# What's happened to John McLaughlin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2016, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660 "2016-08-13T10:29:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/1 "2016-08-13T10:29:50Z")
On last night’s show Pat Buchanan led off with something like…“For the first time in …this chair is not occupied by John McLaughlin”. Later, some topics were introduced by recordings of John’s voice, sounding like he’d suffered a stroke. The show ended with Tom Rogan looking teary and saying “We wish John the best”. For the comments to be recorded I’m guessing that whatever happened was at least 24 hours before the Friday night show to allow for medical stabilization and the recording session. But not a peep have I found on web searches… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/2 "2016-08-13T10:54:45Z")
Sorry, no clue - hope other Dopers can help. I just thought you were referring to the guitarist, not the pundit. You may wanna ask the mods to add that to the thread title. Freaked me out there a bit. 😉 the guitar player is 74. ---
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/3 "2016-08-13T11:33:42Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Sorry, no clue - hope other Dopers can help. I just thought you were referring to the guitarist, not the pundit. You may wanna ask the mods to add that to the thread title. > > Freaked me out there a bit. 😉 the guitar player is 74. That’s a good idea. Maybe’s “PBS’s John McLaughlin”? He’s 89 and recent week’s appearances seemed to indicate deteriorating health. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/4 "2016-08-13T11:50:54Z")
I started typing “John McLaughlin” into Google and it autocompleted as “John McLaughlin stroke”, so evidently there are plenty of others out there besides the OP who are wondering about this. I personally don’t think I’ve ever watched his show aside from [this John Oliver supercut](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asITAQRN4pg) and the time an actor playing him cameoed in _Watchmen_ asking his panel what they thought about Dr. Manhattan. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/5 "2016-08-13T12:02:13Z")
I came in here thinking it was[this John McLaughlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McLaughlin_(musician)). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/6 "2016-08-13T15:09:39Z")
That’s where I went as well. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/7 "2016-08-13T15:26:39Z")
I guess I’m an old fogey, because I immediately thought of\* The McLaughlin Group\*. Watched it a few weeks ago and thought: Holy shit, these guys are old!!! I used to be a regular watcher back in the day before cable and when this was one of the good left-right debate shows on TV (PBS). ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/8 "2016-08-13T15:28:32Z")
Personally, I remember the SNL parody of his show more than the actual show itself. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/9 "2016-08-13T15:38:08Z")
> [@campp](#): > > I came in here thinking it was[this John McLaughlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McLaughlin_(musician)). _ **WRONG!** _ My first thought was the [SNL version of McLaughlin](http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/mclaughlin-group/n9987) of McLaughlin mentioned by **Dewey Finn**. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/10 "2016-08-13T16:05:05Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I remember the SNL parody of his show more than the actual show itself. \*Point-Counterpoint \*was even better! Jane, you ignorant slut… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/11 "2016-08-13T17:06:02Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Sorry, no clue - hope other Dopers can help. I just thought you were referring to the guitarist, not the pundit. You may wanna ask the mods to add that to the thread title. > > Freaked me out there a bit. 😉 the guitar player is 74. Aye, ditto for me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/12 "2016-08-13T17:27:35Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Sorry, no clue - hope other Dopers can help. I just thought you were referring to the guitarist, not the pundit. You may wanna ask the mods to add that to the thread title. > > Freaked me out there a bit. 😉 the guitar player is 74. Same here. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/13 "2016-08-13T22:32:09Z")
Sounds like this thread should just be changed over to a John MacLaughlin guitarist thread, despite the fact it’s a different JM in the OP. so yeah…“Birds of Fire” is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/14 "2016-08-13T22:40:27Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I remember the SNL parody of his show more than the actual show itself. Me too. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/15 "2016-08-13T22:54:25Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I guess I’m an old fogey, because I immediately thought of\* The McLaughlin Group\*. Watched it a few weeks ago and thought: Holy shit, these guys are old!!! I used to be a regular watcher back in the day before cable and when this was one of the good left-right debate shows on TV (PBS). I don’t know what it says about me, but I still watch it regularly. My wife refers to it as “The Yelling People”. So, I thought of the correct McLaughlin, and know he’s been looking weaker each show for last few months. But I don’t know what finally resulted in his not being able to head his show this week. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/16 "2016-08-13T22:54:41Z")
> [@campp](#): > > I came in here thinking it was[this John McLaughlin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McLaughlin_(musician)). I thought of the PBS McLaughlin, and didn’t know there was another. I might not have known of either until I got married. When we lived out of town and would visit the in-laws for weekends, his show was their idea of Saturday night fun. The family sat around watching mom and dad watch politics on TV for an hour, and nobody was allowed to mock the conservative pundits. I know he is old, but I hope everything is ok. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/17 "2016-08-13T23:34:10Z")
I can’t help wondering if there’s some connection with the column Buchanan published on Thursday, in which he basically called for an armed uprising if Trump doesn’t win the election, ending his piece with this: > [@](#): > > “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable,” said John F. Kennedy. Could McLaughlin have read the piece? In any case, I hope that he may recover. I certainly don’t agree with many of his views, but he’s undeniably a serious-minded person who’s made a contribution to public discourse. > **[Pat Buchanan: If Trump Loses, There Could Be A Revolution | Right Wing Watch](https://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/pat-buchanan-if-trump-loses-there-could-be-a-revolution/)** > > In a column yesterday, Pat Buchanan warned that if Donald Trump loses the election in November, America could experience a revolution. Buchanan, citing ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/18 "2016-08-14T00:42:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I remember the SNL parody of his show more than the actual show itself. Don’t forget the earlier skit SNL did, called _The Sinatra Group_, with Phil Harman as a Sinatra-channeling-McLaughlin, Sting, and cast. That was some funny stuff! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/19 "2016-08-14T02:40:33Z")
I think one very funny bit from SNL was in Halloween when the real John McLaughlin showed up in the skit about the group. https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xgqmmb ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660/20 "2016-08-14T16:09:59Z")
I remember the Sinatra group where Frank said “I’ve got parts of people like you in my stool” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happened-to-john-mclaughlin/762660.md?page=2)