We Don’t Recall The Pledge Of Allegiance Sounding Like This Rendition

May 11, 2020 by apost team

In 1969, comedian Red Skelton did his own version of the Pledge of Allegiance on his television show, but it wasn't a funny skit like the rest of his repertoire. Instead, it was an earnest recounting of the words which students around the country might say in classrooms but don't pay any close attention.

Red Skelton was a performer known for his varied and exaggerated characters on The Red Skelton Show which ran for 20 years between 1951-1971. The show featured plenty of hilarious personalities like Clem Kaddiddlehopper and Sheriff Deadeye according to Britannica.com. Towards the end of his show's run, he came on to give a sincere speech about the Pledge of Allegiance which was very different in tone to the rest of his lighthearted show.

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He appeared on stage on the evening of January 14, 1969, without any character costumes or makeup on, and spoke directly to the audience as himself. He was dressed simply in a tuxedo against the backdrop of a dark curtain with a single spotlight turned on him. The mood set the scene for a serious speech yet to come.

He started off his monologue with a story about his elementary school teacher that really wanted the class to understand the significance of the pledge.

From there he takes the audience on a journey through every single word of the pledge, unpacking the meaning of it all. He examines the speech from beginning to end, which gives an even heavier gravity to the patriotic speech. Snopes reports that Skelton's touching version was widely acclaimed and was even pressed into records after that evening.

Watch the speech below:

Do you remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in your classroom as a child? Be sure to tell others about this speech and maybe they will see the pledge and their country in another light.