Mark Russell Comedy Special, April 1988 (1/3) 

Can't believe he didn't play The Trading Gap Shuffle or The Deficit Rag

"With his horn rimmed glasses, bow tie and middle class mien, Mark Russell looks like everyone's accountant."

Something reminded me of this guy just now and I can't believe I actually was able to recall his name after all these decades. Quite a performer.

Happy 90th Birthday Mark Russell

R.I.P. (8/23/1932 - 3/30/2023) - political satire will never be the same.

What a genius--a great mentor. May the God of Peace send Peace to all of his survivors that mourn, and comfort all of the bereaved.

In memory of Political Satirist Mark Russell. 1932-2023

@3:42 - "The vice-presidency is not a pie; that is a Twinkie!"

RIP to a real one

Great man, father and grandfather.

I miss comedy like this lol

RIP Mark. My dad was a big fan.

PLEAZZZZEE somebody tell me where can I find episodes from the classic years(1976-1981) when Mark Russell hosted SHOWTIME at the APOLLO???...Every Saturday night those years, the routine was hit the club by 8pm, get our groove on till about 930, and by 10ish make final decision on which foxes were gonna be riding with us back to my friend Big Andre's place up on the west side,...and like clockwork, business began in bed at 11pm, and 5 mins before midnight, we'd adjourn, lay back and stretch out your legs, and back those days, there wasn't t no remote control nothing So you had be quick like slick, and before ya girl falls asleep and be in snooze, youd tell her 'Get yo sleepy ass up girl, and turn the dial to PBS!' ....Then Tom Lehrer would come on Live from the Apollo, and some of the stuff he'd say, would have that theater shaking and rocking, that your TV would vibrate! Tom Lehrer would do a Soul Train kinda dance line thing, except itd be him jamming on piano, they dont make Television like that, ..those 1976-1981 season's are the Golden Years...The every sunday morning at church, the whole congregation would be like, 'Yo you see Lehrer last night? That cat's crazy...that ragtime waltz about the raised price of postage stamps? Oh My God, I could not stop laughing!"....Those were the days, when Saturday night was Saturday night!

R.I.P. You were blessed and you blessed us by sharing your gifts. I campaigned for Jesse in '88. Sen. Paul Simon was far behind but stayed in the race to deprive Jesse the Illinois votes he needed.

When does he play the Deficit Rag? Seriously, thanks for poasting this. :)

I was lucky enough to catch his show when I lived in DC in the 80s. Very funny and talented

Miss you, Mark.

Brilliant. RIP

*Ian Sherman*, I'm pretty sure he said "prophetic". :)

I didn't catch the end of the stanza from 6:13-6:14... what's the "-etic"?

Watched all his shows.. got to see him at the phillmore in Naples Florida!

Does the stage rotate?

The one bland greek in the world, and he's running for president....Zorba the clerk........ GENIUS!!

He and Phil Hartman have lots of similarities.

I never said Russell didn't like Jackson personally. One can like Jackson just fine, and yet objectively observe that yes, indeed, sometimes the man can behave like a self-aggrandizing ass. Nobody's perfect. A satirist's job is to exploit those foibles for comedy fodder, which Russell does here. I happen to like Jesse Jackson myself.

I disagree with the idea that Russell did it because of any personal dislike of Jackson. I think it was just a simple throwaway line, which could have been used interchangeably in almost any other MR parody. Besides, Russell strikes me as the kind who doesn't get too personally involved in the politicians or their agendas. Russell's main job is to make fun of the ridiculous aspects of politics, but seldom to the point of outright ridicule & advocacy.

2018 Baltimore Orioles are just as awful.

The rhyme is pathetic/prophetic. It makes sense. The joke is that because Jesse *actually is* sort of an asshole, Russell is rejecting the word "anus" because it would be too on-the-nose. I videotaped this when it was broadcast in 1988, and watched it so many times I can still sing along with most of it from memory.

Joe Biden, what’re ya hidin?

"A view of the rose garden." Exactly. At least Jessie Jackson did live to see Barack Obama win.

Lowest form of music. SO BAD!!!!🙈🙉🙊

Those budget gaps can be a twelve digit drag!