28:25,280 --> 00:28:27,920 Speaker 1: as we like to say on our show, blew open 487 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 1: the gates to having African Americans not only on the show, 488 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:37,719 Speaker 1: but older African Americans finally getting the shots on television 489 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:41,239 Speaker 1: and stuff. Well we've heard Dick Gregory um later in 490 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,240 Speaker 1: his life describing this period. Um, but we haven't heard 491 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 1: any of his comedy, and I think we should hear 492 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:48,280 Speaker 1: a little moment of one of the bits that might 493 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 1: have been something he would have performed on the Jack 494 00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,040 Speaker 1: par Show. You know, I feel so sorry for Willie. 495 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: I think any baseball player having troubles. So that's a 496 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 1: great sport for my people. It is the only sport 497 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:03,080 Speaker 1: in the world where Negroes and shake a stick at 498 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:10,280 Speaker 1: a white man and won't start no ride. Because now, 499 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, now we're doing all right. At 500 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: the rate we're going. Ten years from now, you might 501 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 1: have to be my collar to get a job. Keep 502 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 1: me right, I'll get an en raised taxes on you. 503 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I don't get me wrong. I wouldn't mind 504 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 1: paying my income tax if I knew it was going 505 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:30,720 Speaker 1: to a friendly country. And we have a lot of 506 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 1: racial prejudice up north, but we're so clever with it. 507 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:37,120 Speaker 1: Take my hometown, Chicago. I mean, you can't see it 508 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,320 Speaker 1: just just going in there. When Negroes in Chicago move 509 00:29:40,360 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: into one large area and it looked like we might 510 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 1: control the votes, they don't say anything to us. They 511 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:49,840 Speaker 1: have a slum clearance you do the same thing on 512 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:54,360 Speaker 1: the West coast, but you call it three ways. So 513 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: what we've done here so far is trace this guy's 514 00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 1: evolution to the gates and then when they were blown open, 515 00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: as you said, he he could have, if we want 516 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 1: to speculate, he could have done what some people decided 517 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 1: to do when they're successful in entertainment and just stayed 518 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 1: in that lane and just you know, worked on comedy 519 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: and and honed his craft and then eventually you know, 520 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: retired or just exclusively gone on to do Comedy Central, 521 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:24,400 Speaker 1: Roaster something. But he took it a step further. And 522 00:30:24,800 --> 00:30:28,400 Speaker 1: you mentioned this earlier, Wayne, when you say everything changed. 523 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:33,320 Speaker 1: So so what changed exactly? What was Dick Gregory's next 524 00:30:33,320 --> 00:30:36,080 Speaker 1: phase in life? Well, two things. When I say that 525 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: everything changed, I meant that everything changed and stand up, 526 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:45,720 Speaker 1: and that now Americans club owners, TV bookers were interested 527 00:30:45,760 --> 00:30:50,080 Speaker 1: in the voices of African American comedians. That's what I 528 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 1: meant by everything changed. So you you now had like 529 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: suddenly Nipsey Russell is on television a lot more, and uh, 530 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: you know, Slappy White and these old are comedians like 531 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: