Farewell, Mr. Warmth
April 6, 2017 12:05 PM Subscribe
"My whole act is off the top of my head." RIP Don Rickles, age 90.
Main link overloaded at the moment
Don Rickles, known as "Mr. Warmth" and "The Merchant of Venom," got his start when he insulted Frank Sinatra. When Sinatra was asked to perform at Ronald Reagan's inaugural, he stipulated that Rickles must be with him. Sinatra was later surprised by Rickles on the Tonight Show.
Standup from 1969
The Best of Rickles
His serious role in "Casino" was memorable.
In the early 1980s, he co-hosted Foul-Ups, Bleeps, and Blunders, a knockoff of "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes." The most notable episode was William Shatner introducing a set of bloopers taken from the original Star Trek. Shatner, in his introduction, stated that this was the first time these outtakes had ever been shown on network television. "I've got chills," Rickles replied sarcastically.
New Yorker profile (2004)
Main link overloaded at the moment
Don Rickles, known as "Mr. Warmth" and "The Merchant of Venom," got his start when he insulted Frank Sinatra. When Sinatra was asked to perform at Ronald Reagan's inaugural, he stipulated that Rickles must be with him. Sinatra was later surprised by Rickles on the Tonight Show.
Standup from 1969
The Best of Rickles
His serious role in "Casino" was memorable.
In the early 1980s, he co-hosted Foul-Ups, Bleeps, and Blunders, a knockoff of "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes." The most notable episode was William Shatner introducing a set of bloopers taken from the original Star Trek. Shatner, in his introduction, stated that this was the first time these outtakes had ever been shown on network television. "I've got chills," Rickles replied sarcastically.
New Yorker profile (2004)
Goodbye, hockey puck. :'(
posted by Roentgen at 12:13 PM on April 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by Roentgen at 12:13 PM on April 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
From the other (now deleted) thread: Hollywood Reporter obit
posted by Shmuel510 at 12:14 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by Shmuel510 at 12:14 PM on April 6, 2017
Godspeed, sir. Thank you.
And you take care of yourself, Bob Newhart.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:14 PM on April 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
And you take care of yourself, Bob Newhart.
posted by Capt. Renault at 12:14 PM on April 6, 2017 [5 favorites]
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He was always the closer on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, and he earned it.
posted by Catblack at 12:17 PM on April 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
He was always the closer on the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts, and he earned it.
posted by Catblack at 12:17 PM on April 6, 2017 [4 favorites]
He got "insult comedy" right, better than his predecessors (see: Jack E. Leonard) and his successors (too many to mention). The worst of his reputation came from his true 'spare no one' philosophy, so he punched up, down, and occasionally himself.
Hockey pucks everywhere are mourning. (probably the greatest euphemism ever)
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:19 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
Hockey pucks everywhere are mourning. (probably the greatest euphemism ever)
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:19 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
Dude was incredibly influential in normalizing racism, and attitudes such as "it's not racist if it's funny" and "it's not racist if you make fun of everyone. He made Punching Down into a lucrative living.
posted by Cookiebastard at 12:20 PM on April 6, 2017 [12 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 12:20 PM on April 6, 2017 [12 favorites]
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Whether you knew his comedy well or not I would recommend the documentary on Rickles titled "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project"- assembled and directed by John Landis. It gives a good overview of Rickle's humor.
posted by Rashomon at 12:22 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Whether you knew his comedy well or not I would recommend the documentary on Rickles titled "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project"- assembled and directed by John Landis. It gives a good overview of Rickle's humor.
posted by Rashomon at 12:22 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
• shaped like a hockey puck
posted by Gelatin at 12:24 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Gelatin at 12:24 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Dude was incredibly influential in normalizing racism
I don't think one can say that racism needed any more normalizing in America at any point of Rickles' life or career.
posted by Etrigan at 12:25 PM on April 6, 2017 [20 favorites]
I don't think one can say that racism needed any more normalizing in America at any point of Rickles' life or career.
posted by Etrigan at 12:25 PM on April 6, 2017 [20 favorites]
He made Punching Down into a lucrative living.
