“When I was a young boy in Catholic school, we would
have had to go to confession after watching Beyonce's half-time show.”—Political
satirist Mark Russell, quoted in “The Laughter of Politics: Mark Russell,” MBA
Business Magazine, May 2013 issue
Comedian Mark Russell was born 85 years ago today in Buffalo, NY. A graduate of Canisius
High School, he went on, after a stint in the Marines, to trod the comedy
circuit, becoming especially well-known for his hilarious PBS specials over three
decades beginning in 1975. There, frequently turning to his piano, he performed
one musical parody after another, an equal opportunity offender in skewering
both political parties.
Over a decade ago, I had the pleasure of seeing
Russell offstage, on his birthday. A resident of Chautauqua, NY, he came by
that day to visit a friend who owned an inn on the grounds at the Chautauqua
Institution, where I was staying. The friend surprised him with a large birthday
cake, and the group of us staying at the inn then serenaded him with “Happy
Birthday.” What struck me was the genuine warmth he transmitted to those around
him.
For the last several years, Russell has been retired, emerging for the occasional benefit appearance. I suspect that he finds the current political environment and the venom associated with it uncongenial to his style of gentle ribbing.
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