uh moms maybe and pig Meat Markham, like suddenly they 532 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:08,560 Speaker 1: have a resurgence because people are kind of curious about 533 00:31:08,600 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 1: this world of comedy and and there's you know, this 534 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,360 Speaker 1: underground world of dirty records with you know, Red Fox 535 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,320 Speaker 1: and Lawanda Page and all of those people. So it's 536 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:20,239 Speaker 1: just it's like kind of like if you go to 537 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: the African American Museum at the Smithsonian and they show 538 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,040 Speaker 1: you the clips of the comedians from that air, they're 539 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:31,120 Speaker 1: all post nineteen sixty, like they're all post one when 540 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,640 Speaker 1: he broke through, like they're all and a lot of 541 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: people were getting sets and jobs. So it was just 542 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:40,640 Speaker 1: it was a bit of a a great kind of resurgence. 543 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 1: And then through those doors walks Fhlip Lilson and Bill 544 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: Cosby and then Richard Pryort Mitchell Pryor makes a television 545 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 1: debut in nineteen sixty four. That's only three years after 546 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: this moment. It's like it's a real like, Okay, now 547 00:31:55,640 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: we're on everything's changed, and comedians and audience is are 548 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: ready to accept as Dick Craigory like to say, uh, 549 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:09,760 Speaker 1: just one person talking flat footed on stage to a 550 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: white crowd, and then what we're like. He continued to 551 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 1: work as a comic. He was suddenly making a lot 552 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: of money. He hired a couple of writers to help 553 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: him create more material because he was really in demand. 554 00:32:23,480 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: He put out records. He's like, he's a thing. Is 555 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory is a thing? And then he gets very 556 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: involved with the civil rights movement, which don't forget. I 557 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:37,640 Speaker 1: mean this is before the Voting Rights Act and before 558 00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: the Housing Act and all of that. So this is 559 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:43,720 Speaker 1: before Martin Luther King in nineteen three makes the big speech. 560 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: So he starts marching with Martin Luther King and making 561 00:32:49,640 --> 00:32:53,520 Speaker 1: speeches and raising money. And what happens is he starts 562 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: canceling nightclub dates and basically says like, look, I can 563 00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: do the jokes, and I can do these jokes these 564 00:33:01,680 --> 00:33:03,960 Speaker 1: guys wrote for me, and this is all great, but 565 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: there's a bigger wave that I'm involved with now. And 566 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:12,120 Speaker 1: that basically kind of like marginalized his stand up act 567 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:15,320 Speaker 1: and made him this civil rights icon at the at 568 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 1: the time. So we basically canceled tens of thousands of 569 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: dollars worth of gigs so he could be involved with 570 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: this movement and talk about it, and then he became 571 00:33:25,240 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 1: sort of identified with that, and because he was doing that, 572 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: opened the door again for like the Cosbies and Flip 573 00:33:33,840 --> 00:33:37,600 Speaker 1: Wilson and you know, prior and all of those gentlemen. 