August 6, 2012 — Pete Seeger
EPISODE NUMBER: 8133 (August 6, 2012)
GUESTS: Pete Seeger
SEGMENTS: Mars Rover Landing | Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day | Pete Seeger - “Quite Early Morning”
SUIT REPORT: Navy Suit | White Shirt | Purple and light blue striped tie
VIDEOS: Monday, August 6, 2012
It was only a matter of time before Stephen addressed the Chick-Fil-A controversy, and I appreciated his throughly reasonable approach: politicizing chicken, on either side of the divide, is pretty gosh darned silly. The sinister part of it all is taking it right to the altar of your church. That made me gasp alongside the audience. Truly, what Jesus would want, taking politics straight to the sanctuary of the church. Remember that whole throwing out the money-changers in the temple thing, Christians? I agree with Stephen, way to demonstrate your faith to non-believers. Just sayin’.
Pete Seeger made for a great guest. I can’t believe he looks so good for 93! I guess folk music and playing the banjo is good for your health. I hope he enjoyed being interviewed by our Stephen. He also demonstrated in his performance of “Quite Early Morning,” that 70 years going strong, he’s still got it.
What did you think of the ep, dear Hubsters? Sound off in the comments.
Intro
- Tonight, a chicken sandwich tears the nation apart, which is still better than what’s done to the chicken.
- Then, a congressman takes a surprising stance on animal rights. There’s nowhere in the constitution that says a dog can’t play basketball.
- And my guest legendary folk singer Pete Seeger. I have a hammer, and I am going to nail him in the evening.
- Porn star Jenna Jameson has endorsed Mitt Romney for President. Well, she is a job creator.
Mars Rover Landing
- I think that by that burst of energy that in mid-August, enough air-conditioning is a form of meth-amphetamine. They’re all cranking in here tonight.
- And nation it is a proud day for America. Our chests are puffed, our flags are flying, and we’re singing that verse of National Anthem with all the curse words in it.
- Nasa’s Curiosity land rover touched down on the surface of Mars!
- (to audience chanting “U.S.A.! U.S.A.!) I just wish I heard more of that at the Olympics.
- I would like to congratulate team at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), you are steely eyed missile men, and you deserve every missed high-five of your celebration. I gotta say, it was nice to see that NASA saved money by hiring staff from the local Best Buy. (Aside: it’s a penny pincher, it’s a penny pincher.)
- And folks just try to conceive what was achieved this morning. We gently landed a one-ton, six-wheel SUV 154 million miles from earth. I mean that Onstar lady is getting good.
- Basically, if the planets are a tray of donuts, we have now licked Mars.
“We already had the moon, we just need Venus for the monopoly, and then we can start building hotels on them. “
“First of all, I don’t know who this ‘Gale’ is, but a gentleman does not kiss and tell, and second, how many times do we have to say it- do not text during re-entry!”
Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day
- This controversy has pitted brother against lower cholesterol brother.
- It’s like the Civil War, if you replace slavery with waffle fries.
- Of course, the chicken man’s confession ran a fowl (enjoys his own pun) with advocates for gaying, who called for a boycott of Chick Fil-A. That’s when former Arkansas governor and Fried Food Museum Mike Huckabee told Christians to fight back.
- Or as chicken refer to it, the “worst day in history.”
- I think that Chick-Fil-A has stumbled on a new strategy to help struggling businesses in this down economy: associate your product with a divisive political position and wait for the cash to roll in.
Some rejected politically divisive ads:
- (To audience’s reaction to “La Z Boy”) Get upset about it, that’s what they want.
- But folks, we must not lose sight of what this really is about: oppression. Yes, for too long, not-gays and their chicken allies have been demonized by hetero-phobic bigots.
- Well folks I will not hide any longer, I don’t care if this costs me advertisers, Nation, I’m straight. There, I said it….and you know what, those people I live with aren’t my roommates, they are my wife and kids, and we love each other! Now I’ll admit there was a time when I hid the fact that I wasn’t gay, or course the clues were always there, the pleated khakis, my love of Nickelback, but today I say guilty as charged. And I am proud to shout “we’re straight, we’re great, you’re used to it!”
- But as good as this is for us Chick-Fil-Aers, and chick layers, the real winner in all of this is Jesus. I mean just think how happy he is….Now as practicing Christian in this modern, fallen world, it can be hard to explain why I still go to church.
“That’s why I want to say, thank you Mike Huckabee, for cementing in the minds of non-believers just what my religion stands for: Jesus, the only son of God, gave his life to redeem mankind by suffering torture and death, then rose from the dead in forgiveness of our sins, ascended into heaven, and is seated for eternity at the right hand of the Father in fulfillment of the scriptures. You know, chicken.”
Interview
- My guest tonight has been performing folk music for over 70 years. I’m gonna ask him if it’s time to start caring about Jimmy’s corn cracking.
- Stephen: Sir, I am of two minds about you, I hate to say.
- Pete Seeger: Me too.
- SC: Obviously it’s an honor to have you on. You’re a living legend. It’s like having Paul Bunyan or Johnny Appleseed on. No, absolutely is, which great, because I can never get those guys to come on.
- SC: You’re 93, yes, sir?
- PS: That’s what I am told.
- SC: You look good for 93, because I am 48, and you can stick a fork in me, I’m done. How do you keep active at 93?
- PS: Well, I live in the country, and I get the chance to do some outdoor work-
- SC: -like outdoor work, like what, like breathing? What is outdoor work, at 93 what is outdoor work?
- PS: We heat our house by wood, so I am splitting logs from time to time.
- SC: You split logs at 93.
- PS: But I don’t get as much work as I used to, because I am starting to grow a pot belly, believe it or not.
- SC: Well get in shape. Put some effort into life, Pete.
****
- SC:…your influence in American culture, however, is questionable. You helped create the folk revival, that creates Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, that creates your Woodstock, your sexual revolution, that leads to Bill Clinton, and then gay marriage. (Seeger laughs, audience cheers.) You proud of your work, banjo man?
****
- SC: Let’s talk about some of the songs you’re best known for: “If I Had a Hammer,” “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”-
- PS: -I just wrote the tune.
- SC: Still, not a bad thing to have on your resume.
- SC: You don’t sell any of the rights to your music for commercials.
- PS: Sometimes, I guess.
- SC: Oh really?
- PS: I can’t think I am that picky.
- SC: I had heard that you didn’t, I think that’s wonderful. I think it would be great if Miracle Gro had “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” Or if Stanley Tools had, “If I Had a Hammer.” (Stephen sings) “If I had a hammer, I’d use it to actually hammer.”
Pete Seeger - “Quite Early Morning”