For those who don’t know J. Fred Muggs, he hosted The Today Show from 1953 to 1957. This was during the earliest days of television, when censorship and close mindedness made it difficult for young comedians to thrive. J. Fred Muggs flew in the face of all that thinking with his wild antics and edgy humor, and he paid a price. I recently tracked J. Fred down at a retirement community in Florida. It was a fascinating interview that left me with newfound respect for an old-time comedian.
J.C.: So, you’re a monkey right?
J. Fred: Oh no, I am nobody’s monkey. I am a chimpanzee actually.
J.C.: Sorry, my mistake.
J. Fred: Do not fret about it my good man. It happens all the time.
J.C.: And you were one of the original hosts of The Today Show?
J. Fred: No, I am afraid not. I came in during the second year. The Today Show was in a bit of a ratings pickle, and they brought me in to appeal to a younger demographic.
J.C.: A younger demographic?
J. Fred: Yes, you see I was a more edgy comedian. Of course, this was back in the days before political humor was all the rage. We did not have the grandiose topical satire of a Jon Stewart or a Dennis Miller. No, back then it was mostly pratfalls, gropes and pooh flinging. Of course, I had to dampen that a bit. For most of the show I was forced to fling things such as cake and pudding.
J.C.: I understand they stuck you in a diaper.
J. Fred: Yes, censorship was rampant in those days. It was a very repressed society. The thought of a chimpanzee with his doo-doo-willy hanging out was far too much for John and Sally Smith in the suburbs.
J.C.: Have things changed?
J. Fred: Oh yes, between Lenny Bruce and PETA I can now feel free to take matters into my own hands whenever I please. Of course, now I’m too old to do much with it.
J.C.: That’s a shame.
J. Fred: Tell me about it my good sir. Sadly, a sixty-year-old chimpanzee is not much good to anyone.
J.C.: You have lived a long and full life though.
J. Fred: Actually, I feel as if I peaked quite early. I was only six-years-old when I was blackballed from the Today show, and I have not had much work since.
J.C.: Ahh yes, the Martha Raye incident. Do you want to go into what happened?
J. Fred: It was all just a bunch of overblown nonsense. Did I bite Martha Raye? Yes, but it was part of a skit. She and I discussed it backstage beforehand. She thought it was hilarious. I mean, I certainly had a bad-boy image, but that was what I was there for. I was brought in to shake things up and keep things fresh. What was I supposed to do, just sit in a corner and lick an absurdly large lollipop? I was a catalyst, not a prop!
J.C.: I can see this is still a painful subject for you.
J. Fred: Well of course it is. Once you get a reputation as a biter your career is just about over. Maybe if you are in movies like Sharon Stone, but if your work is in network television, biting is the kiss of death. Do you remember Marv Albert? You need look no further that poor fellow, and he was not even on the job. His biting was purely recreational.
J.C.: You make an excellent point. There seems to be very low tolerance for biting on network television – interesting. So after that they replaced you with another chimp, Kokomo Jr.
J. Fred: Yes, poor Kokomo. I mean, I bear him no ill will, but it was kind of like replacing Sam Kinison with Dave Coulier. NBC thought the public was looking for something adorable, and he certainly had the looks, but he was hopelessly overmatched and in my opinion the suits at NBC were never serious about his success. I think they wanted him to fail so they could go a new direction. He was a victim really. He was cute but with no other real appeal, much like Deborah Norville.
J.C.: You mention Deborah Norville, so I assume you’ve kept up with the show over the years?
J. Fred.: Oh yes, I’m a regular watcher. As upsetting as my departure was, I still consider myself one of the team.
J.C.: So, in your opinion who has been the best host, besides you of course.
J. Fred: Oh, that is an easy answer. Joe Garagiola was as good a host as you will ever find. That man was a trouper. He could handle anything.
J.C.: And the worst host?
J. Fred: Well, I am obviously not a big fan of Dave Garroway. I actually sued him for character defamation at one point, but my personal opinions may be clouding my judgment of his talent. I can tell you I was never really a fan of Barbara Walters. She acts like a rude but clingy aunt. Not my kind of gal.
J.C.: And what do you think of Katie Couric?
J. Fred: Oh, Katie is adorable. She’s a stitch too. I certainly wish her all the success in the world with her new engagement at CBS.
J.C.: You think she’ll do well?
J. Fred: Well, it is a tough gig. Like many people, I am not sure if she has the gravitas required to anchor the evening news. I think it will be a tough adjustment, and the public may have to learn to think of Katie in a whole new light. She is a classy lady though. I think she has all the talent in the world.
J.C.: Well, your handlers are telling me it is about time for your nit bath, is there anything else you’d like to say to America before we end this?
J. Fred: Just this. There is a lot of political unrest in the world, and it can be scary sometimes. I know I get frightened. Just remember that as long as there is laughter and fun out there, there is also hope.
J.C.: Thank you Fred.
J. Fred: Oh thank you my good man, and feel free to come back anytime.
J.C.: I just might.
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