Rarely does a comedian come along whose catch phrase becomes a national in-joke, and captures the imagination of the world.

Bill Dana entered the comedy field in the early fifties, becoming head writer for the ground and record breaking Steve Allen Show, and 10 years later was performing his most well known act during a US presidential inauguration. This act sparked the imagination of the US in large part because it made fun of the greatest heroes of the age, the US astronauts, who in turn adopted the comedian and character as one of their own. They frequently quoted bits of his acts in their communications from their capsules, from orbit, and from the moon. Although it could be classed as ethnic humor (although Dana is of Hungarian-Jewish descent, Jimenez is Latino), instead, this character was seen as the Everyman, the Little Man, the common person caught up in the momentus events of the time. Here then is a recording done at the Hungry I (not great quality; sounds like it was ripped from an old record) of Bill Dana performing an early version of his most famous act, Jose Jimemez, the World's Greatest Astronaut.

Bill Dana: http://www.corporateartists.com/comedy_bill_dana.html
CD: http://www.laugh.com/main_pages/comicpage.asp?cid=21