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University Daily Kansan
Monday, Nov. 18, 1963
CURRENT JOKES—Comedian Dick Gregory checks the news service wire for current events Saturday night before going on stage at Hoch Auditorium. Gregory was in the KUOK news room before he was interviewed prior to his performance. In the background is one of the local photographers.
Gregory Says Kennedy Prolongs Civil Rights By "Playing Politics"
By Rose Ellen Osborne
(Assistant Managing Editor)
Integration is no joke but when Negro comedian Dick Gregory talks about the civil rights everybody laughs.
Yet Gregory is the first to admit that humor is not the answer to the America's race problems.
"WHEN I WAS in Birmingham, I didn't tell jokes," Gregory said in an interview before his performance Saturday night at KU.
He said the race situation is improving, but not fast enough.
"A few years ago I gave a man a dollar. He gave me back 42 cents. Now he gives me back 63 cents, but I'm still getting cheated."
the comedian said his brother Ron Gregory had turned down a track scholarship to KU in favor of Notre Dame because his family had heard rumors of a race problem at KU.
"We can't elect a President, but we can keep one out of office. We can't elect a Kennedy. But we can keep a Nixon out of office," he said.
Gregory picked Nixon over Goldwater as the 1964 Republican Presidential nominee. He said the little man in America doesn't know who Goldwater is.
PULLING AN autographed photograph of President Kennedy out of his suitcase, Gregory criticized the President for prolonging the situation by not taking a firmer stand on civil rights and "playing politics" with the Negro vote.
"THE LITTLE MAN votes five or six times for the educated man's one vote."
"We're voting for the lesser of two evils. This guy won't give us civil rights. That guy won't take them away.
But Gregory doesn't doubt Gold-water's appeal to the Democrats.
"Did you ever see a man raise as much hell as Goldwater, and not one Democrat opens his mouth? The man is too radical. His nomination would be the greatest thing that ever happen to the Democrats.
Gregory said Goldwater's only contribution to the civil rights cause was $400 that he gave to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
"Even a shoeshine boy gives more than that." he said.
GREGORY CALLED Attorney General Bobby Kennedy the strongest backer of civil rights since Abraham Lincoln.
"And they say Lincoln just wanted to preserve the Union, but he got that shackle off my leg."
A social satirist, Gregory reads a bundle of newspapers each day for material for his shows. He lambasts everything from American Medical Association to the government.
"If Christ came to America to heal the sick, the AMA would lynch him. If he turned water into wine without paying taxes the government would have him arrested for bootlegging.
"The government keeps Martin Luther King in jail. And Malcom (Black Muslim leader) can't get arrested."
The 31-year-old performer commented on many of the problems facing the Negro today.
- Medical care to the aged: "If we can't get a young healthy Negro into the University of Mississippi, how can wet get an old one into a veterans' hospital?"
- Negro education: "You forced me (the southern Negro) to come North to get my education instead of going to a bad Ole Miss."
- Negro crime: "Valachi never mentioned one Negro's name. It makes me think we aren't doing our share."
The Gregory approach to comedy on stage is sophisticated and fresh. But often in his discussion of the race problems he resorts to the imagery of a country preacher.
"We have a callous around our soul," he said. "If I have a corn on my foot and I go to the best doctors to have it taken off, it comes right back if I put it back in the same shoe," he said referring to the summer's racial demonstrations.
"When the American white man looks at the Negro, he's looking in the mirror," Gregory said.
Skousen entered the FBI in 1935 while he was a law student at George Washington University. He served in various parts of the United States as
Skousen's appearance is sponsored by the Dorsey-Liberty Post No. 14 of the American Legion. There will be no admission charge for the program.
FBI Agent To Review Anti-Red Book Tonight
W. Cleon Skousen, an ex-Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and author of the anti-Communist book "The Naked Communist" will speak on the "Communitist World Outlook" at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Lawrence Community building.
Official Bulletin
a special agent and during World War II was appointed to an administrative position at the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
He left the FBI in 1951. At present he is editorial director of Law and Order, the most widely distributed police magazine in the United States.
TODAY
Interviews; Teachers, k-hs, Los Angeles Schools, mid-year and Sept. 64 vacancies. Mr. Barclay, Nov. 20, 8:30-5 p.m., 117 Bailey.
Undergrad. Psychology and Anthropology Clubs, 7:30 p.m., Flame Room, Dine-Mite. "Anthropological approach to the study of Mental Hospitalis"-Dr.
Graduate Discussion Group, 7:30 p.m.
St. Lawrence Chapel, 1910 Stratford Road. Rev. Thomas B. Woodward, Episcopal campus minister will speak.
TOMORROW
A. S.C., 7 p.m., Sunflower Room, Kansas, Union.
Inquiry Forum, 7 p.m. St. Lawrence Catholic Student Center, 1915 Stratford
Chancery Club, 7.15 p.m. Moot Court
Room. Attn: Attorney General
Western Civ. Extra Lecture, 7:30 p.m.
Museum of Art Lecture Room. "The Seventeenth Century"—Profs. Nellick and Ouplin. Dent of English.
Western Civ. Discussion, 9 p.m. St.
Marymount Student Center, 1912
Straight Road.
BO DIDDLEY
Dance & Show
Recording Artist
BO DIDDLEY
The Duchess and Jerom
Just Back from Europe
Wednesday, Nov. 20th
7:00 p.m.
Big Barn
Everyone Welcome
Fabulous Flippers
Featuring the
THE BIG PARTY BEFORE THE BIG GAME
KU-MU PRE-PARTY
Friday, Nov. 22
at the
BIG BARN 9-12 p.m.
Tickets available at the door or from campus representative.
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