1 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:08,239 Speaker 1: I think we have time for one final question. In 2 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: the late fall of nine two, one of President John F. 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 1: Kennedy's closest advisers, Arthur Schlessinger, Jr. Was driving in his 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:20,160 Speaker 1: car when all of a sudden, he heard the following 5 00:00:20,280 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: question come over the airwaves, pity President. A familiar voice answered, well, 6 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 1: I think they're pretty good. Now, let me say, I 7 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: don't see why a person of the Jewish faith God 8 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,839 Speaker 1: be President of the United States. I know it's a Catholic. 9 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: I could have a vote fire. But his confusion was 10 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: cleared up when he learned the voice belonged to kennedy 11 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: impersonator Van Meter. But Schlessinger was concerned enough that when 12 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: he returned to the White House, he drafted a memorandum 13 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: to the President. He wrote the following, This raises the 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: question of what in hell a president of the United 15 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: States ought to do about Mimickry. I'm guessing many of 16 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: you have never heard of Von Meter, but for one 17 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 1: brief shining moment. Okay, a twelve month period between late 18 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty two in late nineteen sixty three, he was 19 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,119 Speaker 1: a really big deal. He had this parody album called 20 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 1: The First Family, a spoof of the Kennedy's in old 21 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: video clips. He looks like a distant Kennedy cousin, Young, 22 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,040 Speaker 1: clean cut with a thick head of hair and his 23 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: jfk impression. He's uncanny. Just listen today will be in 24 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: Nuclear de Ghamman, followed by the U N Bond issue. 25 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: In a matter of the trade, agreemwach Now, first there 26 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: is a most important matter to settle, Mr de gall 27 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: yours was the chicken, Salad and coffee. That's a dollar 28 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: forty first Families Well, in five weeks this album has 29 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: broken all records in the history of the recording business. 30 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: Its soul will get this three and a quarter million 31 00:01:57,480 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: copies in five weeks. It took My Family album five 32 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:04,160 Speaker 1: years to sell that many copies. Had That was Late 33 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: Night King of his day, Jack Parr marveling at the 34 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: popularity of this one album and the star of the album, 35 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 1: Von Meter was just about everywhere until all of a 36 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: sudden he wasn't from Dallas, Texas. The flash apparently official 37 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: President Kennedy died at one pm Central Standard Time. I'm 38 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: mo Rocca and this is mobituaries this moment. Jfk impersonator 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: Vaughan meter November death of a career. Are we recording 40 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: me out? Okay? I've worked across the street from this building. 41 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: I had no idea. I thought it was maybe some 42 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,760 Speaker 1: an s a storage, you know that. I don't know 43 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: people's finals. Okay. The CBS News Archives, Hey, it's Joe. 44 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: That's Joe A. Lessie. He's managed the CBS archives for 45 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: twenty two years now. He's the go to guy if 46 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: you need anything that was shot by CBS News during 47 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: the century. Even the first thing we have is from 48 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: and that's William McKinley's inauguration. You're kidding. Let's go to 49 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: the back. And then when I say to the back, 50 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 1: we're going to the vault. Are the vault? It sounds 51 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: it sounds very mysterious. It smells like fistromy or something. Well, 52 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: that's going to lunch. That's so you're correct on that 53 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: know what that is? That's film? Sometimes? All right, let's 54 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: go this way. What are CBS is sort of greatest hits? Well, 55 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: the thing that people ask for most is the assassination 56 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: of President Kennedy. That seems to be a story that 57 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: fascinates people from the beginning right up until today. People 58 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: asked her at least once a week, and for good reason. 59 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: That horrible day in November ended the president's life and 60 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: changed the life of the nation. That's what Mr Oaks 61 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 1: taught us in high school. There was America before the 62 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: assassination and America after and before comedian Vaughan Meter was 63 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: a household name, So surely the CBS archives would have 64 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,480 Speaker 1: something on the man. My friend Joe did not disappoint. 65 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,359 Speaker 1: Three tapes of a von Meter interview sounds promising, because 66 00:04:45,360 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 1: that's unless as tapes are super short. That's a significant interview. 67 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: I think it's a it's a good find, and so 68 00:04:56,279 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: I took a look. But what I saw and heard 69 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: wasn't exactly funny. So it looked like, you know, I 70 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: could do this forever. There was no end of the 71 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: pot of gold, but there was no rainbow either. It 72 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: was no idea it was going to be that month. 73 00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:21,559 Speaker 1: This is Vaughan Meter in on these tapes. He looks 74 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,919 Speaker 1: haggard and shake him sixty two years old, but a 75 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,359 Speaker 1: rough sixty two. This was all recorded for a short 76 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 1: lived CBS cable network called Ion People. Meter was being 77 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: profiled as part of a where Are They Now? Type series? 78 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 1: Little of this footage made it to air Well. I 79 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:45,040 Speaker 1: was born in Waterville, A night of the flood. Abbott 80 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: Vaughan Meter was born in nineteen thirty six in Waterville, Maine, 81 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:53,599 Speaker 1: and by all accounts, had a harrowing childhood. His father 82 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: drowned when he was one, and his young mother moved 83 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 1: from Maine to Boston to work as a cocktail waitress. 84 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: Meter had to shuttle between Maine and Massachusetts for much 85 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: of his youth, spending some of that time in children's homes. 86 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: He says he started entertaining people to avoid punishment. When 87 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 1: he got into trouble near the end of high school, 88 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: his mother was institutionalized and Meter ran away to the army. 89 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,359 Speaker 1: He ultimately was stationed in Germany, where he met the 90 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,040 Speaker 1: first of his four wives and played in a band. 91 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: After his time in the service, he did a risque 92 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: piano act around the New York City area and then 93 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: moved on to Greenwich Village, where he owned a politically 94 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: themed comedy routine. It was at this point that he 95 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: dropped his first name, Abbot. He became Vaughan Meter, and 96 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: then one fateful night a voice came out of Meter. 