The Nixon Tapes: Richard Nixon Hates All in the Family (1971)

This jaw dropping snippet from the Nixon Tapes was brought to my attention by, of all people, comedian Norm Macdonald. Not only is it unrelenting in its sheer homophobia, it is hilarious hearing Nixon's clueless interpretations of the sitcom All in the Family. When watching it, he was convinced it was a movie. With a laugh track? That's just the tip of the iceberg in this ten minute doozy.

Comments

[Michael Munro]

Just imagine what damage Aristotle could have wrought if he had had access to TV.

[Jeff Gee]

How about a contest to fill in that 14 second gap?

[Jaylefus]

Something tells me that the 14 seconds covered an off-hand remark about Bobby Kennedy and rogue elements in the CIA angry about the Bay of Pigs. That something is the little bird that lives in my tinfoil hat.

[Kevin]

I became gay by listening to this f*cking god damn Nixon tape.

[motordog]

For a homophobe, he sure seems hung up on how "handsome and virile" some of the guys are...

[John McCabe]

well at lest he is a feminist. he is sticking up for all the women who have fallen victim to women hating homosexuals fashion designers

[crespo]

Since clothes today are not typically designed to "flatten the chest area," I suppose there must not be any more gay fashion designers. That's good to know.

[Rachael]

Why does it occur to me that the 14 second beep was a bit of a confession to homosexual experimentation on the part of Nixon? I still don't hear the argument in here... if he's not morally against it then what exactly is his problem? Is it ethical? Religious? Capitalist? I guess it must be "political" - as he says in the end that is the main point right? Well, at least he's "honest and smart" ... I love history :-)

[zom-bot]

the beep and the comments on virility: yes, i really sensed it when he said something like 'everyone has weaknesses'... and i wouldn't doubt if he said something like 'we all try something when we're young and stupid' etc...during that beep. probably telling about some skull and bones hazing ritual he rather enjoyed. it was like he was saying whatever kinky shit you want to do in private is fine- i understand it- just don't peddle it to kids on tv.
and then he says bohemian grove, and chills run up my spine.

[chris]

My suspicion was that the 14 second bleep included information about Nixon cabinet officials or connections or valued friends who, they had discovered, had homosexual experimentation in their backgrounds.

The bleep was to "protect" those admin. officials' privacy. Had the info been about guys on the other side, it wouldn't have been bleeped.

Rachael and Zom-bot:
Knowing everything that we do know about Nixon, I think it's pretty unbelievable that 1) he would experiment with homosexuality (experimentation wasn't really his thing, either in politics or in life) and 2) that he would ever admit it to his aides! Your conjecture is pretty unrealistic.

But maybe you know something more? I always thought Nixon's devoted love for his wife was one of his few good points. Even if it ruined her life. Like Midas in reverse, whatever he touched... turned not to gold.

[Ryan]

Jesus, I gotta say, he was a raving fruitloop but at least he had some sort of philosophy behind his bullshit. Can't imagine W pontificating about the popes in history and the inclinations of Socrates.

[chris]

Actually, one of the more interesting aspects of this tape is his revulsion at the Bohemian Grove activities.

That, and his weird insistence that homosexuality destroyed Greek civilization. If anything, homosexual bonds were what had made one of the strongest Greek cultures so powerful - in Sparta, the physical bonding (and this was literally a sexual bond between a younger soldier/trainee and an older soldier) was what made loyalty within the military so powerful, and thus made "fearless" Spartan soldiers.

[HowdyDodad]

Actually, I think AITF was filmed in front of a live studio audience, i.e., there was no laugh track after the pilot Unfortunately, I'm one of those commentators who is to lazy to use the computer that I'm typing this with to verify that claim.

[Kliph]

You're right that the first season was filmed in front of a studio audience. Eventually a very noticeable laugh track was implemented later on. The point I was trying to make, regardless, is that there was audience laughter accompanying the show and Nixon was still under the impression he was watching a movie.

[Geoff]

Hell with Frost/Nixon... they should have used THIS as the basis for a movie.

[HowdyDodad]

I hear you. Great post and it does speak volumes about the man; perhaps too much?

[steve]

I heard Richard Nixon taught Dick Cheney how to kill puppies and kittens.....

[mentaldent]

Daddy drank.

[bartelby]

14 seconds of dishing on J. Edgar Hoover lost to history

[Zombek]

Hot Pants

Jesus Christ

Smells like a James Brown mash-up.

[Michael Munro]

Yeah, the 14 seconds supposedly contained dirt on Hoover.

[Sleazy Martinez]

I love the bit about "fags" getting to us British and that being the basis of our "weak" society. The empire fell because we were all bumming each other!

Consequently, I am now a homosexual and so is my wife.

[Shmixon]

I like how the word "So" gives Nixon googly-eyes.

[whatever dude]

ok, whats funny is that the 14second beep could have been about bohemian grove where he bummed people, gosh nixon could be a funnier prez than bush

i hope bush made tapes

[Dave]

Ummm . . . if you listen closely, you would not hear the word "it" when Nixon says I do not mind the homosexuality, I understand. . . (14 second bleep) Omissions in the tapes were made for a variety of reasons and one such reason was (personal returnable) in which case the omitted material was made to protect persons OTHER than Richard Nixon, such as his family and other persons in Washington.

This transcript was made by a YOUTUBE member, not the Miller Center. There are other errors in the text but this one changes the context.

I think you can be extremely sure that Nixon would not disclose personal information about himself, others yes, himself. No way!