574 00:33:37,800 --> 00:33:40,560 Speaker 1: But then he essentially, you know, so those floodgates were open, 575 00:33:40,880 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 1: all those folks stepped in to kind of fill that vacuum, 576 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 1: and and he kind of walked away from this career 577 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 1: in a lot of ways. I mean, maybe not entirely, 578 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:51,239 Speaker 1: but he clearly had bigger fish to fry um. He 579 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,959 Speaker 1: had higher priorities, a higher calling you could say, no question, 580 00:33:54,960 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 1: no question, and that really motivated him very much. And 581 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 1: then I think in a way it hurt his career year, 582 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:03,200 Speaker 1: his stand up career. And I also, for some reason, 583 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:08,000 Speaker 1: I just don't know if he was that dedicated to 584 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 1: stand up once he had sort of cracked this code 585 00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 1: and I was like, Okay, I can do this, and 586 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: I can release these albums. I can make hundreds of 587 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:19,279 Speaker 1: thousands of dollars a year and where I used to make, 588 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 1: you know, five dollars doing this this gig. And he 589 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:27,359 Speaker 1: just he was very much motivated in racial equality, which 590 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,640 Speaker 1: is I can understand I can understand that, which jump 591 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:32,719 Speaker 1: sure what he had to endure growing up in that 592 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: time period. We followed some of his work in this field. 593 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 1: In in the civil rights movement, he also was advocating 594 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:51,680 Speaker 1: for the rights of Native Americans and uh from gender equality. 595 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 1: We we found a couple of stories. One that one 596 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,040 Speaker 1: that really stood out was he even got the attention 597 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:03,040 Speaker 1: of Jagger, who at one point when he ran for 598 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:07,480 Speaker 1: president in nineteen sixty eight, which I had no idea 599 00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:10,839 Speaker 1: he actually ran for president. Uh, but the rumor is 600 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: from documents that came out later, that j Edgar Hoover 601 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:17,680 Speaker 1: considered Dick Gregory such a threat that he ordered the 602 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 1: Chicago office of the FBI to contact the Mob to 603 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:28,760 Speaker 1: neutralize Yeah, quote unquote whatever whatever that means. Yeah, maybe 604 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,240 Speaker 1: maybe it's something less sinister to neutralize him during that race. 605 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:37,320 Speaker 1: And I guess I wanted to ask you, I'm given 606 00:35:37,320 --> 00:35:41,360 Speaker 1: what you said earlier about the biggest comedy club or 607 00:35:41,360 --> 00:35:45,680 Speaker 1: white nightclub in Chicago being run by the Mob. Was 608 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:48,920 Speaker 1: the Mob still really active in Chicago and the comedy 609 00:35:49,040 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: scene in the in the sixties. Yeah, I mean it 610 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 1: was starting to fade away a little bit as these 611 00:35:55,239 --> 00:35:59,000 Speaker 1: other rooms opened up. But basically the nightclub era which 612 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: started right you know when after the end of Prohibition 613 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:05,680 Speaker 1: and the and vaudeville dropping. A lot of nightclubs across 614 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:11,839 Speaker 1: the United States south north, southwest, northwest were mob run organizations. 