97 00:06:55,080 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: It was the President of the United states John F. Kennedy. Yes, 98 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: the gentlemen over there, sir. When when are we going 99 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: to sandomd to the mode whenever Mr Goldwater wants to go. 100 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: Meter started to reserve the last ten minutes of his 101 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 1: routine for an impression of Kennedy's live television press conferences. 102 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: My name is Bob Booker. I've just been in the 103 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,640 Speaker 1: entertainment business all my life, and I've been very lucky. 104 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: And I also forgot to turn off my phone. No, 105 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: that's fine. If it's if it's a gig, pick it up. 106 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: I don't even Back in the nineteen sixties, Bob Booker 107 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: was a disc jockey who, along with his partner Earl Doud, 108 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: wanted to capitalize on the fascination with the new president 109 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: as well as the popularity of comedy albums. These were 110 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: the days of Stan Freeberg, Shelley Berman, Nicholson May, and 111 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: the great Bob Newhart, who had just one Album of 112 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 1: the Year at the Grammys, a first for a comedy album. 113 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: That classic bit with new Heart as President Lincoln's press 114 00:07:55,840 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: agent still holds up. I actually heart hard. I'll get it. 115 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: Burt sort of a drag. So we were looking for 116 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: the next thing to do, like, you know, so we 117 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 1: could have a meal. The next day. We said, you know, 118 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: Kennedy make a great album. So what was your concept 119 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: for this album. You've got this giant star. He's a 120 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: movie star, he's a political star, he's he's a world star. 121 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: I got in such a good looking man with this 122 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: beautiful wife. Right. We said, if you take this character 123 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 1: and the family and put them in everyday situations, that's funny. 124 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:47,520 Speaker 1: This was the beginning of what would become the First 125 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 1: Family album. The only problem was they had no idea 126 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 1: who could play the head of this First Family, that 127 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 1: is until they turned on the TV the evening of 128 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: July three. But he's from the New School and has 129 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: served his apprenticeship in the little clubs that feature you know, 130 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: the topic of comedians, the kids with the rye offbeat 131 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 1: comments on life today. Does that voice sound familiar? It's 132 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: Jim Backus a k A. Mr Magoo a k A. 133 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: Thurston Hall of the Third from Gilligan's Island. He was 134 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: hosting a summer replacement show called Talent Scouts on CBS 135 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: and I know, I know you're going to be delighted 136 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: with the TV debut of Mr. Vaughan Meter. Meeter started 137 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,760 Speaker 1: off with his take on the news headlines of the day. 138 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 1: There's there's one there might be a little more familiar 139 00:09:38,440 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: to you. Congressman read Write of Alabama was quoted as saying, 140 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 1: literacy test ain't proven nothing. Listen. I have no idea 141 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: how funny or fresh his topical stuff actually was. There's 142 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 1: that old quote from playwright George S. Kaufman, satire is 143 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: what closes on Saturday Night. But his impression of Kennedy 144 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: was and is nothing short of sensational. He's doing my action, 145 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: he's doing my gestures, and he's using my lines. Do 146 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 1: not ask what this country can do for you. That's 147 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: one of my original lines. When he did Kennedy, it 148 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:20,640 Speaker 1: was perfect, absolutely perfect. Bob Booker and Earl Zoud had 149 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: found their man. But there was something else striking about 150 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: that performance, a kind of disclaimer he made at the 151 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: end of his starmaking routine, something I can't imagine any 152 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: comic doing today. Yes, I'd like to make one final 153 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,200 Speaker 1: statement at this time, and I would like to make 154 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: that final statement as myself, Von Meter And that is 155 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 1: the thing. Thank you for the United States, a country 156 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: where it is possible for a young comedian like myself 157 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,640 Speaker 1: to come out on television before millions of people and 158 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 1: kid it's leading citizen. Thank you nice. It's very interesting 159 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:59,200 Speaker 1: to me because he was to me non controversial. I 160 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: wanted to get the respective of a modern day presidential impersonator. 161 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,560 Speaker 1: I decide how big my failures are, and they're the 162 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: biggest play Meet Anthony at Tamanick. He impersonates President Donald Trump, 163 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 1: most recently on Comedy Central's The President Show. I wonder 164 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 1: if that caution was sort of to say, listen, I'm 165 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: making fun with him, not of him. This is a 166 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: telegram that right after von Meter made his television debut, 167 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: he wrote a telegram of the White House. He wrote 168 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: this to the President. Dear Mr President, I respectfully call 169 00:11:37,240 --> 00:11:40,120 Speaker 1: your attention to the Talent Scouts Show, which we taped 170 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:44,079 Speaker 1: last night for viewing on CBS Television Tuesday night, July 171 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: three at ten pm. I impersonated you, but I did 172 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: it with great affection and respect. Hope it meets with 173 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 1: your approval, respectfully, von Meter. Wow, that is wild. We 174 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 1: actually went through eleven. I think uh turned down. Booker 175 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,120 Speaker 1: and Dowd had their concept there, Kennedy and a demo 176 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: of the album No One was Biting, though. Booker remembers 177 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: one meeting at ABC. In the room that day was 178 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:16,160 Speaker 1: Jim Haggarty, who was the vice president of News and 179 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: a former White House Press secretary under Eisenhower, Kennedy's predecessor. 