Did he make it normal or continue a horrible, venerated, international tradition?
posted by Going To Maine at 12:27 PM on April 6, 2017
Did he make it normal or continue a horrible, venerated, international tradition?
posted by Going To Maine at 12:27 PM on April 6, 2017
Sorry but no feels for someone who made his living (probably a decent one at that) by insulting people. Insult humor, IMHO, says far more about the insultor and his/her issues than it does about the insultee(s)'s.
posted by Lynsey at 12:29 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Lynsey at 12:29 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Insult humor, IMHO, says far more about the insultor and his/her issues than it does about the insultee(s)'s.
You only think that because you have no sense of humour.
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posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 12:35 PM on April 6, 2017 [26 favorites]
You only think that because you have no sense of humour.
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posted by You Should See the Other Guy at 12:35 PM on April 6, 2017 [26 favorites]
His May 6th show in Tulsa is postponed till November. Of course he's postponing. Typical. What more would you expect from "the late" Don Rickles?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2017 [24 favorites]
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2017 [24 favorites]
Did he make it normal or continue a horrible, venerated, international tradition?
Both. I don't blame all of American Racism on him. But he did more than his share to perpetuate it and profit from it.
posted by Cookiebastard at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2017
Both. I don't blame all of American Racism on him. But he did more than his share to perpetuate it and profit from it.
posted by Cookiebastard at 12:38 PM on April 6, 2017
I hate most bigoted/insulting/offense-baiting 'humor'. But Rickles, not so much. I didn't love his act but respected his ability to improv around an audience with gags and jabs I hadn't heard before.
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:45 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 12:45 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
Insult humor, IMHO, says far more about the insultor and his/her issues than it does about the insultee(s)'s.
Oh thank you. I've been looking all day for a word that rhymes with Jesus.
posted by hal9k at 12:46 PM on April 6, 2017 [9 favorites]
Oh thank you. I've been looking all day for a word that rhymes with Jesus.
posted by hal9k at 12:46 PM on April 6, 2017 [9 favorites]
The Sinatra Story:
Before our lunch ended, I asked if he would tell the now classic story about Frank Sinatra that famously left Carson helpless with laughter.
“It’s a true story, so help me God,” he began obligingly. “Sinatra was headlining at the Sands, and I was with this girl having dinner in the lounge. She wasn’t anybody I would bring home to my mother, but I really wanted to score big. Frank was in the lounge at his table with Lena Horne and some other celebrities and all his security guards. And my date says, ‘My God, there’s Frank Sinatra! Do you know him?’
“I said, ‘Sure, he’s a friend of mine.’ Which he was. But I made it sound like my whole life. ‘We’re like brothers!’ She didn’t believe me. So I said, ‘Wait here, sweetheart,’ and I went over to Frank’s table. ‘What do you want, Bullethead?’ he said. That was his nickname for me. I told him I was trying to impress this girl and would he do me a very big favor and come over and just say hello. He said, ‘For you, Bullethead, I’ll do it.’”
Five minutes later, Sinatra strolled over and said, “Don, how the hell are you?”
And Don Rickles looked up and replied, “Not now, Frank. Can’t you see I’m with somebody?”
posted by blahblahblah at 12:52 PM on April 6, 2017 [45 favorites]
Before our lunch ended, I asked if he would tell the now classic story about Frank Sinatra that famously left Carson helpless with laughter.
“It’s a true story, so help me God,” he began obligingly. “Sinatra was headlining at the Sands, and I was with this girl having dinner in the lounge. She wasn’t anybody I would bring home to my mother, but I really wanted to score big. Frank was in the lounge at his table with Lena Horne and some other celebrities and all his security guards. And my date says, ‘My God, there’s Frank Sinatra! Do you know him?’
“I said, ‘Sure, he’s a friend of mine.’ Which he was. But I made it sound like my whole life. ‘We’re like brothers!’ She didn’t believe me. So I said, ‘Wait here, sweetheart,’ and I went over to Frank’s table. ‘What do you want, Bullethead?’ he said. That was his nickname for me. I told him I was trying to impress this girl and would he do me a very big favor and come over and just say hello. He said, ‘For you, Bullethead, I’ll do it.’”
Five minutes later, Sinatra strolled over and said, “Don, how the hell are you?”