615 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: One of the most famous in New York was a 616 00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:17,359 Speaker 1: room called the Copa Cabana, which you you know, you've 617 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: seen these uh Scorsese movies all the time, but that 618 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: was they had the biggest headliners, Martin Lewis and those 619 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:28,320 Speaker 1: guys would perform there, Sammy Davis with the Wilmasson trio 620 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:32,320 Speaker 1: and now these were all mob run. And then mob 621 00:36:32,520 --> 00:36:36,280 Speaker 1: ran obviously Las Vegas, and then had their hooks deeply 622 00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:41,399 Speaker 1: into Miami, which was also this big scene. I mean, 623 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,000 Speaker 1: I guess the only place that mob didn't really run 624 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,759 Speaker 1: too much was the uh the Borsch Belt up in 625 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: the mountains of the Adirondacks upstate New York, where kind 626 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:54,640 Speaker 1: of like Jewish comedians were performed there during the summers. 627 00:36:54,880 --> 00:36:58,000 Speaker 1: Let's move on really quickly to a very important event 628 00:36:58,320 --> 00:37:01,399 Speaker 1: UM in the freedom summers are the nineteen sixty four 629 00:37:01,440 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 1: Freedom Summer in Mississippi, UM, where all these marches took place. 630 00:37:04,600 --> 00:37:06,879 Speaker 1: This is a very big, um, kind of high water 631 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,759 Speaker 1: mark point for the civil rights movement. UH. There is 632 00:37:09,880 --> 00:37:12,520 Speaker 1: a bombing of a church called the Mountain Zion Church, 633 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 1: and three young men are sent to investigate it, Goodman, 634 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,480 Speaker 1: Cheney and Schwerner, and they do not come back alive. 635 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:23,399 Speaker 1: They are murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan, 636 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,879 Speaker 1: and Deputy Sheriff Cecil Ray Price has all proven who 637 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:32,439 Speaker 1: is also a klansman, and basically Dick Gregory Um goes there, 638 00:37:32,600 --> 00:37:35,640 Speaker 1: confronts the sheriff and sticks his finger in his face 639 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:37,760 Speaker 1: and says, I know you did this, and we're gonna 640 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:41,240 Speaker 1: pin it on you. And he reaches out to Hugh Hefner, 641 00:37:41,560 --> 00:37:44,840 Speaker 1: who puts up twenty five thousand dollars of nineteen sixty 642 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: four money, which is no chump change for a reward 643 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: for anyone that can lead to the arrest or proof 644 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,239 Speaker 1: that these men had something to do with it, and 645 00:37:54,320 --> 00:37:57,920 Speaker 1: to find the bodies. Um. There's conjecture that the FBI 646 00:37:58,120 --> 00:38:00,799 Speaker 1: already knew where the bodies were. They just didn't want 647 00:38:00,840 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 1: to create a giant storm um, and so they kept quiet. 648 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,360 Speaker 1: And essentially Gregory, with the help of his friend Hugh Hefner, 649 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:12,839 Speaker 1: took these men to task and everyone essentially, I mean 650 00:38:12,960 --> 00:38:15,759 Speaker 1: the degrees to which they were punished, you could kind 651 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:19,160 Speaker 1: of argue we're not nearly fitting the crime, but they 652 00:38:19,200 --> 00:38:23,240 Speaker 1: were exposed. Um. And that brings us around to Hefner 653 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:25,239 Speaker 1: kind of. I don't know, you think of him as 654 00:38:25,239 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 1: this kind of impressario of smud or something like that, 655 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 1: But as you said, he was very interested, He was 656 00:38:30,880 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 1: very progressive. He was all about literature and good writing. 657 00:38:34,000 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 1: And people joke about, oh, I only read Playboy for 658 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: the articles, but there's there's a lot of truth to that. 659 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 1: I mean, some of the greatest writers of all time 660 00:38:42,200 --> 00:38:45,360 Speaker 1: have gotten their start writing shorts for Playboy or articles 661 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:48,719 Speaker 1: or having short stories published. So it absolutely has a 662 00:38:48,760 --> 00:38:53,520 Speaker 1: place in that kind of cannon. Um. And uh. More recently, 663 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,279 Speaker 1: Um Dick Gregory. Unfortunately we lost us several years ago, 664 00:38:57,320 --> 00:38:59,680 Speaker 1: but near the end of his life he participated in 665 00:38:59,719 --> 00:39:02,720 Speaker 1: the roast of Hugh Hefner and he had a really 666 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,360 Speaker 1: interesting quote at two thousand and one, right during the 667 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:09,080 Speaker 1: roast of Hugh Hefner. Uh he he actually he went 668 00:39:09,160 --> 00:39:14,920 Speaker 1: beyond the typical insults stuff, right, And I think this 669 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 1: is what this is what you have mentioned earlier, Wayne, 670 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,879 Speaker 1: where he says you had a courage when no one 671 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,840 Speaker 1: was bringing in black and minorities and let you stand 672 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:26,200 Speaker 1: flat footed in America and just talk. You brought me in, 673 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:29,280 Speaker 1: You didn't give me a lecture, you gave me no instructions. 674 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:31,960 Speaker 1: I come here tonight not to roast you, but to 675 00:39:32,040 --> 00:39:34,480 Speaker 1: say that had you not had the guts back then 676 00:39:34,840 --> 00:39:37,080 Speaker 1: we black comics, that the world has been able to 677 00:39:37,120 --> 00:39:39,719 Speaker 1: look at and understand our genius, we would be in 678 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:43,279 Speaker 1: some pot roasting in debt, knowing we were never going 679 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:46,640 Speaker 1: to make it. And I have to ask because that's 680 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:53,240 Speaker 1: such a powerful statement. Yeah, Yeah, Were they like friends 681 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 1: past the business stuff, past like the giving the start, 682 00:39:56,360 --> 00:40:00,720 Speaker 1: because that that's the that's a very personal, sincere statement. 683 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:05,279 Speaker 1: Did they interact throughout the throughout his career in activism 684 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:08,440 Speaker 1: as well as comedy, Well, I know, I know this. 685 00:40:08,600 --> 00:40:13,400 Speaker 1: I know in nineteen sixty two when Lenny Bruce Scott 686 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:16,240 Speaker 1: arrested at the Gate of Horn, which was this little 687 00:40:16,280 --> 00:40:19,360 Speaker 1: club also in Chicago, that he put up his bail 688 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:23,360 Speaker 1: money and just felt like what Bruce is trying to 689 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:26,400 Speaker 1: do with language, I'm trying to do with you know, 690 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:31,840 Speaker 1: with literature here, like like show you satire and language 691 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:35,799 Speaker 1: and cartoons just sort of elevate this art, not only 692 00:40:35,840 --> 00:40:39,279 Speaker 1: the humor but the conversation about American general So I 693 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:42,320 Speaker 1: know he's always been an activist in that. I don't 694 00:40:42,320 --> 00:40:45,080 Speaker 1: know how close they were through the years. I know 695 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:49,880 Speaker 1: that there's dozens of Dick Gregory interviews where he thanks 696 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,319 Speaker 1: Hugh Hefner for having the courage to put him on 697 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:57,680 Speaker 1: that stage and or the foresight to put him on 698 00:40:57,719 --> 00:41:02,120 Speaker 1: that stage. So I know he was like extremely grateful. Obviously, 699 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:04,800 Speaker 1: what happens is, I hate to say this, the Playboy 700 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:09,359 Speaker 1: Clubs were basically like Dick Gregory immediately got bigger than 701 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 1: the Playboy clubs, which was became the circuit. There was 702 00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:15,720 Speaker 1: like twenty of them all over the United States. Pick St. Louis, 703 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,200 Speaker 1: you know, so Miami, New Orleans, Boston, New York. So 704 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:23,720 Speaker 1: he was already too big to play the Playboy circuit. 