Richard Nixon, while running for president, appeared on an episode of sketch comedy show “Rowan & Martin”s Laugh-In.” The episode aired on Sept. 16, 1968 – 47 years ago today.
In his brief appearance on the show, Nixon uttered the show”s catchphrase with a disbelieving, questioning vocal inflection: “Sock it to me?”
It seemed that Nixon was determined to show voters that he was not the sweaty and nervous candidate they saw in the televised debate (the nation”s first) with John F. Kennedy in 1960.
According to the show”s creator, George Schlatter, Nixon “said the rest of his life that appearing on ‘Laugh-In” is what got him elected. And I believe that. And I”ve had to live with that.”
Watch Nixon”s “Laugh-In” moment here:
Other notable Sept. 16 happenings in pop culture history:
• 1963: “The Outer Limits” premiered on ABC.
• 1966: The Metropolitan Opera opened its new opera house at New York”s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
• 1970: Jimi Hendrix played an informal jam session with Eric Burdon and his band, War, at Ronnie Scott”s Jazz Club in Soho – the last time Hendrix performed in public before he died two days later.
• 1993: “Fraiser” premiered on NBC. Check out the original promos.
• 1994: “Timecop” opened in theaters. It was No. 1 at the box office on its first two weekends.
• 1996: “Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman was released.
• 1999: The original “Big Brother” series premiered in the Netherlands.
• 2012: At the Toronto International Film Festival, “Silver Linings Playbook” won the People”s Choice Award.
Birthdays: “Parks and Recreation” star Amy Poehler (turns 44 today), “Gilmore Girls” actress Alexis Bledel (34), illusionist David Copperfield (59), “Psych” actor Kurt Fuller (62), singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger (27), “Pretty Little Liars” actor Ian Harding (29), singer Nick Jonas (23), “The Social Network” actor Max Minghella (30), “The Wrestler” actor and retired boxer Mickey Rourke (63), “Saturday Night Live” alum Molly Shannon (51)