Bob Newhart – The Button-Down Mind on TV (1962)

Collector’s Choice Music has had the brilliant idea of reissuing classic Bob Newhart records as stand-up comedy CDs.

One of these is Bob Newhart The Button-Down Mind on TV. It respects the original album design including the back jacket in the insert. For stand-up comedy fans, this is the kind of attention to detail that shows a class act. The background to this stand-up comedy CD is Newhart had a short-lived variety show. From that he took the best routines and recorded them at a comedy club. The CD goes something like this:

Four of the tracks on The Button-Down Mind on TV were included in the Bob Newhart anthology Something Like This. They are the classic Introducing Tobacco to Civilization and Defusing a Bomb but there are two rarities in the six routines on this stand-up comedy CD.

The General Chariot Corp is quite good and has not aged a bit. Bob Newhart sets up a sales meeting where the company boss is talking about next year’s product line including a chariot with fins and a few other funny improvements. A knowledge of Roman history is required to get one of the gags.

The Hold Out Huns is a bit dated. The premise is in 1962 two German soldiers are still unaware the war is over. Even then the punchline was a bit weak and time has not been kind to it unless you know rocket science.

The two other familiar tracks on this Bob Newhart CD are the lesser The Siamese Cat and A Friend With a Dog. Lesser of course is relative to the material here and this comic.

If you are looking for clean comedy to take on the road and that even the kids may enjoy, Bob Newhart The Button-Down Mind on TV is a good bet.

The Button-Down Mind on TV
Bob Newhart
Stand-up Comedy CD
Originally released 1962
Collector’s Choice Music 2009

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