180 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: He said, I think the Communists will love it. I 181 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: think Russia will love it, and every communist country in 182 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: the world will love it. And he slammed the door 183 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:35,679 Speaker 1: behind him going up. He was outraged. So we were 184 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 1: just insulting the president and his family. It was not 185 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:43,680 Speaker 1: a man, but a great sense of humor. Mr. It 186 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: doesn't sound like it. But didn't give you any doubt, 187 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,680 Speaker 1: did you for a moment, go boy, maybe this is disrespectful. 188 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 1: Maybe we shouldn't do it. This was placed number twelve 189 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 1: that we had been thrown into the street. Okay, I 190 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: didn't discourage us at all. We knew we had a record. 191 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 1: I would have bet anything on it. We did bet 192 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 1: everything on it. While ABC passed, the president of the 193 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: network suggested they try a smaller label called Cadence, run 194 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: by Archie. Blier picked up the phone, called him set 195 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: the meeting. The next morning. We went over and they 196 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: bought it. In they'd overcome one hurdle getting a record deal, 197 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,840 Speaker 1: but as it turned out, recording the album before a 198 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: live audience came with its own set of challenges. This 199 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: is a special report from CBS News the Cuban crisis. 200 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: Talk about an evening. Oh what an evening. That's the 201 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:40,520 Speaker 1: night of President Kennedy's big speech about the Cuban crisis. 202 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: And we had the TV sets in the back room 203 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:46,800 Speaker 1: and we watched the speech where everybody believed they are 204 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: coined to war. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has 205 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 1: established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites 206 00:13:57,240 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: is now in preparation on that imprisoned. So the show starts, 207 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: the audience has no idea that President Kennedy is on 208 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 1: TV addressing the nation about this really terrible crisis. Yes 209 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: it was, and how does the show go? Perfect? And 210 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: I did have a fear that the cast had heard 211 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: this speech also, so we did. We did a quick 212 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:25,960 Speaker 1: little speech right before Hey, it's showtime, We're going out 213 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 1: there and kill Okay, and everybody did. It didn't affect anybody. 214 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 1: After making it through that crisis within a crisis, Bob 215 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,960 Speaker 1: Booker handed off the album to a DJ friend at 216 00:14:38,120 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 1: w i n S Radio in New York and he 217 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: was going on the air in ten minutes and I said, 218 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: look what I've got and he looked at it and 219 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: he played one cut and he said, Jesus Bob, that's asational. 220 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: He went on the air for three hours. He played 221 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: the album continuously, No More Family for a while. Now, 222 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: I promise you now turn off the light. Good Night, Jackie, 223 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: good night, jack Night, Bobby night ethel Every light in 224 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: the place lit up. I mean it was crazy. The 225 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: phone calls from the other stations were coming in, television 226 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: bookings for all in three hours, Broken Wide Open, One Jock, 227 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: the first Family album took off like a rocket, and 228 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: Von Meter was in for the ride of his life. 229 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: Van Meter was playing a gig in Detroit and didn't 230 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: know what hit him. I couldn't believe it's like it. 231 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:53,400 Speaker 1: Back to New York and I walked down the street 232 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: and heard my voice being broadcast and they just couldn't 233 00:15:57,040 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: keep up with it. I mean, it was on fire. 234 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: Can you give me a sense of what that felt like? 235 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:05,400 Speaker 1: What did you think? No this, no way, no insanity. 236 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: Everyone wanted Van Meter to appear on their show, including 237 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: beloved singer Andy Williams, who was hosting a popular new 238 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: variety series on NBC. Welcome to our show. Thank you 239 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: very much, Andy. It's a pleasure to be here. You know. 240 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: I've been looking forward all the week to h working 241 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: with Vaughan because I wanted to sit right next to 242 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 1: the guy who was sold well. He's had the most 243 00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 1: successful album in the history of the record is the 244 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 1: First Family album. Okay, there's a good reason the First 245 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 1: Family was the best selling album of its time. It's 246 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: a total blast. It's not really a satire. It's parody 247 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: the kind of fun zany takeoff that I used to 248 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 1: love reading in Mad Magazine when I was a kid, 249 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:49,880 Speaker 1: like when they turned chips into chimps, or the Godfather 250 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: into the odd Father. That kind of a thing. It's 251 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: not really meant to make you think. It's meant to 252 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: make you laugh. Okay, so some references may not play 253 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: for today's audiences. Have you drive a hide bug like Monopoly? 254 00:17:04,400 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: With Republican Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirkson. I'll show you 255 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: a boardwalk and park place, but a surprising amount of 256 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,640 Speaker 1: it really holds up. You'd like to ask the following 257 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: question Speak English, Jackie, Sure? The Jackie sounds more like 258 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 1: Marilyn Monroe, which probably didn't make the first lady very happy. 259 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: But come on, to be fair, who didn't think the 260 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: real Jackie sounded a little like Maryland during that famous 261 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,679 Speaker 1: TV tour of the White House. Yes, this room is 262 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: everything in it really is from the time of President Monroe. 263 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 1: Of course, the album does its own take on that 264 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 1: tour and left at the day Medicine Peanot Room. While 265 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 1: most of the jokes are pretty gentle, there are a 266 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: few digs, as the Richard Nixon dumb waiter. One of 267 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: the biggest laughs comes here when the President divvyes up 268 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: Caroline and John John's bath tool, nine of the pet Boat, 269 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: two of the Yogi Bearra beach balls, the ball of 270 00:18:06,880 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: Hilly Putty belonged to Caroline, nine of the pet Boat, 271 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 1: one of the Yogi bear A beach balls, and the 272 00:18:15,520 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 1: two Howdy Duty plastic bouncing clowns. Baby John. The rubbishwan 273 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 1: is mine. I'm imagining people everywhere, like at home, around 274 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: the water cooler, at work, repeating that rubber swan line, 275 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,359 Speaker 1: and apparently they did. I thought it was pretty funny. 