The Red Skelton Show, named after the star comedian, was one of the most popular television shows of the 1960s. People expected to be entertained, and this program never failed to deliver. On occasion, the directors would shift their focus to more serious subjects, and this video is one such example.
The meaning behind the words used in the Pledge of Allegiance was chosen as the topic for this particular monologue. The show’s host recalls a day when he was in school and one of his teachers taught him a lesson he would never forget.
Red recounts how his teacher was dissatisfied with how often the pledge was repeated. He wanted the kids to fully comprehend what they were saying. His teacher’s comments clearly had an impact on him because he can recite that speech word for word now, many years later.