Political Activism
Following Kennedy's assassination in 1963, Sahl's interest in who was behind it was so great that he became a deputized member of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison's team to investigate the murder. As a result, Sahl's comedy began to reflect his politics and included readings and commentary on the Warren Commission Report. His earlier anti-Kennedy jokes and his onstage tirades against the Warren Commission alienated much of his audience. He was effectively blacklisted and his shows were cancelled. Sahl's income dropped from US$1 million to US$19,000 a year. (According to the Inflation Calculator of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, $19,000 in 1964 was the equivalent of $134,000 in 2008.) However, the rising tide of counterculture fueled his comeback.
In the 1988 presidential election, Sahl was the most prominent supporter of unsuccessful candidate Alexander Haig.
Read more about this topic: Mort Sahl
Famous quotes containing the word political:
“My father was a statesman, I’m a political woman. My father was a saint. I’m not.”
—Indira Gandhi (1917–1984)