276 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 1: Anthony and Tamanek, who impersonates President Trump knows the album well, 277 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 1: his grandfather played it for him when he was growing up. 278 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: But I also wanted his take on how Meter looked 279 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,720 Speaker 1: as Kennedy. Is it a good impression? Yeah, it is 280 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 1: a good impression. It's a good impression because the good 281 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: impression doesn't require any makeup or a kuchma. The idea 282 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:00,679 Speaker 1: should be that the presence of the person is what 283 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 1: you feel like. There's a will that presents Kennedy in 284 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 1: that moment. There is not, and I say this with 285 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 1: a great pride, there is not one ugly joke in 286 00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: the entire thing. There's not even a really nasty political 287 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,000 Speaker 1: joke anywhere in the album. Yes, it's all very safe 288 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: from today's vantage point. Turns out, and this was a 289 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,879 Speaker 1: surprise to me. The producers in cast were pushing the 290 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 1: limits of comedy. I had the first I must level 291 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:35,720 Speaker 1: with you, I had some misgivings about this idea for 292 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 1: reasons of my own. That's Late Night host Jack Parr 293 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 1: again he was Johnny Carson before Johnny Carson issuing a 294 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:48,480 Speaker 1: disclaimer before inviting von Meter on stage. Part then goes 295 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: on to quote feigned anthropologist Margaret Mead, She too had 296 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: weighed in on the First Family album, because well why not, 297 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 1: She told Life magazine, quote, this making fun of people 298 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:03,639 Speaker 1: in authority is very healthy. It is the difference between 299 00:20:03,640 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: democracy and tyranny. End quote. The album continued selling like crazy. 300 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:17,880 Speaker 1: What was the White House thinking? Remember presidential advisor Arthur Schlessinger, 301 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 1: who was so concerned about that voice on the radio 302 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: that he wrote a memo about the dangers of impersonating 303 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:28,919 Speaker 1: the president. He wrote, the radio listener twirls his dial, 304 00:20:29,320 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: comes in in the middle of things, and rarely listens 305 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:36,920 Speaker 1: with full attention. Anyway, Chlessenger concluded on an ominous note, 306 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: remember orson Welles and the Martian invasion. Again, this comedy 307 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:48,199 Speaker 1: seems completely benign today. The boy it raised an alarm 308 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:52,639 Speaker 1: in the president's inner circle. Well, it got dangerous because 309 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: the people around Kennedy, around any president, are so protective. 310 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:02,360 Speaker 1: The minute they heard someone doing Kennedy on the air 311 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: so accurately, because Vaughn was really good with it, they 312 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,240 Speaker 1: went screaming. They even went to the FCC to try 313 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: and stop the album. Clearly, and thankfully, those attempts weren't successful. 314 00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,919 Speaker 1: But I was fascinated to learn that Schlessinger took the 315 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,800 Speaker 1: time to go back to the days of FDR to 316 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: seek out some kind of precedent with regard to presidential impersonations. 317 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: It turns out Franklin Roosevelt's press secretary, Stephen Early, had 318 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: directly asked media outlets not to give airtime to Roosevelt impersonators. 319 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: It's been a long time since the President and his 320 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:40,000 Speaker 1: family have been subjected to such a heavy barrage of 321 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 1: cheasing and fun poking and satire. And they've been books 322 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: on backstairs at the White House, and cartoon books with 323 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 1: clever sayings, and uh photo albums with balloons, and the 324 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,639 Speaker 1: and the rest, and now a smash hit for record. 325 00:21:57,440 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: Can you tell us whether you read and listen to 326 00:21:59,920 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: these things and whether they produce annoyment or enjoyment. Annoyment 327 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: now they do. Yes, I have read them and listened 328 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 1: to them. Actually I listened to Mr Meted record, but 329 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: I thought it sounded more like Teddy than it did me. 330 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: But that's not von Meter, as JFK. That is the 331 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: actual President of the United States talking about von Meter 332 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 1: in one of his life press conferences. According to many accounts, 333 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,920 Speaker 1: the President did enjoy the album and even gave out 334 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 1: copies for Christmas. Do you know why he loved it? 335 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,200 Speaker 1: Made a human being out of him, took him down 336 00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:40,239 Speaker 1: off the pedestal. He was one of us. He just 337 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: looked a lot better than all of us. Von Meter 338 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 1: went on to win a Grammy for Best Comedy Performance 339 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: and the First Family one Album of the Year. The 340 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:57,199 Speaker 1: First Family beat out the likes of Tony Bennett and 341 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:02,680 Speaker 1: Ray Charles. Von Meter was living the dream, right. It 342 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: just took over. The voice you're hearing now is the 343 00:23:06,359 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: older Meter from that interview that I got from the archives. 344 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: You know, I go on Sullivan. I'd asked him if 345 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:14,960 Speaker 1: I could play a thing I song. I wanted it, 346 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 1: to desperately play some music, saying some songs. No no chance, 347 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: no chance, no chance. So I just sell in line, 348 00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:27,480 Speaker 1: you know, and and did it. And I had to 349 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: get sued to do a volume too, because I didn't 350 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,199 Speaker 1: want to do a volume too. They sued me for 351 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 1: a million dollars. In early nineteen sixty three, while Meter 352 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:40,359 Speaker 1: was on a concert tour the album, Bob Booker and 353 00:23:40,400 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 1: Earl Dowd began developing fresh material for a second volume 354 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: of the First Family album, at which time Vaughan said 355 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: I don't want to do Kennedy anymore. You heard that right, Meter, 356 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: who almost overnight went from barely scraping buying clubs just 357 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,679 Speaker 1: storing in the country's most popular album, was sick of 358 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 1: the Kennedy act. But I wasn't very content with any 359 00:24:04,160 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: of it, and maybe it was the Kennedy thing that 360 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't get out of. But album producer Bob Booker 361 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: was having none of it. I said, we have a 362 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 1: deal to do it. He said, I don't care about it. 363 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 1: I don't want to have to do Kennedy the rest 364 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: of my life. He said, I want to do my act. 365 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: And this is the time I had to say, Van, 366 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 1: you don't have an act. You never had an act. 367 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,280 Speaker 1: If you give this up, you're not gonna be working anywhere. 