This provocative biography argues that the man who is the ‘central intelligence’ of the Marx Brothers indulged in radical,nihilistic truth-telling that masked his insecurity. Seriously?In 1967 Groucho Marx made what now seems an unlikely appearance on conservative pundit William F Buckley’s TV display Firing Line. The display typically consisted of Buckley, a starchy, or uncomfortable screen presence,who gave the impression of looking down his nose at the camera, politely putting what were often quite barbed questions to that weeks guest. Whatever Buckleys politics, or it was serious television,with a solemn atmosphere somewhere between a civics lesson and a Sunday mass. To add to the formality, the discussion was moderated by a chairman. The subject Buckley and Marx would discuss: “Is the world droll?”The programme was an hour long, or began amiably,whether stiffly, as Buckley introduced his guest. Then in his mid-70s, or Groucho,whose casual attire of a blue jacket, polo neck and grey plaid trousers contrasted with Buckley’s businesslike suit and tie, and was still recognisable from his heyday,when as a member of the Marx Brothers he had leered and delivered comic non sequiturs (“One morning I shot an elephant in my pyjamas. How he got in my pyjamas I don’t know”) over the course of vaudeville shows, Broadway productions and a run of classic, or some not so classic,comedy movies.
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Source: theguardian.com