The Underground Tapes

As any fan of Jonathan Winters knows, the late, great comedian had a wildly inventive mind that could lead him almost anywhere. Just how far beyond the realms of respectable taste Uncle Johnny could go can be heard on The Underground Tapes. These recordings capture him riffing off of radio commercial scripts during a session at a New York studio sometime in the early '60s. Freed from censorship worries, Winters launches into a series of crazed improvisations that would never have been allowed over the airwaves at the time. The Civil War, Elvis Presley, insanity, and self-abuse are among the topics covered here, served up along with twisted versions of ads for cigarettes and shaving cream. Winters sends his fellow actors into convulsions of laughter as he runs through a gallery of characters ranging from Maude Frickert to Mary Todd Lincoln. No mere celebrity blooper reel, this album documents a mad comic genius in completely freewheeling form. Be warned, though: Winters’ skits are often politically incorrect to the extreme. Easily offended souls should proceed with caution.