Contemporary Parodies of the Kennedys :The First Family
A comedy album is always a good idea, right?
If you read the newsletter about my Kennedy memorabilia collection, you’ll see I didn’t get to a final portion of what I wanted to cover because of size constraints. However, this turned out to be a good thing. The following topic deserves its own space.
We’re going to be talking about parodies of John F. Kennedy and his family.
Nowadays if you wanna poke fun at JFK, the usual choices are his accent, his inability to keep his pants on, and/or dying.
But during his presidency the options were a little more varied (and polite). The accent, too many football games, he’s handsome (oh no!), his wife wants to redecorate the White House, his huge family…
And of course, let’s not forget the nepotism! More on that next time.
Now for a little history lesson.
Don’t be a comedian with one joke.
This is a comedy album I found in the record section of my local antique store (The place is a goldmine). The First Family stars comedian Vaughn Meader as JFK. And did I mention it’s a musical?
I was first aware of The First Family as a young teen. My parents were listeners of old time radio, and it popped up one day during a car ride. I remember asking if it was made before or after the assassination.
The album is uh, not great. Even without the real world implications hanging over it, The First Family isn’t that funny. It’s just awkward. If you wish to experience the cringe yourself, it can be listened to here.
Vaughn Meader was an American comedian from Maine. He had some early showbiz success as a musician, but it was his uncanny impressions of JFK that made him a hit. He only needed to tweak his Mainer accent to sound like the president. He appeared on popular television shows of the era, including The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jack Parr Program, and The Andy Williams Show.
Meader teamed up with writers Bob Booker and Earle Dowd to record The First Family on October 22, 1962. Yes, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. If the world’s about to end, you might as well have fun. Meader was joined by Naomi Brossart as Jackie. Brossart does not seem to have done much outside of her appearance here. Norma MacMillan (Also known as the voice of Casper, and had a long voice acting career) played “The Daughter.”
What did the Kennedys think of The First Family? Like a real politician, JFK was diplomatic about it. At a press conference he was asked if the album had brought “annoyment or enjoyment.” He replied, “I listened to Mr. Meader's record and, frankly, I thought it sounded more like Teddy than it did me. So, now he's annoyed.”
Jackie Kennedy, however, is said to have hated it because it parodied her children. I can’t say that I blame her.
The First Family was a huge hit. The album sold 1.2 million copies in its first two weeks, ultimately selling 7.5 million copies. It would also win album of the year at the 1963 Grammy awards in May of that year. In an extremely short timespan, Meader had the success that creatives can only dream of. But the rug would be violently yanked out from under his feet on November 22, 1963.
Meader found out about the assassination when he thought his cab driver was telling him a joke about Kennedy in Dallas. A radio news bulletin confirmed Kennedy’s murder not long after.
That night, fellow comedian Lenny Bruce took the stage with a moment of a silence for the dead president, and then started his set saying, “Boy, is Vaughn Meader fucked.”
(If The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel reaches 1963, I hope that they show this. Luke Kirby is far too good as Lenny Bruce to pass it up.*)
And fucked he was. Meader’s career never recovered post-assassination. Albums were pulled. Television appearances were canceled or destroyed. Finding new work was difficult, as he was too closely associated with his JFK impersonation. His other comedy albums bombed, and a once promising career was basically over.
Meader would quietly continue to work in show business for the rest of his life. He later returned to Maine and managed a club. He died at the age of 68 on October 29, 2004.
At some point Bill Hader was attached to star in a biopic about Meader by filmmaker Robert Siegel. I personally think it would’ve been a good casting choice. However, this was announced in 2011, and time has clearly marched on with no signs of this being further developed.
I feel bad for Meader. But pop culture is always shifting, and humor often ages like milk. Usually this happens over years and not in one terrible afternoon.
I guess a moral for this story is it’s best to wear many hats in your career.
* I’ve been enjoying The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and I was very pleased when Abe Weissman went off on how much he hates Joseph P. Kennedy. Abe is now an honorary friend of the newsletter.
Next Time: Mort Drucker’s JFK Coloring Book.