[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 125 (Thursday, September 18, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9574-S9575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO RED SKELTON

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to someone I 
knew and cared a great deal about.
  I had the good fortune to consider Red Skelton a friend. I first met 
Red Skelton when I was Lieutenant Governor of the State of Nevada. He 
and I went to a rodeo together. At that time I found him to be jovial, 
a real gentleman, and not taken with his celebrity status.
  He has been tremendous to the State of Nevada. He has performed in 
the north and the south. He has been involved in many charitable 
functions. We in Nevada consider Red Skelton part of Nevada.
  Charlie Chaplin once said, ``I remain just one thing, and one thing 
only--and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any 
politician.''
  This morning on public radio, Mr. President, Red Skelton was heard

[[Page S9575]]

again. I heard from one of his prior performances. In that broadcast he 
talked about why he felt being a clown was something that he always 
wanted to be remembered as--being a clown. He proceeded to tell 
everyone there how important it was that we remain, in many respects, 
in our childlike status--lots of energy, trusting other people.
  So today I rise to ask politicians all over America and especially in 
this body to pay tribute to America's favorite clown, Richard Bernard 
Skelton, better known to us as Red Skelton. He passed away yesterday at 
age 84.
  He was the son of a grocer, who later became a circus clown. Mr. 
Skelton died 2 months before his son Red was born. His widowed mother 
worked as a cleaning woman and elevator operator to support her four 
sons.
  Red Skelton started being a professional clown at age 10. So for 
almost 75 years--three-quarters of a century--he has been making people 
laugh.
  He did not ask people to laugh. You had to laugh at Red Skelton. He 
became part of a traveling medicine show where he picked up vaudeville 
skills which served him so well for the rest of his life. His debut on 
radio was in 1937, and Broadway the same year. His first movie was in 
1938 entitled ``Having a Wonderful Time.'' He became a Hollywood star 
appearing in almost 50 films over the course of his life.
  Skeleton often said that he was a ``man whose destiny caught up with 
him at an early age.''
  His destiny, Mr. President, was to make America laugh.
  ``I don't want to be called `the greatest' or `one of the greatest.' 
Let other guys claim to be the best. I just want to be known as a 
clown,'' Red said, ``because to me, that's the height of my profession. 
It means you can do everything--sing, dance, and above all, make people 
laugh.''
  Mr. President, last March I went to Palm Springs to present Red 
Skelton a Presidential commendation. We had a date set that the 
President of the United States was going to give that to him in the 
White House. But his ill-health prevented him from flying, so I 
proceeded to Palm Springs on behalf of the President to give Red 
Skelton this commendation from the President.
  It was a wonderful luncheon that we had. He was very weak of body but 
alert of mind. For example, at that time even though he was confined to 
a wheelchair, he wrote seven stories every week, and he would pick the 
best out of the seven and put it in a book, and every year he produced 
52 short stories. That was Red Skelton up to the time he died.
  We had a wonderful time that day in March. I will never forget it. We 
were able to videotape that. He cracked jokes, and we had a great time. 
He is somebody that I will remember, the people of Nevada will 
remember, and this country will remember.
  Let me repeat the words of President Clinton, who honored Red Skleton 
with a Presidential certificate commendation, signed on April 1, 1996, 
in fitting tribute to America's favorite clown.

       A natural-born comic who got his first laugh from an 
     audience at the age of 10, Red Skelton has devoted a long and 
     productive life to entertaining people of all ages. Moving 
     from the vaudeville stage to radio, the movies and 
     television, he became America's favorite clown, creating 
     characters like Clem Kadiddlehopper and Freddie the 
     Freeloader, whom generations of Americans looked forward to 
     seeing every week. Red Skelton served his country well. From 
     his days in World War II and Korea as a soldier and an 
     entertainer for the troops, to his many years on the large 
     screen and small, he has given to all those lucky enough to 
     see him perform the gift of laughter and joy.

  When I walked into the room to present Red with this certificate, he 
still remembered me from our days attending rodeos together in southern 
Nevada. He was deeply touched by this honor because more than anything, 
Red Skelton loved his country.
  Red Skelton could have never been America's favorite clown if he 
wasn't already one of America's greatest patriots. Red fought for his 
country in World War II and Korea.
  His definition of the true meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance will 
always remain with me. I would like to repeat it for you today:

       I, me, an individual, a committee of one.
       Pledge, dedicate all my worldly goods to give without self 
     pity.
       Allegiance--my love and devotion.
       To the Flag--our standard, Old Glory, a symbol of freedom. 
     Wherever she waves, there is respect because your loyalty has 
     given her a dignity that shouts freedom is everybody's job.
       of the United--that means that we have all come together.
       States--individual communities that have unites into 50 
     great states. 50 individual communities with pride and 
     dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, 
     yet united to a common purpose, and that's love for country.
       of America
       and to the Republic--A state in which sovereign power is 
     invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern. 
     And a government is the people and it's from the people to 
     the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
       for Which It Stands.
       One Nation--Meaning, so blessed by God.
       Indivisible--Incapable of being divided.
       With Liberty--Which is freedom and the right of power to 
     live one's own life without threats or fear or some sort of 
     retaliation.
       and Justice--The principle or quality of dealing fairly 
     with others.
       for All--Which means it's as much your country as it is 
     mine.

  Red Skelton always signed off every shown ``Goodnight and God 
Bless,'' Yesterday Milton Berle, Red's closest friend told his old 
friend ``Farewell and God Bless.''
  Mr. President, on behalf of the citizens of Nevada, Red's wife, 
Lothian, Red's family and friends, I say farewell, Red, and God bless.
  I am grateful that the Senate of the United States is paying tribute 
to America's favorite clown.
  Mr. BUMPERS addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arkansas.

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