368 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: Was that hard for you to say no? Because it 369 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: was the truth. And I wanted the album and just 370 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:41,360 Speaker 1: do what we have contractually, and then go do anything 371 00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:44,240 Speaker 1: you want in your life. If I never see you again, 372 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 1: that's fine, and just do what you promised you would do. 373 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 1: How did he take it when you told him you 374 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,359 Speaker 1: don't have an act? How did he know he was 375 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,919 Speaker 1: offended by that? He said no? So I can go 376 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: do my act? Said, there was no act. There was 377 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: no act in the talent skill right, it was Kennedy 378 00:25:01,960 --> 00:25:05,359 Speaker 1: that was it. Volume two was released in the spring 379 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 1: of nineteen sixty three and sold fairly well, but nowhere 380 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:13,479 Speaker 1: near the original album. One of the sketches, which today 381 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 1: seems pretty haunting, imagines the Kennedy's enjoying retirement in n 382 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: I certainly enjoyed being president, Bobby enjoyed being president, Jetty 383 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,639 Speaker 1: enjoyed being president, and then I enjoyed being president again. 384 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: Once I was in, I couldn't find the way out, 385 00:25:36,920 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: And yeah, I'm sorry he found the way out. On 386 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:51,359 Speaker 1: the morning of November nine, sixty three, the Associated Press 387 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: published a story by veteran Hollywood columnist Bob Thomas which 388 00:25:56,119 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: started as follows, It's always a bit surprising to find 389 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 1: the new starring show business trying to run away from 390 00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 1: the thing that made him famous. Today's example is Van Meter. 391 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: Thomas thing goes on to write, he also was searching 392 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:14,399 Speaker 1: for ways to destroy his image as a JFK imitator. 393 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:31,879 Speaker 1: Meter didn't have to search much longer. Here is a 394 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: bulletin from CBS News in Dallas, Texas. Three shots were 395 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: fired at President Canaday's motorcade in downtown Dallas. The first 396 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: reports say that President Canada, that's the older Von meter Well. 397 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 1: I just got booked at the Democratic clubn in Wisconsin, 398 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 1: and I flew into Wisconsin from New York. And when 399 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,679 Speaker 1: I got in the cab, the cab driver said, you here. 400 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 1: Kennedy got shot in Dallas. And I said, no, how 401 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: does it go? Because I thought it was another Kennedy 402 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: joke because people, you know, everywhere I went, people and say, Joe, 403 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: do you hear about jack and did this? And Jackie 404 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 1: out of the punchline, you know, so I thought it 405 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 1: was just another being set up. Somebody recognized me. He 406 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 1: was setting me up for another Kennedy joke, you know. 407 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: I said, how's it go? And then I heard on 408 00:27:23,080 --> 00:27:28,560 Speaker 1: the taxi cab radio that that's what happened. So I 409 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 1: went to the hotel, got drunk, and got the next 410 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: plane out and went back to New York. And I 411 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 1: guess they stayed drunk. Bob Booker was having lunch in 412 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: Greenwich Village when he heard the news. The phone rang 413 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: and it was my secretary and she said, Kennedy has 414 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: been shot. And I just threw some money on the 415 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: table and left. It was devastating, absolutely devasating. I called 416 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,399 Speaker 1: Archie Blaier the minute I got back, and I said, 417 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 1: get the albums wherever they are, because they're out with 418 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 1: constributors all over the country. I said, get your hands 419 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: on all of them. We're gonna chop him up. I 420 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: want no part of cashing in on this man's death. 421 00:28:08,720 --> 00:28:12,800 Speaker 1: And just like that, Van Meter's meteoric rise to fame 422 00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:19,879 Speaker 1: was over. Did you ever see Vaughan again? Oh? I 423 00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:21,640 Speaker 1: talked to him a couple of times. I don't think 424 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: I ever did see him again. Well, it was over. 425 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:34,800 Speaker 1: It's over over. You know, John's gun So I don't 426 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:40,040 Speaker 1: want to hear me playing him if it isn't me, 427 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 1: I don't want to, you know, I don't want to 428 00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 1: be him. Listen, I am. I think his issue and 429 00:28:58,920 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: this armchair now it's us, was that he did not 430 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: have a good division between the character and himself Trump impersonator, 431 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,000 Speaker 1: Anthony and Tamanick. But he basically doesn't know where he 432 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,719 Speaker 1: ends or Kennedy ends and he begins. And he might 433 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: have just been a person who just didn't think about 434 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 1: his psyche before he got into it. Well, it broke 435 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: my heart really uh at the time, but I thought 436 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:25,400 Speaker 1: to myself, well, now I can go on to something else. 437 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: But I couldn't. I was. I mean that they didn't 438 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: want it, and nobody else know that he wanted nothing 439 00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:33,600 Speaker 1: else from me. That's what they wanted, and they couldn't 440 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 1: let go of that. I'll never forget. New York City 441 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: is cold as it is. I'm walking down Second Avenue 442 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 1: and a steel riveter, a rivet with a hard hat, 443 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:47,480 Speaker 1: sees me and stops his rivet and walks over and 444 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:52,360 Speaker 1: squeezes my hand assist. Oh, so sorry, man, And like, 445 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:54,719 Speaker 1: you know, I was getting that, you know, it's like 446 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 1: almost pity. And I think I had to go to 447 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:01,480 Speaker 1: a great extent. I know I did. I stayed drunk, 448 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,080 Speaker 1: and then after that I stayed drugged to get away 449 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:09,360 Speaker 1: from pity feeling sorry for me, you know, And so 450 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:12,560 Speaker 1: I get to feeling sorry for myself. I don't know. 451 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:15,719 Speaker 1: So imagine if like the one thing that you were 452 00:30:15,760 --> 00:30:19,040 Speaker 1: getting your momentum on just got pulled from you, and 453 00:30:19,040 --> 00:30:21,560 Speaker 1: then everyone's like, oh, that's so bad, almost as if 454 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 1: also it's like everyone was like your career is over, 455 00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: and maybe almost like he wants to shout I'm not dead, 456 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:30,520 Speaker 1: and also I thought this, but maybe I'm wrong. But 457 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:32,840 Speaker 1: they would also be like, I don't want this. I 458 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 1: don't show your pity and love for him, don't don't 459 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: put it to me. Meter would go on to say 460 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: that he seemed to be a living reminder of a tragedy. 