705 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:28,080 Speaker 1: So I don't know if that was a thing between 706 00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:31,279 Speaker 1: the two of them. I'm not sure, but I've heard 707 00:41:31,320 --> 00:41:37,320 Speaker 1: Dick Gregory numerous times thank Hugh Hefner for that moment. Yeah. Absolutely, 708 00:41:37,360 --> 00:41:39,320 Speaker 1: I mean he really did kind of go on on 709 00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:41,759 Speaker 1: a limb when he you know, he did kind of 710 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,840 Speaker 1: have the world, you know, on a platter at that 711 00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 1: point because of, like you said, the Playboy magazine just 712 00:41:45,760 --> 00:41:47,920 Speaker 1: printing money and having kind of having a sense that 713 00:41:47,960 --> 00:41:51,200 Speaker 1: he was untouchable, and that's really important. But also any 714 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 1: other person could have done something completely different with that 715 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:55,440 Speaker 1: kind of success and that kind of power, and he 716 00:41:55,480 --> 00:41:57,920 Speaker 1: instead took a chance and went out on a limb 717 00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:01,839 Speaker 1: when he didn't have to. And without that moment, Dick 718 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:04,920 Speaker 1: Gregory wouldn't have had the platform to affect such social 719 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 1: change that he did. Not to mention blowing over the 720 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:10,440 Speaker 1: doors wide open for black comics you know around the world. Yeah, 721 00:42:10,560 --> 00:42:13,480 Speaker 1: it's it's an incredible story, and it all happens in 722 00:42:13,520 --> 00:42:17,880 Speaker 1: this you know, in this little club in Chicago in 723 00:42:17,960 --> 00:42:21,719 Speaker 1: the middle of went to January nineteen sixty one. There's 724 00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:25,040 Speaker 1: a snowstorm and he takes a bus to the gig 725 00:42:25,480 --> 00:42:27,440 Speaker 1: and he gets off on the wrong stop, and the 726 00:42:27,480 --> 00:42:30,160 Speaker 1: whole story is just so he's running through the snow 727 00:42:30,200 --> 00:42:32,680 Speaker 1: and he's slipping, and he's never been to the Playboy Club, 728 00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:35,080 Speaker 1: so he doesn't know exactly where it is. And then 729 00:42:35,120 --> 00:42:38,480 Speaker 1: he gets there and uh, yeah, he gets on on 730 00:42:38,640 --> 00:42:43,280 Speaker 1: stage and uh does his thing as you just reflect 731 00:42:43,360 --> 00:42:47,319 Speaker 1: on like his use of language and the casualness of 732 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:51,200 Speaker 1: his performance, and he is just like this is his moment, 733 00:42:51,680 --> 00:42:57,520 Speaker 1: and he absolutely embraces it. And speaking of speaking of 734 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:00,520 Speaker 1: thinking and speaking of moments, you know, we can we 735 00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 1: can think Hugh Hefner the way that Dick Gregory did. 736 00:43:04,360 --> 00:43:07,400 Speaker 1: But we also have to admit, you know, this wouldn't 737 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,240 Speaker 1: have been near as big a moment had Dick Gregory 738 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:14,839 Speaker 1: not been such a talented writer, performer and comics. So 739 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:18,359 Speaker 1: I don't want to get away from how just objectively 740 00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:21,080 Speaker 1: good the guy is and and also so savvy. I 741 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:24,560 Speaker 1: think it's it's not to be Um overlooked that he 742 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:27,960 Speaker 1: wasn't rolling over when he kind of did these maybe 743 00:43:28,080 --> 00:43:31,480 Speaker 1: a little bit more palatable performances for white audiences. He 744 00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:34,600 Speaker 1: was being smart. He was reading the room in a 745 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:37,400 Speaker 1: way that was able to like keep him in the game. 746 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:40,640 Speaker 1: And you know, as his comedy you know, progressed, I guess, 747 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:42,400 Speaker 1: or as his career progress and he had, he was 748 00:43:42,480 --> 00:43:44,960 Speaker 1: able to take more risks. Um. You know, he was 749 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:48,279 Speaker 1: very outspoken about race and politics and all of that, 750 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:51,399 Speaker 1: even in his acts. No question, Again, it goes back 751 00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:54,800 Speaker 1: to what we were speaking about earlier about your said savvy, 752 00:43:54,920 --> 00:43:57,359 Speaker 1: I said, you know, emotional like you like he just 753 00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:01,040 Speaker 1: I felt like he had a a really heightened level 754 00:44:01,239 --> 00:44:05,000 Speaker 1: of like how to play these situations, and he had seen, 755 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:09,000 Speaker 1: if I'm not mistaken, sometimes they would have like, uh, 756 00:44:09,120 --> 00:44:10,520 Speaker 1: I don't know, I don't know if it was Sammy 757 00:44:10,640 --> 00:44:14,760 Speaker 1: Davis at this Robert Show club, and he watched Nipsey 758 00:44:14,840 --> 00:44:17,600 Speaker 1: Russell play a crowd and sometimes they would get white 759 00:44:17,640 --> 00:44:20,960 Speaker 1: crowds coming into the Robert Show Club, which was a 760 00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:24,239 Speaker 1: black club, but they would let white people in obviously. 