Remembering a comedian

It was sixty years ago on Aug. 15, 1935, that aviator Wiley Post and

beloved humorist Will Rogers went down in a plane crash outside of

Barrow, Alaska.

Post was the one-eyed flier who set circumnavigation and distance

records throughout the ‘20s and ‘30s. He lost his eye in an oil field

accident and used the settlement money to buy his first airplane.

Post was known everywhere for the dashing patch he wore over his

eye.

But it was the loss of Rogers that stunned and saddened the

country most. Rogers was a part-Cherokee, Oklahoma ranch kid who quit

school in the 10th grade. He had attended a military school for two

years (“One in the guardhouse and one in the 4th grade”), but

schooling wasn’t for him.

He regretted never finishing, however, and spent the rest of his

life reading everything he could get his hands on. (“I read about

eight newspapers a day. When I’m in a town with only one newspaper, I

read it eight times.”)

Fortunately for us, a former slave taught him how to use a lasso,

and it was his brilliance at that skill that eventually led him to

stardom. He was listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for

throwing three lassos at once -- one got the horse’s neck, one got

the rider, and the third swooped up under the horse’s legs.

He was soon on the rodeo and vaudeville circuit and made it to the

big-time in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1916.

But it wasn’t the rope tricks that he gained his greatest fame

for. While showing off his skill with a noose, Rogers began to offer

up some homespun philosophy and views of the world that are still

laugh-out-loud funny. This led to radio shows, newspaper columns (he

wrote more than 4,000 of them), books, movies, Broadway and the

friendship of presidents and other world leaders.

He even ran for president in 1928 as a joke, representing the Anti

Bunk Party.

“Things will get better -- despite our efforts to improve them.”

“A fool and his money are soon elected.”

“I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.”

“There ought to be one day -- just one -- when there is open

season on senators.”

“Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money

even to be defeated.”

“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians

seriously and the politicians as a joke.”

“I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the

facts.”

There are several good books in the library about the endearing

and witty Rogers. You can read “American Original: A Life of Will

Rogers” by Ray Robinson, and “Will Rogers: A Biography” by Ben Yagoda

to find out about his fascinating life.

For the words of Rogers himself, there is “Will Rogers’ World:

America’s Foremost Political Humorist Comments on the Twenties and

Thirties -- and and Nineties,” “A Will Rogers Treasury: Reflections

and Observations” and “The Papers of Will Rogers: The Early Years.”

Not all his films are available, but the library also has

“Doubting Thomas” and “A Connecticut Yankee” on videotape, so you can

see the man in action and understand why the country so mourned his

loss.

His gentle humor, trenchant observations and plain language

touched the heart of America and stung not a few politicians.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Sara Barnicle. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

o7https://www.newportbeach library.orgf7. For more information

please contact the Newport Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800,

option 2.