461 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 1: It's worth remembering that in November of nine, he was 462 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:49,800 Speaker 1: just twenty seven. I mean, that's usually the start of 463 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: a career. One week after the assassination, comedian Lenny Bruce 464 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,480 Speaker 1: was back on stage in New York. Bob Booker saw 465 00:30:57,560 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: him and says he remembers a moment that its since 466 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 1: become legendary. And he grabbed that microphone and he said, 467 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: boyd did Vaughan Meter get screwed? Not exactly that word, Okay, 468 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 1: and you're you're free to say it if you want 469 00:31:13,520 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: to say no, he said, boy did Vaughan Meter get fucked? 470 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,800 Speaker 1: Now the critics took him apart for this. I have 471 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,560 Speaker 1: never heard a laugh that big in a house in 472 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:29,320 Speaker 1: my life, because Lenny had the ability to say your 473 00:31:29,440 --> 00:31:34,000 Speaker 1: most inner thought in public that you would never dare say. 474 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: Everybody in the theater had thought that I had gotten 475 00:31:37,800 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: calls from people saying poor Vaughan. I said, poor Vaughan. 476 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: How about poor jack Kennedy? For Christ's sake, right, I 477 00:31:46,640 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: think about poor Vaughan. One of the best presidents we 478 00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: ever had, in my opinion, was dead assassinated. Is that 479 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,880 Speaker 1: a story? It's not about Van Meter? Gut No. Von 480 00:31:59,040 --> 00:32:04,560 Speaker 1: Meter hadn't, but he was collateral damage. Another line attributed 481 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 1: to Lenny Bruce was that they should put two graves 482 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 1: in Arlington, one for Kennedy and one for Meter. After 483 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,960 Speaker 1: the president's death, Meter wrote a condolence letter to Jackie Kennedy. 484 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 1: Although we never met, He wrote, I felt as though 485 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: I had known him all my life. I was given 486 00:32:21,760 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: by fate the ability to impersonate his voice and to 487 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,480 Speaker 1: copy his gestures. I sincerely hope that a part of 488 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,000 Speaker 1: what I did found its way to him and gave 489 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: him and his family a few pleasant moments. Yes, beautiful letter, handwritten, 490 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:41,080 Speaker 1: It's sent two different books. Actually did he get a response? 491 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:46,040 Speaker 1: She hated him. That's Van Meter's widow, Sheila. She holds 492 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: a copy of the letter. Mrs Kennedy did hate the 493 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 1: album when it first came out. She referred to meet 494 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,120 Speaker 1: her as a rat in a memo, and here's her 495 00:32:55,160 --> 00:32:59,240 Speaker 1: conversation with Arthur Schlessinger a few months after the assassination. 496 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,160 Speaker 1: What did you think of all these kits about him, 497 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: so like the First Family and so on? Do you 498 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:10,959 Speaker 1: ever listen to them? I think he listened. I'm not 499 00:33:11,000 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 1: sure he listened to all of that record. I listened 500 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:15,000 Speaker 1: to one side and then I threw it away because 501 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 1: they didn't want my children to see it, And well 502 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:21,280 Speaker 1: he wasn't, but I guess he sort of took it, 503 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,920 Speaker 1: you know. I thought it was so un fair, those things, 504 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,200 Speaker 1: She went on to say. I mean, I thought it 505 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: was so mean. I didn't care if they make fun 506 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: of me or anything, but when they make fun of 507 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 1: little children. In the year after the assassination, Meter didn't 508 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 1: disappear completely. He popped up on television a few times 509 00:33:42,200 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: in four but never again as a JFK. That same year, 510 00:33:47,480 --> 00:33:50,400 Speaker 1: he put out his own album called Have Some Nuts, 511 00:33:51,040 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: later another one called if the Shoe Fits So pick 512 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: up your phone right now and contribute, contribute the name 513 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,640 Speaker 1: of a communist and put us over the top. While 514 00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: they received some nice reviews, they just didn't sell. He 515 00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:07,760 Speaker 1: traveled the country for the next decade, But, as Sheila 516 00:34:07,840 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 1: Meter recalls, the man she called by his birth name, 517 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:15,160 Speaker 1: Abbott never found that second act. He insisted on writing 518 00:34:15,200 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 1: his own stuff, and it didn't He needed a writer, 519 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:23,320 Speaker 1: you know. That's he would never have succeeded in something 520 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:27,760 Speaker 1: like the First Family if there hadn't been an Earl 521 00:34:27,840 --> 00:34:31,040 Speaker 1: Doubt and a Bob Booker to write it. He was 522 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:35,399 Speaker 1: a delivery man. Abbot delivered, Abbot spoke. Abbot had a 523 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 1: voice that felt like warm oil was being rubbed into 524 00:34:40,280 --> 00:34:45,720 Speaker 1: your skin. It was beautiful. I mean, that sounds great. 525 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:47,840 Speaker 1: I mean there's no shame in being, as you so 526 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,359 Speaker 1: well put it, a delivery man. That's what he was. 527 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 1: So why was it he okay with that? I don't know, 528 00:34:55,640 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: I don't know. He turned to a variety of substances. 