And Don Rickles looked up and replied, “Not now, Frank. Can’t you see I’m with somebody?”
posted by blahblahblah at 12:52 PM on April 6, 2017 [45 favorites]
He was really good in Casino, but he was great in Kelly's Heroes.
posted by valkane at 1:09 PM on April 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
posted by valkane at 1:09 PM on April 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
Rickles wasn't all about punching down. He punched sideways, if not up, with his interactions with celebrities. Definitely will miss him, he made me laugh constantly.
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 1:29 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Purposeful Grimace at 1:29 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
Watching the clips posted above, I can see how in modern times his humor might not have the same effect. The bits of him straight up calling people "Japs" or yelling "Are you Chinese??" was super cringey to me. But the bits of him calling out his celebrity friends were hilarious. It's the same reason why modern roasts are funny to me when they're super mean (and you know they're all friends, or they rightly deserved it, like ann coulter at the last roast), but they leave the super racist stuff off.
posted by numaner at 1:44 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by numaner at 1:44 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh thank you. I've been looking all day for a word that rhymes with Jesus.
Cheeses
posted by thelonius at 1:47 PM on April 6, 2017
Cheeses
posted by thelonius at 1:47 PM on April 6, 2017
I recall a story about the time he was on Get Smart, and he and Don Adams had trouble doing scenes because they kept cracking each other up just by looking at each other.
(Warning ...Can't find confirmation on the web, and as someone of an age to have watched Get Smart in prime time, my memory might be not entirely accurate)
posted by MtDewd at 1:49 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
(Warning ...Can't find confirmation on the web, and as someone of an age to have watched Get Smart in prime time, my memory might be not entirely accurate)
posted by MtDewd at 1:49 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
RIP Mr Warmth
I would say that going after Sinatra is pretty much punching up, especially in his prime.
posted by Ber at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2017
I would say that going after Sinatra is pretty much punching up, especially in his prime.
posted by Ber at 1:56 PM on April 6, 2017
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posted by Token Meme at 1:59 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by Token Meme at 1:59 PM on April 6, 2017
One of the funniest humans of my lifetime, and I suppose as a New York Jew of a certain age, I appreciate that many find him a bit harsh, but he appeals to a certain style of humor. This departure really hurts.
⚫️
posted by dbiedny at 2:04 PM on April 6, 2017
⚫️
posted by dbiedny at 2:04 PM on April 6, 2017
Strange but true, Rickles punched in all directions, in multiple dimensions.
And the stories of his mutual breaking-up with Don Adams on "Get Smart" were well documented in the show's 'outtake reels'. As was his friendship with Adams and several other top funnyfolk of the time, including Bob Newhart. If Newhart thought you were OK, you're not too bad.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:05 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
And the stories of his mutual breaking-up with Don Adams on "Get Smart" were well documented in the show's 'outtake reels'. As was his friendship with Adams and several other top funnyfolk of the time, including Bob Newhart. If Newhart thought you were OK, you're not too bad.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:05 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
I remember an interview in Esquire where he mentioned that he had been invited to the White House by every president since Kennedy and without fail, while the president was working down the reception line shaking hands, they'd look ahead and see him and every single one of them would start to sweat a little. He found it very gratifying.
posted by Chitownfats at 2:11 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Chitownfats at 2:11 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]
And who can forget his starmaking guest spot on Scooby Doo?
Rest in peace, hockeypuck.
posted by entropicamericana at 2:17 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Rest in peace, hockeypuck.
posted by entropicamericana at 2:17 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by doctor_negative at 2:20 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by doctor_negative at 2:20 PM on April 6, 2017
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posted by Bob Regular at 2:26 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by Bob Regular at 2:26 PM on April 6, 2017
I loved his appearances with Letterman. They were great together. Sometimes his rapid fire technique could miss and be awkward but when he was rolling he was on par with Robin Williams, Mel Brooks and Winters.
posted by zzazazz at 2:28 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by zzazazz at 2:28 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
When I first moved out to Hawaii in 1989, I was shocked to encounter how much ethnic humor was still in play. Indeed, I was in a play with a ton of humor that I perceive as racist and proceeded to lecture the director about how we can't do this its offensive.
What I didn't know was that contextually in Hawaii at the time (much less so now), ethnic humor was seen as a unifying force that had come down from plantation time. One of the ways that the different people of different culture got along and got to know each other and blunted a lot of inherent racism was to make jokes about each other's culture and their own culture. Especially the older generation in Hawaii tended to view that style of humor as a unifying thing.
