SPECIAL FEATURE:
IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN: GROUCHO MARX
BY BOB WISEMAN
The Rusty Toque | Special Feature | In the Public Domain | January 7, 2014
In our first special feature to The Rusty Toque, songwriter Bob Wiseman writes a timely essay about censorship for our In the Public Domain series and shares a track from his recent album Giulietta Masina at the Oscars Crying (2013).
There is a letter in the public archive that Groucho Marx wrote to Warner Brothers in response to a legal challenge made by Warner Brothers about the film A Night In Cassablanca.
“Groucho Marx’s letter to Warner Brothers” on Internet Archive:
“Groucho Marx’s letter to Warner Brothers” on Internet Archive:
Dear Warner Bros., |
The letter is amazing and made me laugh out loud. I thought about Canadian scientists or just ordinary awake citizens (extraordinary in these times) writing to Prime Minister Stephen Harper about the legacy of shame and intimidation brought to the present by his extremely dirty work including de-funding the Experimental Lakes Program and ending the long-form census, bringing a halt to evidence-based science because it interferes with business interests—you know, like ones that might be restricted because, say, oh I don't know, they pollute. Perhaps making people laugh is a reliable way to get them to do the right thing. I don't know for sure, but smarter people than me arrived at this conclusion long ago. Then again, maybe it's just a way to keep your dignity in the face of severe bullshit, maybe both.
I admired the fact that in Groucho's school the way to fight the madness of autocracy is to demonstrate notions that are equally insane. You claim that you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without permission. What about "Warner Brothers"? Do you own that too?
You probably have the right to use the name “Warner,” but what about the name “Brothers”? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were. Unfortunately when I dug a little deeper, I discovered this hilarious letter was not actually based on any real threat from Warner Brothers. It was just a hand-drawn story by the man with a painted mustache. But dammit I still hate Stephen Harper, so I found myself looking up another amazing funny person who knew first hand about censorship. Bill Hicks.
I admired the fact that in Groucho's school the way to fight the madness of autocracy is to demonstrate notions that are equally insane. You claim that you own Casablanca and that no one else can use that name without permission. What about "Warner Brothers"? Do you own that too?
You probably have the right to use the name “Warner,” but what about the name “Brothers”? Professionally, we were brothers long before you were. Unfortunately when I dug a little deeper, I discovered this hilarious letter was not actually based on any real threat from Warner Brothers. It was just a hand-drawn story by the man with a painted mustache. But dammit I still hate Stephen Harper, so I found myself looking up another amazing funny person who knew first hand about censorship. Bill Hicks.
Bill Hicks
On Internet Archive, I found the last video interview he gave before dying at 32 of pancreatic cancer. He had just done his last appearance on the David Letterman show but was censored because of the pro-life joke he made. He noticed later that there was a pro-life advertisement on the episode and concluded, no doubt correctly, that the two were linked. Though he was told it was CBS that removed his routine because it didn't meet their standards, it was in fact Letterman who made the judgment probably because of who his advertisers were. Be that as it may, Letterman invited Hicks's mother to view the footage later.
The actual Letterman performance 15 years later can be viewed on YouTube.
As Bill Hicks followed his muse, he arrived in a place where to make comedy meant telling the truth, and it cost him.
The actual Letterman performance 15 years later can be viewed on YouTube.
As Bill Hicks followed his muse, he arrived in a place where to make comedy meant telling the truth, and it cost him.
Live Phone In: You've become one of those visionary comics like Mort Sahl, Lenny Bruce. |
Bill Hicks’s last interview from Internet Archive:
GIULIETTA MASINA AT THE OSCARS CRYING (2013)
featuring the song "[email protected]" about actress Tracy Wright.
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Enjoy the track "[email protected]" from Bob Wiseman's latest album Giulietta Masina at the Oscars Crying (2013)
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Bob Wiseman
Photo by Christa Treadwell |
