Meet the funniest topical comedian in America, the man Robin Williams once called “the Will Rogers of the Baby Boom.” Argus Hamilton‘s daily column of jokes on the news, now carried in over 100 newspapers across the United States, is also read and heard by millions on the Internet and on radio stations across the country.
Argus James Hamilton III is the son, grandson and great-grandson of Methodist ministers in the South. A proud graduate of the University of Oklahoma and now based in Los Angeles, Argus brings an unusual perspective to the news from Washington and around the country. “I’m an English Monarchist and a Southern secessionist,” Argus jokes. “Let’s see Rush Limbaugh get to the right of that.”
Argus Hamilton performs at corporate, political and charity events around the country. When he’s in Los Angeles, he can be seen working out the latest material nightly at The Comedy Store in Hollywood.
Argus is regularly quoted by daily newspapers including the San Francisco Chronicle, the Los Angeles Times and the Seattle Times, by weekly business papers including the Orange County Business Journal, by Time magazine, by sports columnists around the country, and by radio hosts who took a cue from the late Paul Harvey, one of Argus’ longtime fans and admirers.
Argus was honored by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry as the official comedian of the Oklahoma Centennial and appeared with the governor in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade.
Interviewed by Dr. Bob Blackburn
Bob L. Blackburn, a native Oklahoman, has served as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Historical Society since 1999. He joined the OHS in 1980 as editor of The Chronicles of Oklahoma and became deputy director for agency operations in 1990. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in History from Oklahoma State University. Bob published several articles and his first book while still in graduate school, and has since written or co-authored 18 books and numerous articles, journal entries, and screen plays. He is a steady source of historical information to the media, and he has appeared numerous times on the History Channel.
He was instrumental in planning and building the Oklahoma History Center, a 215,000 square foot museum and research center with a budget of $61 million. Bob has served on numerous national and regional boards and committees, including the Western History Association, the Oklahoma Association of Professional Historians, the American Institute of Architects, and Leadership Oklahoma City. His hobbies are reading, running, carpentry, landscaping, and golf.
Bob is married to former State Representative Debbie Blackburn and they have one son, Beau, who is a professional Photographer in Colorado.
Jeff Simpsen is co owner of Quantum promotional services. He received his BS and MBA from OCU. Served as president of the Rotary Club 2009-2010. He is a Paul Harris fellow+2 Jeff is active on several boards in the community. He has 2 grown sons and 3 beautiful grandchildren.