I’ve had Redd Foxx on my mind since the last episode of Mad Men. Redd was onscreen when Don Draper’s teevee died in his motel room. By 1970, Redd had gone mainstream but before that he was known for working “blue.” His “party” records were popular in the black community and cult favorites among a discreet and insular set of white folks. Below are a few of Redd’s album covers.
This first album was released when America knew him as Fred Sanford but I couldn’t resist posting it:
More assing off after the break.
It’s hard to date the next two covers. Mr. Google is givin’ me lip instead of answers. Fuck you sideways Mr. Google as Redd himself might have put it:
I wanted to bring this post full circle but couldn’t find a good scan of Laff Your Ass Off. Here it is on YouTube.:
Redd was a pioneer and a hilarious dude. However, my favorite Redd Foxx story came from my father, who frequented Las Vegas in the 1960s and 1970s. During one trip, he saw Foxx live and then retired to the casino where he proceeded to go on a heater at black jack. Around 2 a.m., he found himself at the table with Foxx and Trini Lopez. Dad loved every minute of the joking and fun because these guys treated him like he was one of them. Of course, Dad also said he spent half the night telling Foxx the jokes that Foxx had just told him in the club. “Hey Redd… Didja hear about…” Always makes me smile.
The Laff Records catalog is a treasure trove of WTF album covers. Percentage appropriate for publication on this blog: Maybe 5, plus or minus 5.
But I will defer to Adrastos’ editorial judgment.