As Annie mentioned in her review, Don Rickles was on The Daily Show last night. I typically don't watch The Daily Show until the day after, because, at the old age of 30, I'm out like a light by 8:00 p.m., barely able to finish my bowl of oatmeal.
I usually skip over the interview segments of the show, but today I actual watched the segment with Rickles. I may be a fan of a lot of today's "alternative" comics (a term as meaningless as "alternative music"), but I also have a lot of respect and admiration for older comics such as Rickles. And it's genuine respect, not that fake respect you exude because they're old and society demands it from you. No, Rickles is a very funny and amicable gentleman, and even at the age of 81 the man is still as sharp as he ever was.
Times change, and younger talent will allows step in as the old guard steps aside, but with technology like DVDs and sites like YouTube, it's becoming easier and easier for people to see all kinds of great performers. I think that's pretty cool, and it's nice to see someone like Jon Stewart, whose audience is mostly made up of younger people, giving someone like Rickles the honor and respect he deserves. Stewart is clearly a fan, and maybe he'll turn a few kids onto the old man, as well.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-17-2007 @ 4:31PM
hotboudain said...
I've loved Rickles since I was a kid. He is always great on these talk shows because he comes out there and breaks everyones balls. He was also great on Letterman the other night. Long live Mr. Warmth!!!
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5-17-2007 @ 4:56PM
Karen said...
Rickles really is the last of a dying breed, and it's easy to forget he had a career as an actor as well. Not just in films like "Run Silent, Run Deep," as he mentions in the interview, but as a guest star on damn near every TV series in the 60s and 70s. He really was ubiquitous when I was growing up.
It was lovely to see the regard in which Jon held him. The moment of rapport over "Jewish mothers" was hysterical. Jon's Daily Show persona sometimes leads us to forget his own long history in stand-up, and to see that meeting of generations was a real privilege.
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5-17-2007 @ 7:02PM
Harriett said...
I'm sixty yrs old, and I loved Don Rickles. He always made me laugh, but what stands out for me is when he did a "Comic Relief" show. I thought It was "GREAT".
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5-18-2007 @ 4:15AM
GhaleonQ said...
While, obviously, he isn't at the top of his game, the fact that he and comedians like Bob Newhart are still genuinely funny amazes me.
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5-18-2007 @ 10:56AM
Bas said...
He's great - always has been.
Maybe I'm missing something, but why is the fact that he's still funny amazing to some people? I didn't know that people lost the ability to be funny after 40...
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5-18-2007 @ 11:33AM
Rachel said...
I love the Daily Show. I don't care who's on...Jon gets the best (or worst) out of everyone. Here are my favorite quotes from the show: http://listafterlist.com/tabid/57/listid/6712//Jon+Stewart+Quotes+from+The+Daily+Show.aspx
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