Watching Rickles gave me the tickles. His acidity doesn't burn. It just flows into your blood stream and alerts your funny bones.
"I couldn't sell air conditioners on a 98-degree day. When I demonstrated them in a showroom, I pushed the wrong button and blew the circuit."
I used to wait for him, Bob Hope and Jonathan Winters when they had their moments on black and white television in Singapore. The family only had them when television came to Singapore in the early 60's.
These moments were their Specials, which were shown once in a way when they had one hour segments all to themselves, with their guest stars and shown on national TV, beaming in living rooms on our little island.
If we were lucky we get Christmas or New Year Specials with these super comics appearing. It wasn't till these imported shows came before we were able to enjoy them.
So good-bye Mr Rickles. With these three other people, you will surely create much rib-tickling guffaws in the sky. What with Johnny Carson hosting and Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior, Frank Sinatra at the side-line, we won't be enjoying the fun from earth.
But I'll be looking out for more of the toasts on You Tube from Mr Rickles and the other greats. Singapore TV comics could learn much from these kings of comedians and learn the tricks of the trade.
"Compared to what some of the young comics use for material today, I'm a priest."
May you Rest In Peace, Don Rickles.
Images: Google.
You Tube Video.
6 comments:
I like your story Andy. You must have a ready-for-publication list of celebrities. I enjoy reading your account on when Singapore had black and white TV. For me, it was waiting at 5 pm for Lloyd Bridges and Sea Hunt, I love Lucy and of course Jacques Cousteau. Great memories ...
this is so funny. as a late comer, i never got to read your older articles..
so a moment ago (11:59pm ..here now ..a minute before midnight..)
i decided to visit your blog to read some of the old articles.
naturally, i chose "beautiful girls" as the first ones to read.
i never thought you were a comedian. no wonder you're already missing don rickles.
i remember him too. isn't he that one who kept insulting ethnics??? i thought they were funny, as even as a kid then, watching him on my dad's b&w tv with shows like lassie, rin tin tin and cliff richard , i liked rickles a lot.
well, there's going to be a big bash up there, with don rickles going through st peter's gate. he will have to explain to st peter that he wasn't serious when he insulted ethnics, as peter was ethnic too LOL
Andy,
Great stories about Don Rickles. Keep up the good work.
I don't know but I did watch our first news blk n wht TV in mid february 1963. tv on for 1 hr only. am i right?
RIP Mr Rickles,
Really great people, Bro, Comedians and comediennes: They make us laugh ! Make our days happier. My all time favourite - the late Richard Pryor !
DON RICKLES 'INSULT' QUOTES:
1 [to Robin Williams, upon seeing his forearms] "I've never met an ape." –Comic Relief V, 1992
2 "I said, 'Stand up, Frank, be yourself ... and hit somebody.'" –recounting the time he first met Frank Sinatra on The Daily Show, 2008
3 "Clint's idea of a good time is sitting on a pickup truck watching his dog bark." –Clint Eastwood Roast, 1986
4 "Bob Hope couldn't be here tonight, he's looking for a war." –Frank Sinatra Roast, 1978
5 "Bob, I'm so happy for you, but do us a favor: Get off the air. How long [are you going to do this]? The soldiers, the Navy, they're getting tired. Every time there's a war, you're right there. In Iran, they're fed up, they're fighting and you go, 'I wanna tell you...' with your golf club. It's over. I'm a friend. Don't annoy people."
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