The New First Family, 1968 - A Futuristic Fairy Tale

Released in 1968 on Verve Records, The New First Family was a satirical comedy album conceived by writers Bob Booker and George Foster. Coming off the massive success of their earlier parody The First Family, which poked fun at the Kennedy administration, this follow-up was designed to mirror the political climate of the late 1960s. The record serves as a futuristic fairy tale, utilizing high-concept humor to comment on the anxieties of the space age and the evolving nature of the American presidency.

The album features a cast of talented impressionists and comedians who mimicked the voices of prominent political figures of the era to construct an absurd, speculative narrative. Booker and Foster, pioneers of the political parody album format, aimed to capture the skepticism and satire inherent in the countercultural movement of 1968. While it did not reach the commercial heights of their 1962 release, it remains a notable example of mid-century topical comedy that bridged the gap between traditional variety show humor and the more biting political commentary that would define the following decade.