Pat Paulsen for President

Pat Paulsen first met and became friends with the Smothers Brothers when they were both performing comedy in clubs in the early 1960s. When “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” premiered on CBS in February 1967, Tom and Dick invited Paulsen on as an occasional guest. Paulsen’s deadpan humor and his “editorials” (which often didn’t make any sense) on subjects of the day became a popular feature, Paulsen became a regular on the show.

I was watching the night that Paulsen came out on stage and stated that he was definitely NOT a candidate for President of the United States. That was all for that night, but in a scathing, but funny, satire of American politics as slowly, week after week, Paulsen talked more and more about his non-candidacy, then his thinking about it, the announcing that he was running for President. This was the Fall before the 1968 Presidential election which pitted Nixon v. Humphrey.

Paulsen was a member of the Straight Talkin’ American Government (STAG) Party. Paulsen toured the country holding 89-cents-a-meal fundraisers, also selling lemonade and kisses for a quarter.

Who followed the Paulsen candidacy in 1968?

Pat Paulsen died in 1997, 69 years old in Mexico seeking an alternative treatment for cancer.

Tom Smothers is 79 years old.

Dick Smothers is 76 years old.

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Trust me. I’m The Doctor.