Ageless Comedy: Lord Buckley

Back in the old days when I was a young man and dinosaurs roamed the earth, comedy was very different. In these days entertainers could say what they wanted without fear of offending some hideous lesbian with pink hair. Before there was Lenny Bruce, Richard Pryor, or Eddie Murphy, there was Lord Buckley. Back in the late 60's we liked to smoke out and dig the licks that the Lawd was layin down.

Born Lord Richard Buckley in 1906, the son of an English aristocrat, he began his career as an entertainer in the nightclubs of Chicago. His comedic banter is a product of the jazz age. He was also popular with the Beat Generation and was described by Bob Dylan: "Buckley was the hipster bebop preacher who defied all labels." Like most of the entertainers in the jazz scene, Lord Buckley like to smoke pot and was arrested for possession in 1941.

He had an offbeat yet reverent nature that make his Bible stories particularly entertaining. This is his tribute to Jesus; The Nazz, the swingingest cat that ever laid down a lick.

One of my favorites, although not as popular as The Nazz, is the story of Jonah and the Whale. This may be where Bill Cosby got his inspiration for Noah and his Ark

Not all of his comedy was based on religion. His retelling of Poe's The Raven is great (and funny).

I hope you enjoy him as much as I do.