The next time that same play was staged (about a decade later) all of the ethnic humor had been removed. Enough people had passed on/changed that it was already starting to be looked on as reinforcing racism instead of mitigating it. It was sort of a fascinating process to live through. Apparently, even in 1989, there were already people who felt like it was time to leave Plantation days behind.
Rickles act comes out of a very specific time of American history and you can see in the interactions of between Sinatra and Rickles (and, bigger picture, between Sinatra and his rat pack) how they used ethnic humor to cross some of the cultural barriers between them. Yes, Sinatra was descended from Italian immigrants and Rickles from Jewish immigrants, but they're both Americans now and the cultural differences were both a real thing and a thing that they could poke fun at - sometimes savagely - and still come out on the other side as friends.
There are a ton of areas, though, where this is problematic.
First, while Rickles genuinely seems to be coming from a place of "we're all in this together," not everyone who is laughing or feeling like they're being given permission to make racist jokes is coming from that same place. Rickles comedy gave cover for racists. As we say here a bunch, ironic racism is still racism.
Second, there are people who are excluded from this style of comedy. In Hawaii in the 80's, if you were local you could make fun of some of the major immigrant groups that had been in Hawaii for the about same amount of time and it would usually be viewed as good natured. Humor aimed at Micronesians - more recent immigrants - generally came across as being aimed at keeping Micronesians in their place. You can hear the same thing in Rickles show. I imagine if you're the only Japanese person, for example, in an audience of whites from different backgrounds, it feels very, very different to be the focus of his wit. There's a difference between Sinatra laughing at an Italian insult ("that's true") and laughing at a Japanese insult.
Anyhow, I'm really into Shakespeare and can admire his genius while at the same time acknowledge his plays are racist and sexist as fuck - and sadly typical of his time.
In that spirit, I admire Don Rickles wit and skill as a comedian and performer. He was a product of his time. I hope that we've put those times behind us and future Don Rickles can use their wit and skill towards making great comedy that doesn't give cover to racists and beat down less powerful members of society.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:12 PM on April 6, 2017 [11 favorites]
What I didn't know was that contextually in Hawaii at the time (much less so now), ethnic humor was seen as a unifying force that had come down from plantation time. One of the ways that the different people of different culture got along and got to know each other and blunted a lot of inherent racism was to make jokes about each other's culture and their own culture. Especially the older generation in Hawaii tended to view that style of humor as a unifying thing.
The next time that same play was staged (about a decade later) all of the ethnic humor had been removed. Enough people had passed on/changed that it was already starting to be looked on as reinforcing racism instead of mitigating it. It was sort of a fascinating process to live through. Apparently, even in 1989, there were already people who felt like it was time to leave Plantation days behind.
Rickles act comes out of a very specific time of American history and you can see in the interactions of between Sinatra and Rickles (and, bigger picture, between Sinatra and his rat pack) how they used ethnic humor to cross some of the cultural barriers between them. Yes, Sinatra was descended from Italian immigrants and Rickles from Jewish immigrants, but they're both Americans now and the cultural differences were both a real thing and a thing that they could poke fun at - sometimes savagely - and still come out on the other side as friends.
There are a ton of areas, though, where this is problematic.
First, while Rickles genuinely seems to be coming from a place of "we're all in this together," not everyone who is laughing or feeling like they're being given permission to make racist jokes is coming from that same place. Rickles comedy gave cover for racists. As we say here a bunch, ironic racism is still racism.
Second, there are people who are excluded from this style of comedy. In Hawaii in the 80's, if you were local you could make fun of some of the major immigrant groups that had been in Hawaii for the about same amount of time and it would usually be viewed as good natured. Humor aimed at Micronesians - more recent immigrants - generally came across as being aimed at keeping Micronesians in their place. You can hear the same thing in Rickles show. I imagine if you're the only Japanese person, for example, in an audience of whites from different backgrounds, it feels very, very different to be the focus of his wit. There's a difference between Sinatra laughing at an Italian insult ("that's true") and laughing at a Japanese insult.
Anyhow, I'm really into Shakespeare and can admire his genius while at the same time acknowledge his plays are racist and sexist as fuck - and sadly typical of his time.
