Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Remembering Mort Sahl, a trailblazing comedian

Remembering Mort Sahl, a trailblazing comedian
Mort Sahl explains politics - 1967

Mort Sahl arrived on the comedy scene in the 1950s, well before his time, using comedy to express uncomfortable truths about politicians, society and his audiences.

He died Tuesday at his home in Mill Valley, Calif., at the age of 94.

He made us laugh at the absurdity of what he saw as a political circus. He called attention to the misinformation and the posturing amongst politicians. He understood like few others the low level of discourse and understanding that politicians exhibited on a daily basis.


He saw it all as a charade: the dishonesty, misleading statements and ethical lapses. He saw the hypocrisy and called out politicians for their lack of accountability, for the promises unkept and for the disregard for their less powerful constituents.

In 1955 Sahl recorded "At Sunset," which has been added to the National Registry at the Library of Congress. As noted in the archive:"Mort Sahl ventured very far from the clownish mother-in-law joke or such vaudevillian patter." His groundbreaking album is described as "a well-pun pastiche of sophisticated ideas, an understated celebration of free-speech, and a tightly packed time capsule of mid-fifties lore."

In the more naive and peaceful 1950s, Sahl was a shock to the system and laid the groundwork for comedians of the future like Lenny Bruce, Dick Gregory, Jonathan Winters, Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Sign up for The Fulcrum newsletter

In a society awash in social and political dysfunction, in which reality in many ways differs from the ideals of our Founding Fathers, comedy is still used to confront us and to effectively to open our minds and, yes, to make us laugh.

Sahl's one-liners from the '50s survive the test of time:

"There's a danger our fiscal bankruptcy might overtake our moral bankruptcy."

"If you maintain a consistent political position long enough, you'll eventually be accused of treason."

Sahl was an equal opportunity offender being equally offensive at times to those on the left as to those on the right.

Surely conservatives are offended by: "Liberals feel unworthy of their possessions. Conservatives feel they deserve everything they've stolen."

And progressives by: "Now that Obama is at war in a third country, does that mean he has to give back his Nobel Peace Prize?"

Comedy certainly can separate and divide us, as we have seen through many examples in the news today. Dave Chappelle's jokes about the LGBTQ community in his recent Netflix comedy special was deeply offensive and exemplified the potential for comedy to feed hate and to divide us as Americans.

At its best comedy can engage and inform and encourage us to unite as Americans.

Stewart, the satirist made famous as host of "The Daily Show", was the Mort Sahl of his time, with his form of no-holds-barred satire on his generation. Stewart famously said, "I'm not going to censor myself to comfort your ignorance." A strong statement indeed that in many ways embodies Sahl's work.

Mort Sahl famously joked through all the criticism bestowed upon him that "My life needs editing." Dead at the age of 94, but his legacy lives on. Relive the satirical uniqueness of Mort Sahl as he explains politics in 1967 and decide for yourself if his life needs editing.

Read More

Megan Thee Stallion in front of an audience waving "Kamala" signs

Singer Megan Thee Stallion performs at a Kamala Harris rally in Atlanta on July 30.

Julia Beverly/Getty Images

Do Charli XCX’s and Kid Rock’s endorsements make a difference? 19% of young people admit they might.

Longoria is an associate professor of political science at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

British pop star Charli XCX sent many young people’s group text chats and social media feeds wild when she endorsed Kamala Harris by playing off a term she coined in a song, and posted on X, that “kamala IS brat.”

While this endorsement, which happened in July 2024, likely means very little to most adults who don’t follow the singer’s music, it is considered high praise among young people. Harris’ campaign astutely embraced Charli XCX’s support – temporarily changing the background of its X profile to the same shade of lime green that Charlie XCX favors.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jay-Z on stage

Hip-hop legend Jay-Z performs at a 2012 rally for President Barack Obama, who changed how politicans connect with pop culture icons.

Brooks Kraft LLC/Corbis via Getty Images

From Rock the Vote to TikTok: Pop culture’s political influence

Johnson is a United Methodist pastor, the author of "Holding Up Your Corner: Talking About Race in Your Community" and program director for the Bridge Alliance, which houses The Fulcrum.

In 1992, a young Bill Clinton tried to connect with Generation X by joking around and soulfully playing the sax on “The Arsenio Hall Show.” It was a game-changer that forever shifted how presidential candidates court younger voters.

Nowadays, it's not about late-night talk shows but about getting attention on social media platforms like TikTok. The relationship between pop culture and politics has evolved with each generation, keeping pace with the changing times and new technologies. It's crucial to understand this evolution and what it means for how future generations will engage with politics.

Keep ReadingShow less
Simone Biles
Tom Weller/VOIGT/GettyImages

Simone Biles wins gold in life’s balancing act

Lockard is an Iowa resident who regularly contributes to regional newspapers and periodicals. She is working on the second of a four-book fictional series based on Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice."

The closing ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will take place this Sunday, Aug. 11. Officially called the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, they have provided a thrilling spectacle, a glimpse of the world together and on its best behavior.

Team USA’s Simone Biles will leave the City of Lights with an additional four Olympic medals, three gold (the team event, all around and vault) plus a silver in floor exercise, bringing her Olympic treasure trove to 11. Added to her 30 world championship medals, Biles is the most decorated gymnast ever. With five awe-inspiring skills named for her, she dominates the sport — truly the Greatest of All Time.

Keep ReadingShow less
Man in red and blue outfit walking in front of the Capitol.

Tony Zorc is bringing is "Congressman Curly" show to Washington, D.C.

Tony Zorc

Congressman Curly brings rockin' comedy to democracy

The Fulcrum has published many writings over the years about how pop culture in America has amazing healing and connecting powers. Our nation’s history is rich with examples of how artists, entertainers, athletes and creators of every kind invite us into a space of transcendence that leads to connectivity. We see that when we join people together their energy can be harnessed for good, and then amplified and scaled.

Certainly comedy fits in perfectly. Laughter is the embodiment of depolarization. Just consider that in order for something to evoke laughter, it has to have the capacity to both hold tension and release tension at the same time.

Keep ReadingShow less