529 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:03,800 Speaker 1: Was the cocaine, There was the LSD. There was a psilocybin, 530 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: There was the the rum and coke. Was the marijuana, 531 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,799 Speaker 1: and they all had their effects, every one of them. 532 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:15,839 Speaker 1: You know, he was a different person with each one. 533 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: Why do you think he'd used so many substances escape, 534 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:28,520 Speaker 1: running away, getting getting into going toward a new life, 535 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:35,120 Speaker 1: a new reality for him. I think one of the 536 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: characters inspired by these substances was a blue bunny. Yes, 537 00:35:40,200 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: that's correct, a blue bunny. Meter also had a messianic complex, 538 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,880 Speaker 1: which led in two to a production of a Jesus 539 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: comedy album called Wait for It, The Second Coming. I 540 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,000 Speaker 1: tell parallels. Would you care to hear something? What are 541 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 1: you on? Make me laugh? I'm afraid that they are 542 00:35:59,400 --> 00:36:01,640 Speaker 1: very humor. I'll be to judge that. Run it down? 543 00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:08,360 Speaker 1: So he's playing Jesus? Is it funny? Kind? Did it 544 00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:12,960 Speaker 1: so well? He pursued his passion for honky talk music 545 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,080 Speaker 1: and even appeared in a few movies in the nineteen seventies, 546 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:21,880 Speaker 1: including the commercial flop Linda Lovelace for President. Eventually, he 547 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:24,840 Speaker 1: moved back to his home state of Maine. And you know, 548 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 1: I should apologize. I'm on television. I really should apologize 549 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:30,040 Speaker 1: to every woman that ever known me, because I really 550 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:35,919 Speaker 1: didn't know how to treat women. Something we haven't talked 551 00:36:36,000 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 1: much about is Meter's personal life. As mentioned earlier, he 552 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: was married four times. Sheila was number four. They met 553 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:48,680 Speaker 1: in the early nineteen eighties in Maine. Sheila was running 554 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: away from her own addictions when she came across a 555 00:36:51,560 --> 00:36:55,560 Speaker 1: flyer advertising von Meter playing piano at a nearby in 556 00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 1: Did you know who that was? I did, but you know, 557 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 1: it didn't really register. He was only a voice, you know, 558 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: a voice, that's all he was from that comedy album 559 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:11,839 Speaker 1: from the First Family, And I really didn't register him 560 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:18,120 Speaker 1: as a living, being, visible, touchable person. They would be 561 00:37:18,120 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: together for twenty years. She describes a controlling relationship with 562 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,319 Speaker 1: highs and lows, and a man deeply conflicted by the 563 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: thing that had once made him so famous. Was he 564 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:34,840 Speaker 1: haunted by the whole experience awful awful, awful awful, But 565 00:37:35,400 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 1: he also didn't let anybody know it. At the same 566 00:37:39,600 --> 00:37:43,160 Speaker 1: time he was letting everyone know it. He was a dichotomy. 567 00:37:43,239 --> 00:37:49,240 Speaker 1: He I've never known anyone who could be so many 568 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,160 Speaker 1: things at the same time. And as far as how 569 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,200 Speaker 1: he looked back on the First Family experience, was there 570 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 1: a dichotomy there? Was? He haunted by it. But then 571 00:37:57,680 --> 00:38:00,759 Speaker 1: also I wanted people to know he was Meter or 572 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:04,120 Speaker 1: well he did that. That's he wanted to be known 573 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:06,680 Speaker 1: as von Meter. But on the other hand, he didn't 574 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: want anything to do with von Meter. He was abbot 575 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:12,680 Speaker 1: and he wrote his music, and he entertained people, and 576 00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:16,480 Speaker 1: he played the piano and that's what he wanted. They 577 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:25,719 Speaker 1: say every man must say rejection. They say every man 578 00:38:27,600 --> 00:38:40,560 Speaker 1: let's fall. But I swear I see my reflection somewhere 579 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:48,440 Speaker 1: high upon the wall. Coming up. Von Meter as Kennedy 580 00:38:49,080 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: one final time. In February, von Meter was wintering with 581 00:39:13,680 --> 00:39:17,279 Speaker 1: friends in Florida. He seemed happy, playing piano at a 582 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:20,759 Speaker 1: local bar. He hadn't been a star for years, and 583 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:23,279 Speaker 1: then out of the blue, he got a call from 584 00:39:23,320 --> 00:39:27,960 Speaker 1: CBS producers wanted to profile Meter for a new cable 585 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:34,759 Speaker 1: show hosted by paulas on Coming Up on PS. He 586 00:39:34,960 --> 00:39:39,919 Speaker 1: sounded like JFK. He looked like JFK. It made him 587 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,160 Speaker 1: world famous. Now, while you've been listening to von meter speak, 588 00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:46,279 Speaker 1: it's important to note that back in there was a 589 00:39:46,320 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 1: producer sitting across from him asking him the questions. I 590 00:39:50,239 --> 00:39:55,800 Speaker 1: was struck immediately by his appearance. You know, full headed, 591 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:59,440 Speaker 1: gray hair and a big beard. This is Kevin Huffman. 592 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:02,279 Speaker 1: He was a young CBS producer at the time. What 593 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:04,960 Speaker 1: do you think his self image was when you were 594 00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:08,640 Speaker 1: sitting there. Oh, he was one of the least confident people. 595 00:40:09,120 --> 00:40:11,799 Speaker 1: You know, it's all this bravado like. On the one hand, 596 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:14,280 Speaker 1: he's aggressive, and if you look at you know, the tape, 597 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:17,919 Speaker 1: sometimes he looks at me. And I watched it just now, 598 00:40:17,960 --> 00:40:21,279 Speaker 1: and I could see the aggression on his side, like, 599 00:40:21,400 --> 00:40:24,839 Speaker 1: you know, what are you going to ask me next? Um? 600 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: You know, I've got my story to tell and I'm 601 00:40:28,280 --> 00:40:30,960 Speaker 1: not quite confident here. But I also noticed that when 602 00:40:31,040 --> 00:40:34,360 Speaker 1: he does go into bits, his eyes darted around a 603 00:40:34,360 --> 00:40:37,359 Speaker 1: little bit, like he's looking for an audience, very much 604 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:41,360 Speaker 1: like the camera crew, you know, behind me, or a 605 00:40:41,440 --> 00:40:45,600 Speaker 1: part of the audience, you know. When he finally kind 606 00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,319 Speaker 1: of shed the act, that's when I felt like I 607 00:40:48,360 --> 00:40:51,400 Speaker 1: was starting to get to the real guy. She'll revealed 608 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:54,880 Speaker 1: to me the reason for her husband's weariness, his defensiveness. 609 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:59,759 Speaker 1: What do you remember from when CBS came down to 610 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:06,600 Speaker 1: you an interview of him in Florida. His disappointment meter 611 00:41:06,719 --> 00:41:09,800 Speaker 1: had boasted to Sheila and his friends that TV anchor 612 00:41:09,880 --> 00:41:12,360 Speaker 1: Paula is On would be coming down to do the interview. 613 00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:16,000 Speaker 1: When he opened the door to find Kevin, I think 614 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:19,800 Speaker 1: that broke his heart. Broke his heart, it did, It 615 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:24,680 Speaker 1: embarrassed him, and he didn't tolerate embarrassment. What happened at 616 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:28,600 Speaker 1: the end of the interview, This was sad Um. You 617 00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:31,440 Speaker 1: know we I think towards the end of the interviews 618 00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,239 Speaker 1: when I asked him to do the voice, and which 619 00:41:34,320 --> 00:41:38,000 Speaker 1: I felt was kind of a big moment for him, 620 00:41:38,040 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 1: like him doing the voice to me was like a 621 00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:46,960 Speaker 1: really cathartic and possibly damaging things. I don't know, it 622 00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 1: messed him up. I want to play this moment in 623 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:54,960 Speaker 1: its entirety because more than anywhere else you can hear 624 00:41:55,000 --> 00:42:00,080 Speaker 1: what a struggle it was just being von Meter me 625 00:42:00,200 --> 00:42:02,399 Speaker 1: doing my jobs. I didn't ask you if you would 626 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 1: do the voice for you wouldn't be doing your job. 627 00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:11,719 Speaker 1: I'd have to think of a clever line. Why do 628 00:42:11,800 --> 00:42:15,480 Speaker 1: the voice? You know, save up that voice? All these years, 629 00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:18,600 Speaker 1: and we did not have a punch line, not have 630 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:22,000 Speaker 1: the line to use the voice for no. Look at 631 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:25,640 Speaker 1: the brain. The brain doesn't react to do it, just 632 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:29,320 Speaker 1: shuts off the switch. Am my on and off? Switch 633 00:42:29,320 --> 00:42:31,680 Speaker 1: went on? Somebody used to do the voice. My switch 634 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:43,839 Speaker 1: went off. I can't, No, I can't. Two years ago 635 00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:48,600 Speaker 1: and conquered Massachusetts. A shot was fired that was heard 636 00:42:48,640 --> 00:42:55,640 Speaker 1: around the world. Thirty something years ago, in Dallas, Texas, 637 00:42:56,239 --> 00:42:58,880 Speaker 1: another shot was fired that was heard around the world. 