The search for the funniest president continues! Andrew Jackson has a reputation for killing ... but not in a comedic sense. He actually murdered a dude. So if we're looking at the comedy of Jackson, how does that work, exactly?

Our guest is Michael Friedman, the composer and lyricist for the hit musical "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson." That production turned Jackson into an emo rock star, producing big laughs and amazing insights into the populist wave that Jackson rode into the White House. Michael helps us understand why Jackson CAN work as a comedic figure on stage -- even though much of Jackson's historical legacy can be seen as tragic.

Michael Friedman on the New Yorker Radio Hour

BBAJ Original Cast Recording on iTunes

MUSIC: Hail Columbia, "I'm Slappin' Seventh Avenue" by Duke Ellington's Famous Orchestra, "Tennessee Twilight" by the Eddie Condon Orchestra