Pat Morita's hip, but no hippie

Stars & Stripes:

"Pat Morita's hip, but no hippie

By Kent Nixon, S&S staff writer
Pacific edition, August 25, 1967

Nisei comic Pat Morita isn't a campaigning politician, but if he were, and applause meant votes, he would have been unanimously elected at the Yokota NCO Club Monday night.

Morita, who calls himself the "Hip Nip," easily stuffed a stag night audience into his back pocket with rapid-fire spoofing and mimicry.

..."I know there are a lot of Texans here, there always are," he began. "I worked in Texas and I found out the letters LBJ really mean: let's buy Japanese."

"You may have heard that back in the States there are some people who are smoking grass. I don't know how you feel, but it's sure easier than cutting the stuff."

Turning to history, "The Japanese couldn't have been all bad during World War II. Look at all the movies Hollywood was able to make on account of them. The Indians weren't the only bad guys. Thanks to the Japanese and Geronimo, John Wayne became a millionaire."

On his visit to Japan, his second: "I had hoped that I could learn more of the language of my ancestors but the Japanese spotted that I'm an American so they all insist on talking in my language to brush up on their English. I haven't learned a word of Japanese but the trip is sure helping my English."

...Commenting on the hippie scene ("of which I'm really not a part. 'Hip Nip' just sounds groovy. A drummer laid it on me."), Pat says, "I don't knock. That's not me. Let's just say I appreciate flower power, but I don't arrange.""