638 00:42:59,840 --> 00:43:03,840 Speaker 1: The first bullet fired from the conquered bridge signaled the 639 00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:08,279 Speaker 1: birth of the American Spirit. The second bullet fired from 640 00:43:08,280 --> 00:43:13,160 Speaker 1: the Texas Book Depository attempted to win that spirit, and 641 00:43:13,200 --> 00:43:15,960 Speaker 1: we have seen in the last thirty something he is 642 00:43:16,880 --> 00:43:24,279 Speaker 1: how nearly successful that second bullet was. Mhm. But in 643 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 1: the final analysis, there is no bullet, There is no bomb. 644 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:31,760 Speaker 1: There is no power on the face of this earth 645 00:43:32,160 --> 00:43:38,840 Speaker 1: that can destroy the American Spirit. Maybe he'd say something 646 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 1: like that. I don't know. It's not funny what he's 647 00:43:50,680 --> 00:43:55,440 Speaker 1: saying here. It's a little bit dark, but it's also thoughtful, 648 00:43:55,880 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 1: kind of deep, even I don't know, optimistic. A totally 649 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:07,000 Speaker 1: different jfk impersonation once again, Anthony and Tamanik. It was 650 00:44:07,040 --> 00:44:08,759 Speaker 1: interesting because in a weird way, I watched it and 651 00:44:08,840 --> 00:44:12,840 Speaker 1: aligned with it. I was like, oh, it's you. You. 652 00:44:12,840 --> 00:44:16,600 Speaker 1: You are doing the same thing. You're using this vessel 653 00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:22,040 Speaker 1: to make a greater point, right, so we you know. 654 00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:26,600 Speaker 1: We wrapped up the interview and he got up immediately 655 00:44:27,360 --> 00:44:29,440 Speaker 1: and I followed him. But he went right into the 656 00:44:29,520 --> 00:44:34,400 Speaker 1: kitchen and grabbed a court of vodka, cracked opened the 657 00:44:34,480 --> 00:44:39,239 Speaker 1: lid and just started jugging. He said, look, I needed this, 658 00:44:39,400 --> 00:44:43,840 Speaker 1: you know, I couldn't um, I got through your whole interview. 659 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:47,040 Speaker 1: I did everything, but this is you know, I have 660 00:44:47,160 --> 00:44:54,879 Speaker 1: to do this. I wasn't judging him. I can't help 661 00:44:54,880 --> 00:44:57,680 Speaker 1: but wonder if Van Meter would have been better off 662 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:01,319 Speaker 1: if he'd never discovered he could imitate Kenna. But what 663 00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:05,239 Speaker 1: do I know? Maybe after a very tough childhood he 664 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:07,440 Speaker 1: was simply faded to have a rough go of it 665 00:45:07,480 --> 00:45:11,640 Speaker 1: in life. If you could get into a time machine 666 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,960 Speaker 1: and you could go back to the moment that he's 667 00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,960 Speaker 1: approached by Bob Booker and Earl Dowd to do the 668 00:45:17,960 --> 00:45:20,200 Speaker 1: first Family album, what would you tell him as a 669 00:45:20,239 --> 00:45:23,000 Speaker 1: time traveler from the future, Do it, dear, and I'll 670 00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:26,440 Speaker 1: be right here. I'll be in the background. No one 671 00:45:26,440 --> 00:45:28,839 Speaker 1: will see me, no one will hear me, but I'll 672 00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:32,400 Speaker 1: be here for you, I would say, do it sure? 673 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:45,600 Speaker 1: Why not? That Van Meter interview from was the last 674 00:45:45,680 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 1: the public would hear from him. He died six years 675 00:45:49,040 --> 00:45:55,239 Speaker 1: later on October four, just one day after my father died. 676 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,360 Speaker 1: Pop always talked about the time before Kennedy was shot 677 00:46:00,040 --> 00:46:03,120 Speaker 1: is a more innocent time. He heard the news on 678 00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:06,359 Speaker 1: the car radio and pulled the light blue VW bug 679 00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:09,320 Speaker 1: he was driving the first car my parents ever owned 680 00:46:09,960 --> 00:46:13,560 Speaker 1: over to the side of the road and wept. It 681 00:46:13,640 --> 00:46:17,120 Speaker 1: was a different time, one where the presidency was held 682 00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:20,560 Speaker 1: in such regard that von Meter would end his routine 683 00:46:20,680 --> 00:46:23,120 Speaker 1: with the assurance that it was all in good fun. 684 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:26,440 Speaker 1: We're never going back to that time, and I'm not 685 00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:29,880 Speaker 1: saying we should try, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't 686 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:35,400 Speaker 1: pay our respects, not just a van Meter, but also 687 00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:40,399 Speaker 1: to that time before that horrible day. So I want 688 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:43,799 Speaker 1: to end this mobituary with some sound from near the 689 00:46:43,920 --> 00:46:50,600 Speaker 1: end of the First Family album Sweet, Disarmingly Innocent and 690 00:46:50,760 --> 00:47:01,680 Speaker 1: yes funny, Oh no, everybody taking it together with Biguinness. 691 00:47:01,960 --> 00:47:33,480 Speaker 1: Yeah next time. On Mobituaries TV sitcom deaths and Disappearances, 692 00:47:34,080 --> 00:47:37,759 Speaker 1: they did not have room in the writing for the 693 00:47:37,840 --> 00:47:43,640 Speaker 1: older brother, because the fans became the older brother. I 694 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:46,920 Speaker 1: certainly hope you enjoyed your first mobile Be sure to 695 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:50,600 Speaker 1: rate and review our podcast. You can also follow Mobituaries 696 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:53,400 Speaker 1: on Facebook and Instagram, and you can follow me on 697 00:47:53,440 --> 00:47:57,759 Speaker 1: Twitter at Morocca. For more great content, including video of 698 00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:01,799 Speaker 1: the older vond Meter, please visit mobituaries dot com. You 699 00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:09,640 Speaker 1: can subscribe to Mobituaries wherever you get your podcasts. This 700 00:48:09,719 --> 00:48:14,160 Speaker 1: episode of Mobituaries was produced by Megan Marcus. Our team 701 00:48:14,160 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 1: of producers also includes Gideon Evans, Kate mccauliffe, Megan Dietree, 702 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:22,400 Speaker 1: and me Morocca. It was edited by Kate mccaulliffe and 703 00:48:22,560 --> 00:48:28,759 Speaker 1: engineered by David Herman. Indispensable support from Genius Tensky, Kira Wardlow, 704 00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:33,000 Speaker 1: Zach Gilcrest, Richard Warrer, the team at CBS News Radio, 705 00:48:33,320 --> 00:48:37,840 Speaker 1: the JFK Presidential Library, and Joe Allessie at the CBS 706 00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:42,920 Speaker 1: News Archives. Our theme music is written by Daniel Hart and, 707 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:47,120 Speaker 1: as always, undying thanks to Rand Morrison and John carp 708 00:48:47,560 --> 00:49:07,160 Speaker 1: without whom Mobituaries couldn't live. Hi, It's mo. If you're 709 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:11,080 Speaker 1: enjoying Mobituaries the podcast, may I invite you to check 710 00:49:11,120 --> 00:49:15,640 Speaker 1: out Mobituaries the book. It's chock full of stories not 711 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:19,360 Speaker 1: in the podcast. Celebrities who put their butts on the line, 712 00:49:19,800 --> 00:49:23,600 Speaker 1: sports teams that threw in the towel for good, forgotten fashions, 713 00:49:23,840 --> 00:49:29,040 Speaker 1: defunct diagnoses, presidential candidacies that cratered whole countries that went 714 00:49:29,160 --> 00:49:33,040 Speaker 1: to put and dragons, Yes, dragons, you see. People used 715 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:36,560 Speaker 1: to believe the dragons will real until just get the book. 716 00:49:36,880 --> 00:49:40,400 Speaker 1: You can order Mobituaries the book from any online bookseller, 717 00:49:40,600 --> 00:49:43,359 Speaker 1: or stop by your local bookstore and look for me 718 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:46,440 Speaker 1: when I come to your city. Tour information and lots 719 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:52,360 Speaker 1: more at mobituaries dot com