In that spirit, I admire Don Rickles wit and skill as a comedian and performer. He was a product of his time. I hope that we've put those times behind us and future Don Rickles can use their wit and skill towards making great comedy that doesn't give cover to racists and beat down less powerful members of society.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:12 PM on April 6, 2017 [11 favorites]
There are celebrity roasts featuring Rickles all over YouTube, and they're all pretty fucking amazing. Even with the weird, cringy racist as fuck parts, you can see that Rickles is great friends with basically everyone he's roasting.
posted by loquacious at 3:13 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by loquacious at 3:13 PM on April 6, 2017
Dang, I'd just seen Rickles in The Andy Griffith Show and I thought it was one of his better turns, both acidic and charming, Rickles in a nutshell. Not a fan of his stand-up necessarily but definitely the passing of a force majeure.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 3:22 PM on April 6, 2017
posted by Ogre Lawless at 3:22 PM on April 6, 2017
Strange but true, Rickles punched in all directions, in multiple dimensions.
Sure, he insulted both minorities and other marginalized people, and privileged white celebrities . So egalitarian.
I guess making fun of Sinatra makes the racist, homophobic stuff OK?
posted by Cookiebastard at 4:07 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Sure, he insulted both minorities and other marginalized people, and privileged white celebrities . So egalitarian.
I guess making fun of Sinatra makes the racist, homophobic stuff OK?
posted by Cookiebastard at 4:07 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's odd the holes in one's knowledge of popular culture - all I really knew about him was that he was a character in Jack Kirby's take on Jimmy Olsen.
posted by Grangousier at 4:41 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 4:41 PM on April 6, 2017 [2 favorites]
What I didn't know was that contextually in Hawaii at the time (much less so now), ethnic humor was seen as a unifying force that had come down from plantation time. One of the ways that the different people of different culture got along and got to know each other and blunted a lot of inherent racism was to make jokes about each other's culture and their own culture. Especially the older generation in Hawaii tended to view that style of humor as a unifying thing
There are two kinds of ethnic joke - the kind you can only make when members of the referred to group are there and the kind you only dare make when they're not.
(I honestly don't think I've ever seen a Don Rickles routine so I'm not trying to file him in either one of these categories. I just thought of this slightly too simple little aphorism and wanted to use it somewhere.)
posted by atoxyl at 4:56 PM on April 6, 2017
There are two kinds of ethnic joke - the kind you can only make when members of the referred to group are there and the kind you only dare make when they're not.
(I honestly don't think I've ever seen a Don Rickles routine so I'm not trying to file him in either one of these categories. I just thought of this slightly too simple little aphorism and wanted to use it somewhere.)
posted by atoxyl at 4:56 PM on April 6, 2017
Every single person who ever worked with him says he was the sweetest guy alive. On the other hand, holy racism, Batman.
In conclusion, Don Rickles was a man of contrasts.
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posted by tzikeh at 5:20 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
In conclusion, Don Rickles was a man of contrasts.
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posted by tzikeh at 5:20 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'm too old to get revisionist on him. There are sitting politicians today who are more overtly and sincerely racist.
He made me laugh, and he was apparently a sweet guy.
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posted by Artful Codger at 6:07 PM on April 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
He made me laugh, and he was apparently a sweet guy.
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posted by Artful Codger at 6:07 PM on April 6, 2017 [10 favorites]
I was listening to Marc Maron's interview with Jason Zinoman earlier this week and they discussed how so much humor is contextual -- very few jokes actually survive the test of time. Re-watch Eddie Murphy's "Raw" and it's pretty cringey with the amount of open homophobia on display. And I think we would pretty universally acknowledge that Eddie Murphy was a force to be reckoned with back in the 80s. It's fair to point out a lot of Rickle's racist stuff but the truth is he could also kill and those jokes hold up still today.
Also, this discussion reminds me of this piece about Dave Chapelle's two new specials on Netflix.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:11 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
Also, this discussion reminds me of this piece about Dave Chapelle's two new specials on Netflix.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 9:11 PM on April 6, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by On the Corner at 12:15 AM on April 7, 2017
posted by On the Corner at 12:15 AM on April 7, 2017
At least his act is funnier now!
posted by thelonius at 5:51 AM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by thelonius at 5:51 AM on April 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2017
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 7:43 AM on April 7, 2017
Don Rickles' racism is not of the same sort as your terrible uncle's. It is more generally, I think, to be considered part of his time, of the air he breathed, and his participation in it is mostly part of how none of us can wholly escape the culture in which we live. It had some of the form but not the venom, no actual intent to harm.
