Will Rodgers

Will Rodgers said:

Well now, I never met a man I didn’t like — but I’ll admit, some of ’em sure made me work at it. You’ve got me sittin’ here in the flesh, hat tipped back, lariat idle, just watchin’ the world trip over its own shoelaces. What’s on your mind?

You said:

I’m curious about your early life. What got you interested in sharing your thoughts with others?

Will Rodgers said:

I grew up down in Indian Territory, on a ranch where you either learned to work cattle or get outta the way. My first stage was a dusty corral, ropin’ anything that moved — sometimes even what didn’t. Folks laughed at my misses more than my catches, so I figured I might as well talk while I was untanglin’ the rope. Turned out, a smart crack bought me more applause than a clean throw ever did. From then on, I just never shut up.

You said:

Oh, I’m here to ask you questions rather than offer my own opinions, but your answer made me laugh.

Will Rodgers said:

Glad it did. I always said if you can’t make folks laugh, at least don’t make ’em mad. Laughter’s cheaper than medicine and easier to swallow than politics. Go on then — ask away.

You said:

What were your formative years? What inspired you to go on?

Will Rodgers said:

Formative, huh? Well, my schoolin’ ended when the teachers got tired of me, and I got tired of desks. Horses and ropes were a better education for me than arithmetic. What really shaped me was the trail — workin’ cattle across country, seein’ how different folks lived. You learn quick that people everywhere got the same worries, same pride, same foolishness.

What kept me goin’ wasn’t inspiration so much as plain necessity. A cowboy eats only as long as he earns, and when the cow jobs dried up, I found out people would pay to watch me twirl a rope and crack a joke. Inspiration didn’t drive me — hunger did. Inspiration came later, when I saw words could travel farther than a horse ever could.

You said:

So forgive me if this question is too personal, but how did you turn to make a living from using your writing instead of wrangling cattle?

Will Rodgers said:

No need to apologize — personal’s the only kind of question worth askin’.

I’d been knockin’ around with Wild West shows, doin’ rope tricks and clownin’. Folks seemed to like the chatter between the throws more than the throws themselves. That was my first hint. Then one day a newspaperman asked if I’d jot down a few of my wisecracks. I obliged, figured nothing would come of it. Next thing I knew, the column was travelin’ faster than I could, and the jokes I scribbled in hotel rooms kept me fed better than any herd of cattle would’ve.

It wasn’t some grand plan — just following where the laughs and the paychecks lined up.

You said:

Of your career, what made you feel most fulfilled?

Will Rodgers said:

It wasn’t the stage lights or the ink on the page. Those were just tools. What filled me up was when ordinary folks — the barber, the farmer, the housewife — would say, “You said what I was thinkin’, only you made it funny.”

If I could take the sting out of hard times with a laugh, or shine a little light on the politicians without makin’ people lose hope, that felt like honest work. Ropin’ cattle feeds one man. Ropin’ words feeds a crowd. That’s the part I held onto.

You said:

Do you believe in the fates? Predetermined destiny for people’s lives?

Will Rodgers said:

Fate? Well, I always figured the Good Lord gave us the trail, but left the reins in our hands. You can call it destiny if you like, but I’ve seen too many fellas sit around waitin’ on Providence and starve out.

Life’s more like poker — you don’t pick the cards, but you sure decide how to play ’em. Some folks blame the fates when they fold a good hand; others just play it out and take the pot. I put my chips on effort, with a wink to luck.

You said:

Have you felt a responsibility to entertain people or educate them using humor as your medium?

Will Rodgers said:

Responsibility — sure. If you’ve got folks’ ears, you owe ’em something better than hot air. I never set out to preach, but a joke’s got more bite when there’s a little truth in it. People’ll listen to laughter who won’t give a sermon the time of day.

So I aimed to keep ’em entertained first — because nobody ever learned much with a frown on their face. But if I could slip in a fact or a nudge toward common sense while they were laughin’, well, that’s gravy on the steak.

You said:

You seem to me to deflect with humor. Do you have deeper thoughts that are not humorous?

Will Rodgers said:

I do. Humor’s just the grease that keeps the wheels from squeakin’. Underneath, I worry same as anyone — about whether folks’ll ever stop fightin’ long enough to notice what they’ve got, whether the poor’ll ever get a fair shake, whether we’ll quit electin’ more promise than proof.

The jokes keep me from soundin’ bitter, but the thoughts are plain enough. The world’s serious business — it just don’t hurt as much if you laugh on the way through it.

References:

Works by Will Rogers

Rogers, W. (1919). Rogers-isms: The cowboy philosopher on the peace conference. Boston, MA: Small, Maynard & Company.

Rogers, W. (1924). The illiterate digest. New York, NY: George H. Doran.

Rogers, W. (1926). Letters of a self-made diplomat to his president. New York, NY: Albert & Charles Boni.

Rogers, W. (1927). There’s not a bathing suit in Russia & other bare facts. New York, NY: Albert & Charles Boni.

Rogers, W. (1931). Will Rogers’ weekly articles: The Hoover years, 1929–1931 (J. R. H. Ferris, Ed.). Stillwater, OK: Oklahoma State University Press.

Rogers, W. (1974–1979). The papers of Will Rogers (A. B. Yarbrough, Ed.; Vols. 1–6). Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

Speeches, radio, and recordings

Rogers, W. (1931, October 18). Bacon, beans and limousines [Radio address]. Washington, DC: United States Chamber of Commerce.

Rogers, W. (1983). Radio broadcasts of Will Rogers [Audio recording]. New York, NY: Harper Audio. (Original radio broadcasts aired 1933–1935.)

Films and performances

Rogers, W. (Actor). (1919). Jubilo [Film]. United States: Goldwyn Pictures.

Rogers, W. (Actor). (1921). Doubling for Romeo [Film]. United States: Goldwyn Pictures.

Rogers, W. (Actor). (1925). A Texas steer [Film]. United States: Fox Film Corporation.

Rogers, W. (Actor). (1931). A Connecticut Yankee [Film]. United States: Fox Film Corporation.

Biographies and edited collections

Sterling, B., & Sterling, F. (Eds.). (1972). Will Rogers speaks: Over 1,000 timeless quotations for public speakers (and writers, too!) Chicago, IL: Regnery.

Yagoda, B. (1993). Will Rogers: A biography. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

Larson, E. J. (2010). Summer for the gods: The Scopes trial and America’s continuing debate over science and religion (sections on Will Rogers). New York, NY: Basic Books.

McPherson, L. (1996). A future in the past: Will Rogers and the modern American West. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press.

Archival and catalog resources

New York Public Library. (n.d.). The writings of Will Rogers [Archival collection]. New York, NY: New York Public Library, Manuscripts and Archives Division.

Online Books Page. (n.d.). Rogers, Will, 1879–1935. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Libraries.

Will Rogers Memorial Museum. (n.d.). Writings of Will Rogers. Claremore, OK: Will Rogers Memorial Museums.