761 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:27,960 Speaker 1: So I think he had seen some other black comedians 762 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:31,759 Speaker 1: like work the room's like, Okay, I think I know 763 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:34,600 Speaker 1: how to crack this this code. I think I know 764 00:44:34,719 --> 00:44:38,680 Speaker 1: the combination uh that that will that will make it work. 765 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:45,440 Speaker 1: So this this is a watershed, pivotal moment in comedy 766 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:52,400 Speaker 1: and in American society overall. You know, longtime listeners know 767 00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:56,319 Speaker 1: one thing that that I never shy away from NOL. 768 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:58,680 Speaker 1: I don't think you shy away from it either, is 769 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:03,120 Speaker 1: admitting when we need to know more about something. So 770 00:45:03,360 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: thank you so much, Wayne Fetterman for introducing, uh, not 771 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:12,160 Speaker 1: just us, but our audience to Dick Gregory and talking 772 00:45:12,200 --> 00:45:14,480 Speaker 1: to us, even though you established pretty early on in 773 00:45:14,520 --> 00:45:17,120 Speaker 1: today's episode that you would always rather be talking to 774 00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:19,840 Speaker 1: Casey that's fair. We feel the same way. I trusted me. 775 00:45:20,440 --> 00:45:22,359 Speaker 1: I want a really quick I just tell a very 776 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 1: very short story. I had an interesting privilege to UM. 777 00:45:26,480 --> 00:45:29,040 Speaker 1: I was a reporter for public radio when I lived 778 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:33,040 Speaker 1: in Augusta, Georgia, and I got to cover the funeral 779 00:45:33,080 --> 00:45:36,719 Speaker 1: of James Brown. And Uh, Dick Gregory actually spoke and 780 00:45:36,960 --> 00:45:39,239 Speaker 1: gave a eulogy at James Brown's funeral, And I was 781 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,399 Speaker 1: not aware of him, And that was the very first 782 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:43,480 Speaker 1: time I had ever heard of this man. Uh, and 783 00:45:43,640 --> 00:45:45,920 Speaker 1: I really thought of him much more all the research 784 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:48,080 Speaker 1: I did, which wasn't much, um that he was much 785 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:50,960 Speaker 1: more of an activist. So hearing this completed part of 786 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:53,600 Speaker 1: his story is really fascinating. But he gave a really 787 00:45:53,600 --> 00:45:56,719 Speaker 1: powerful speech at James Brown's funeral. Um, it was. It 788 00:45:56,760 --> 00:45:58,239 Speaker 1: was really interesting to see him kind of in the 789 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:02,719 Speaker 1: flesh and really fascinating man. Very very glad to know 790 00:46:02,840 --> 00:46:04,960 Speaker 1: more about him. So thank you Wayne for for hipping 791 00:46:05,040 --> 00:46:07,799 Speaker 1: us to this story. Well I'm you know, I'm just 792 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:14,520 Speaker 1: You're welcome. So Wayne, at this point people people have 793 00:46:14,600 --> 00:46:18,920 Speaker 1: heard us mentioned uh your podcast that you do with 794 00:46:18,920 --> 00:46:22,600 Speaker 1: your co host Andrew Stephen. I just want to let 795 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 1: everybody know that The History of Stand Up Season two 796 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:30,280 Speaker 1: is is coming out now as we speak. It hasn't 797 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:33,400 Speaker 1: all been released yet though, right, that is correct. We 798 00:46:33,520 --> 00:46:39,960 Speaker 1: are still editing, interviewing people, putting things together for this season. Yeah. So, uh, 799 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:43,239 Speaker 1: the last the last episode I listened to if you're 800 