Of course someone who is directly harmed by racism may feel differently. This is just how I see it, and it's from a position of privilege. But even a few MST jokes (which despite the premise is about as inoffensive as you can get) now sound sour when cognizant of transgender issues. I wonder if this can be escaped entirely, if whether any one of us can escape being (rightfully!) derided some day is due more to luck than how woke we are.
Anyway, I always kind of liked Don Rickles when I heard him. Someone above referenced his appearance on Scooby-Doo, so curious of which guest stars from The New Scooby-Doo Movies (currently) survive, I went to check. They are: John Astin (Gomez from The Addams Family), Sandy Duncan, Cher, Tim Conway and Dick Van Dyke. Presumably the kids who played Pugsley and Wednesday live too, and maybe some of the random actors from the Hanna-Barbera crossovers. Of the original cast, Frank Welker is still Freddy. Nicole Jaffe, the original Velma, is still alive but retired after that series. Heather North, Daphne circa that time, still works but not as Daphne anymore. Casey Kasem, of course, passed years ago now; he was both Shaggy and Robin.
Interestingly, by the way, it seems like Don Rickles wasn't in Scooby-Doo! At least it seems like he was never in the New Scooby Movies. This seems to be a common misrecollection.
posted by JHarris at 8:56 AM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Of course someone who is directly harmed by racism may feel differently. This is just how I see it, and it's from a position of privilege. But even a few MST jokes (which despite the premise is about as inoffensive as you can get) now sound sour when cognizant of transgender issues. I wonder if this can be escaped entirely, if whether any one of us can escape being (rightfully!) derided some day is due more to luck than how woke we are.
Anyway, I always kind of liked Don Rickles when I heard him. Someone above referenced his appearance on Scooby-Doo, so curious of which guest stars from The New Scooby-Doo Movies (currently) survive, I went to check. They are: John Astin (Gomez from The Addams Family), Sandy Duncan, Cher, Tim Conway and Dick Van Dyke. Presumably the kids who played Pugsley and Wednesday live too, and maybe some of the random actors from the Hanna-Barbera crossovers. Of the original cast, Frank Welker is still Freddy. Nicole Jaffe, the original Velma, is still alive but retired after that series. Heather North, Daphne circa that time, still works but not as Daphne anymore. Casey Kasem, of course, passed years ago now; he was both Shaggy and Robin.
Interestingly, by the way, it seems like Don Rickles wasn't in Scooby-Doo! At least it seems like he was never in the New Scooby Movies. This seems to be a common misrecollection.
posted by JHarris at 8:56 AM on April 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
4-minute audio tribute from comedian Joseph Scrimshaw.
I feel the best way to honor the legacy of Mr. Rickles is to say this: in the moments before he shuffled off his mortal coil, I sincerely hope Don Rickles was making fun of his own kidney for being a failure.posted by Shmuel510 at 10:01 AM on April 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Gentleman Caller and I had a running gag that we should elope in Atlantic City and have Don Rickles marry us. Since GC is the introvert's introvert, this would never have happened anyway...but I'm sad Mr Warmth won't join us two hockey pucks in holy matrimony.
posted by pxe2000 at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by pxe2000 at 3:08 PM on April 7, 2017
(The Scrimshaw audio link two comments up now goes to a snippet about the Squirrel Girl movie. I'm not sure why, but apparently you can still hear the right one via Twitter.)
posted by Shmuel510 at 3:18 PM on April 7, 2017
posted by Shmuel510 at 3:18 PM on April 7, 2017
W/r/t Rickles' appearance in Jimmy Olsen - The Vulture explains.
posted by Grangousier at 3:18 AM on April 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Grangousier at 3:18 AM on April 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Tearful tribute to Don Rickels from Jimmy Kimmel
posted by The Gooch at 12:13 PM on April 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by The Gooch at 12:13 PM on April 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
I think that the Fresh Air tribute to Rickles [39m] is one of the best things I've listened to in a long time.
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posted by hippybear at 2:09 PM on April 8, 2017
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posted by hippybear at 2:09 PM on April 8, 2017
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posted by ZeusHumms at 12:08 PM on April 6, 2017 [3 favorites]