World's Foremost Authority dies at 102

February 7, 2017 8:54 PM

We'll all miss you, Professor Irwin Corey (1914-2017). • Why do you wear tennis shoes? (1966, on the Smothers Brothers Show) • At the Cutting Room, 2008 • At Lord Buckley's Birthday Bash, 2007 • Being interviewed by Christopher Lydon, from WGBH's 10 O'Clock News, sometime in the 1980's • Accepting the 1974 National Book Award on behalf of Richard Python for Gravity's Rainbow; transcript provided by irwincorey.org

...however...

posted by not_on_display (23 comments total)

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posted by jim in austin at 9:10 PM on February 7, 2017

He used to open the floor for questions. I'll always remember this one from back in the 70s when there were lots of political trials going on.

Audience member: Professor Corey, what do you think of the Indianapolis 500?
Professor Corey: They're all innocent!
posted by charlesminus at 9:12 PM on February 7, 2017 [12 favorites]

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Goddamit, he was a genius.
posted by Fibognocchi at 9:18 PM on February 7, 2017

One of the originals and one of the first outsiderists in the age of mass media, influencing Andy Kaufman, Bobcat, Emo Phillips, probably Fred Willard and a big chunk of improv too.

Before her death he and his wife were married for 71 years!

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posted by rhizome at 9:23 PM on February 7, 2017 [2 favorites]

Goodby to The World's Foremost Authority.

In the early 70's, I'd catch him whenever on late-nite TV.
posted by Rash at 9:44 PM on February 7, 2017

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Let no human dare to claim that title after him.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:48 PM on February 7, 2017 [1 favorite]

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posted by flapjax at midnite at 10:05 PM on February 7, 2017

I'm pretending there's a subtle trick that goes over my head, some deep literary reference, to calling Thomas Pynchon "Richard Python".
posted by idiopath at 10:17 PM on February 7, 2017 [8 favorites]

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posted by Silverstone at 10:48 PM on February 7, 2017

Corwin's "Wherever you go, there you are" quote is a lot earlier than a number of attributions given in an Askme (though Buddah probably said it first).
posted by eye of newt at 11:35 PM on February 7, 2017

I figure all of that stuff is Yogi Berra.
posted by rhizome at 11:58 PM on February 7, 2017 [1 favorite]

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posted by DaddyNewt at 12:46 AM on February 8, 2017

I've been hearing about this guy since the day I was born. About goddamn time he died.
posted by The Potate at 1:45 AM on February 8, 2017 [2 favorites]

Also, .
posted by The Potate at 1:46 AM on February 8, 2017

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posted by valkane at 3:33 AM on February 8, 2017

I met him once. Talked briefly backstage after he served as toastmaster for a student organization awards ceremony I was peripherally involved in. He was remarkably coherent but just as fast and funny.
posted by Chitownfats at 3:53 AM on February 8, 2017

I thought that was Buckaroo Bonzai :(
posted by Meatbomb at 4:39 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]

He always reminded me of Jim Ignatauski(sp?) from Taxi. Or I should say Jim reminded me of Irwin.
Very funny man.

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posted by james33 at 5:20 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]

So George Plimpton in the piece on the book award speech seems to be suggesting that the audience was meant to believe, and perhaps actually did initially believe, that this was (the famously reclusive) Pynchon come to accept his award. Could that be the case?
posted by Naberius at 6:47 AM on February 8, 2017

He used to hang out at the Times Square porn theaters that had live sex acts. Nice guy. Always on.

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posted by Splunge at 8:53 AM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]

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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:22 PM on February 8, 2017

An interesting story here about Corey AND the nature of successful protest circa 1950.
posted by oneswellfoop at 1:10 PM on February 8, 2017 [1 favorite]

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A great innings, sir.
posted by On the Corner at 1:16 AM on February 12, 2017