There aren't that many jokes in the US Constitution. Either that, or there are too many, and they're all on us. Comedian Colin Quinn says most of you have never even read it. Who's gonna read something four pages long in this day and age?
Even with all the amendments and signatures, it's about 7,500 words. The original draft was 4400 words. A lot of what you know about the document and its framers is probably wrong. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were out of the country when it was drafted, Patrick Henry refused to participate, Benjamin Franklin was in such miserable health that it's questionable how much impact he could have had. There are the equivalent of typos in the original document, including a misspelling of Pennsylvania. There was also a letter from Jefferson to Madison in which the former expressed a disbelief in permanent constitutions. He said they ought to change about every 19 years, and this is what happens in a lot of countries.
Colin joins us for a long-form radio conversation about all of that, plus the new show that he wrote and performs in, called, appropriately, "Unconstitutional". You can catch it live at Infinity Music Hall & Bistro on Friday, December 13th at 8pm..
Comments or questions? Write us below, tweet @wnprcolin, or email Colin@wnpr.org.
