Don Rickles passed away today at the age of 90 from Kidney Failure according to The New York Times.
Rickles was legendary comedian who would make fun of everyone and didn’t care. You knew he was joking, so you didn’t get insulted by what he said. Instead you would laugh until it hurt and your pants were wet. He just had that way about him. Even Frank Sinatra grew to love him and there was time when the singer wanted to kill Mr Warmth.
Rickles has been doing late night television for over 50 years and was still appearing on them up until late last year. Forty years ago, he took part in the funniest late night moment and it lasted 2 episodes of The Tonight Show. His really good friend Bob Newhart was hosting and he was the guest. He grabbed Johnny Carson’s cigarette wooden box and it broke in two. He knew he was in trouble, but he didn’t know how much until the next day. That is when Carson returned to desk to find his heirloom broken. The host wasn’t happy about it and since Rickles was taping across the hall, he went and confronted him. It was a live moment that can never be duplicated because it was so funny and real. And there are not many hosts that have that type of relationship with their guests like that. It was a magical moment.
That is why Rickles will always be special to me, but to the younger generation he will be remembered as the voice of Mr Potato Head in the Toy Story movies.
No matter what you know him for, go get lost on the internet watching him roast people. It is the best way to keep his brilliant sense of humor alive. He is a one of kind and I am glad we got to know him.
Rickles is survived by his wife, Barbara of 52 years and their daughter Mindy.