00:46:43,239 --> 00:46:47,640 Speaker 1: interested in hearing more about the Playboy circuit is season two, 801 00:46:47,800 --> 00:46:50,719 Speaker 1: episode two, which came out just a few days ago 802 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:55,880 Speaker 1: as we record this, and it explores the story of 803 00:46:55,960 --> 00:46:59,640 Speaker 1: Hugh Hefner and Playboy magazine and how they became This 804 00:47:00,200 --> 00:47:02,799 Speaker 1: is a quote here from your show, Wayne, how they 805 00:47:02,800 --> 00:47:07,200 Speaker 1: became unlikely champions for an era of comedy between nightclubs 806 00:47:07,239 --> 00:47:10,040 Speaker 1: and the comedy boom. That's exactly. I can't believe I 807 00:47:10,040 --> 00:47:13,600 Speaker 1: came up with something that articulous. That's great, it's very succinct. 808 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:15,360 Speaker 1: You've done good, You've done good way and it's a 809 00:47:15,360 --> 00:47:18,600 Speaker 1: great show. Um, where can folks find that? Um? What's 810 00:47:18,600 --> 00:47:20,960 Speaker 1: the best way to to to pull that up? I 811 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 1: the classic. Wherever you get your podcast, whether it's you know, 812 00:47:26,120 --> 00:47:30,960 Speaker 1: on iTunes or Stitcher, I'm not sure wherever it's it's everywhere, 813 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:34,920 Speaker 1: it's everywhere out there. Just yeah, yeah, it's easy to get. 814 00:47:34,960 --> 00:47:36,839 Speaker 1: It's easy to get and thank you very much for 815 00:47:37,360 --> 00:47:40,680 Speaker 1: listening to it. I, um, you know this is a 816 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:43,120 Speaker 1: I'm passionate about this, but I just don't know how 817 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:45,800 Speaker 1: many people are really interested in the history of stand 818 00:47:45,840 --> 00:47:48,840 Speaker 1: up as opposed to stand ups now you know that, 819 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:52,240 Speaker 1: you know, talk about their careers and stuff. I've actually 820 00:47:52,360 --> 00:47:55,360 Speaker 1: have been keeping note here. I'll confess there were a 821 00:47:55,480 --> 00:47:59,200 Speaker 1: couple of older comics that you had mentioned in the 822 00:47:59,239 --> 00:48:02,080 Speaker 1: course of today episode or is writing them downs? Like, 823 00:48:02,160 --> 00:48:03,759 Speaker 1: Oh wait, I've got to look that guy up. I 824 00:48:03,800 --> 00:48:06,200 Speaker 1: gotta see if I can hear something. Uh So, I've 825 00:48:06,239 --> 00:48:09,720 Speaker 1: got some homework today. Uh and I'll probably be posting 826 00:48:10,120 --> 00:48:14,000 Speaker 1: some some stuff about this on our own Ridiculous History 827 00:48:14,040 --> 00:48:17,239 Speaker 1: Facebook page or Instagram. You can you can find us there. 828 00:48:17,760 --> 00:48:21,000 Speaker 1: You can also find us on Twitter. Uh Wayne, I'm 829 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:23,440 Speaker 1: gonna I'm gonna volunteer you. It looks like you are 830 00:48:23,480 --> 00:48:27,440 Speaker 1: also available on Twitter at Fetterman And if you want 831 00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:30,239 Speaker 1: to find me and Ben individually. Um, we keep up 832 00:48:30,239 --> 00:48:33,120 Speaker 1: a pretty decent Instagram profile. I am at how Now 833 00:48:33,239 --> 00:48:35,960 Speaker 1: Noel Brown and you can see me getting kicked into 834 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:40,160 Speaker 1: and out of various countries at Ben Bolan. Yeah, that's true, 835 00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:43,160 Speaker 1: that's true. Don't make fun of me, love it? Uh. 836 00:48:43,239 --> 00:48:46,080 Speaker 1: So that is our show. Everyone, Thank you so much 837 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:49,080 Speaker 1: for tuning in. We'd love to hear you're taking some 838 00:48:49,200 --> 00:48:53,040 Speaker 1: of your favorite comics throughout history right. Absolutely thanks to 839 00:48:53,080 --> 00:48:56,719 Speaker 1: super producer Casey Pegram, Thanks to Alex Williams, who composed 840 00:48:56,719 --> 00:48:59,880 Speaker 1: our theme. Big thanks to Christopher Hasiotis who is here 841 00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:03,560 Speaker 1: in spirit uh and Jonathan Strickland who you know uh 842 00:49:04,000 --> 00:49:05,920 Speaker 1: he can take a long walk off a short pier. 843 00:49:06,040 --> 00:49:08,840 Speaker 1: Big thanks to Jonathan Strickland, a k. The quister I 844 00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:10,719 Speaker 1: know you and I don't see eye to eye on that. 845 00:49:11,040 --> 00:49:14,080 Speaker 1: And big thanks to Wayne and thank you so much 846 00:49:14,120 --> 00:49:25,200 Speaker 1: folks for listening. We'll see you next time. For more 847 00:49:25,239 --> 00:49:27,719 Speaker 1: podcasts for my Heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, 848 00:49:27,760 --> 00:49:30,840 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.