Jimmy Kimmel smiled, laughed and broke down crying Thursday night while remembering his close friend and beloved comedian Don Rickles. Jimmy opened “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” by reflecting on his time with Rickles over the years and telling some…
Showing posts with label Rickles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rickles. Show all posts
Friday, April 7, 2017
Jimmy Kimmel Pays Emotional Tribute to Don Rickles
Jimmy Kimmel could not contain his emotions on Thursday night.
Taking to his talk show stage just hours after Don Rickles died at the age of 90, the host warned viewers right away that tears would most likely be shed during his monologue.
"This is not going to be our usual show tonight – and I"ll tell you right up front that I"m going to cry, probably a lot, which is embarrassing," Kimmel said as he struggled to maintain his composure at the outset of the show.
He continued:
"I"m not good with this sort of thing, and I"m sorry, especially to those of you who came here to see the show in person, because that"s probably not what you came for… but we lost someone that we and I love very much today."
Kimmel, who worked closely with Rickles not long before the latter died, again apologized to viewers and added:
"Don Rickles passed away this morning. He was 90 years old. I know it sounds crazy to say he was too young, but he was, because he was youthful and so funny and sharp and generous."
The star explained how he grew up in Las Vegas and followed Rickles from an early age.
Upon detailing how Rickles first appeared on his talk show in 2006, Kimmel once again broke down.
"We"d been trying to book him since the beginning. We asked him to do the show over and over again. He didn"t know what this was. He knew The Tonight Show and Letterman and that"s it.
"But finally, after we bothered him like 20 times, he gave up and he did the show for my birthday in 2006."
Added Kimmel:
"It was exciting, like I was in some kind of talk show host fantasy camp, sitting behind a desk while Don Rickles made fun of me. It was like being a real talk show host for a minute.
"Don came to visit 17 more times after that. Whenever he was on, we would go out to dinner."
Prior to sharing a video tribute to Rickles, Kimmel concluded:
"He was a funny guy; I know that"s not a news flash. I was lucky to know him. My love and condolences to Don"s wife, Barbara; his daughter; Mindy, his stepdaughters; Bob and John; his main man, Tony O; Paul Shefrin.
"There will never be another Don Rickles."
Watch the beautiful, emotional tribute below:
Don Rickles Reality Show, First Footage with Silverman, Poehler and Kimmel (VIDEO)
Don Rickles had already shot a full season of his reality show, “Dinner with Don,” when he died … and TMZ got a first look at some of the footage. The show features Don chatting with various celebs — including Jimmy Kimmel, Amy Poehler, Sarah…
Thursday, April 6, 2017
Don Rickles Dies; Legendary Comic Was 90
Don Rickles, the legendary comic who turned the insult into an art form, has passed away at the age of 90.
His publicist confirmed the news in a statement issued to the media moments ago.
While longevity eludes most comics due to changing tastes in humor, Rickles remained a stalwart in the standup scene for an astonishing six decades.
Often cited as a top influence by today’s biggest comedians, Rickles made a career out of skewering public figures, fellow entertainers, his own audience, and even himself.
His impact can be seen everywhere from sharp-tongued sitcom characters to the popular Comedy Central Roast series.
Rickles didn’t invent insult comedy, but he may have done more to popularize it than anyone else.
Rickles kicked off his career in New York nightclubs during the 1950s, eventually gaining such a name for himself as the master put-down that he became a sought-after act to perform for and alongside the biggest names in show business.
In the ’60s, Rickles became a fixture in Las Vegas, and was frequently spotted partying with Frank Sinatra and his famous Rat Pack.
In addition to standup, Rickles became a familiar face to generations of film and television fans.
Though his own attempts at launching a series never panned out, he racked up scores of TV credits over the years.
Rickles was a fixture on the late night talk show circuit from the time of its inception and played guest roles on sitcoms such as Get Smart, Newhart and, in 2011, Hot in Cleveland, and Murphy Brown.
He also showed off his dramatic chops in films such as Martin Scorsese’s Casino, and earned a new generation of fans with his voice work as Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films.
Social media tributes to Rickles from fans, friends and fellow comics began pouring in within minutes of the announcement of his death:
“Hey Helen Keller, show’s up here. Gandhi, stop hogging the breadsticks or we’ll let Bob Hope tell jokes again,” Patton Oswalt tweeted, paying tribute to Rickles’ scathing style.
“A national treasure is gone. Don Rickles’ talent was limitless. To know him was a gift,” wrote Larry King.
Rickles is survived by his wife of 52 years, his two children, and two grandchildren.
Don Rickles Dead at 90
Don Rickles, one of the most legendary, iconic and influential comedians in history, has died. We’ve learned Don died Thursday morning of kidney failure at his home in Los Angeles. His wife, Barbara, was by his side. Don rose to fame in the ’60s ……
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