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Tag: don rickles

  • David Letterman: Guests for 28 Final Shows Announced

    David Letterman is nearing the end of his late night talk show reign, and has just announced the guest lineup for his final 28 shows. His final weeks on The Late Show are filled with a wealth of A-listers.

    May 20th will mark the last time David Letterman sits behind his dest at the Ed Sullivan Theater, and leading up to that date he will visit with some very intriguing people.

    George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Robert Downey Jr., Tom Hanks, and Oprah Winfrey are among the top celebrities who will bid adieux to David Letterman. Other guests include Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Jack Hanna, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Keaton, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Don Rickles, Ray Romano, Paul Rudd, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Howard Stern, John Travolta and Bruce Willis. Musical guests will include The Avett Brothers with Brandi Carlile, Elvis Costello, Dave Matthews Band, Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, Mumford and Sons, Ralph Stanley, and Amos Lee.

    This week’s guests on The Late Show include Sarah Jessica Parker, 2015 Masters winner Jordan Spieth, Billy Crystal, The Talk and Big Brother host Julie Chen, Michael J. Fox, Amy Sedaris, Kevin James, comedian Tom Dreesen and Alec Baldwin. Asleep at the Wheel, Chris Stapleton, Iron & Wine with Ben Bridwell, Tracy Chapman, and John Mayer are set to perform as the week’s musical guests.

    Can you believe David Letterman is preparing to say goodbye to The Late Show? Fans will definitely miss the late night comedian and host. He is certainly going out with a bang, however, and with a very impressive list of guests for his last 28 shows.

    Will you be tuning in to watch at least some of David Letterman’s final shows?

  • Don Rickles Gets Roasted By Tina Fey And Amy Poehler

    You may have to wait until Wednesday to watch the whole show, but right now you can catch a glimpse of One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles on the internet.

    The star studded tribute has almost every comedian you’ve ever heard of, and then some you might have forgotten about. “We’re thrilled that David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Robert De Niro and so many more will be coming out to entertain and celebrate our hero — Don Rickles,” Casey Patterson, producer of event production at Viacom Entertainment Group said. “The genius of Rickles is in the danger, nobody is safe, and what you can expect is a night of comedy from these superstars worthy of a legend. It truly will be One Night Only.”

    Of particular interest is the opening roast by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, which you can watch here:

    The event will also include Brad Garrett, Robert De Niro, Jimmy Kimmel, Martin Scorsese, Tracy Morgan, Jon Stewart, Bob Newhart, and Regis Philbin, just to name a few more names.

    ”My humor is so over the top you’d have to be an awful fool to think I’m embarrassing you,” Rickles said back in 1996. ”When I pick someone from the audience, their eyes say, ‘I can take it.’ But if I’m wrong, I’ll never let them know it. When you sell yourself you just can’t back down. I absolutely believe that. You’ve got to stay with what got you to the dance. It’s an old expression but true.”

    Plenty of comedians will have their own chance to pick on Rickles, and maybe a few others, as Tracy Morgan shows us in this clip:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Don Rickles Upcoming Fete Includes Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman

    Don Rickles will be lauded in a comedy-filled event on May 6th at New York’s Apollo Theater by guests including Jerry Seinfeld, David Letterman, Ray Romano and more. Stand-up performances, video clips, taped tributes by those not able to attend in person, and even some personal stories shared by close friends will all be part of the tribute to the 87-year-old funny man just two days before his 88th birthday. The 90-minute event will be taped for airing on Spike TV. Called One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles, fans can tune in on May 28th at 9:00 P.M. to share in the fun.

    “We’re thrilled that David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, Jon Stewart, Robert De Niro and so many more will be coming out to entertain and celebrate our hero — Don Rickles,” Casey Patterson, the executive producer and executive VP of event production and talent development at Viacom Entertainment Group said. “The genius of Rickles is in the danger, nobody is safe, and what you can expect is a night of comedy from these superstars worthy of a legend. It truly will be One Night Only.”

    In addition to Seinfeld, Letterman, and Romano, additional guests for the comedy event include Brad Garrett, Robert De Niro, Jimmy Kimmel, Martin Scorsese, Tracy Morgan, Jon Stewart, Bob Newhart, and Regis Philbin. How exciting that so many of comedy’s best will be gathered together for one event. In true Rickles form, his tweeted about the upcoming event.

    Don Rickles earned two nicknames, “The Merchant of Venom” and “Mr. Warmth” for his mastery of insult comedy. He is noted for having picked on people of all ethnicities and from all walks of life. Some of his stand-up routines from decades ago would be deemed way beyond politically correct today. Rickles made his first appearance on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson back in 1965, and wound up both guest hosting and appearing on the show more than 100 times during Carson’s reign. Even at 87, he is still active in stand-up comedy and makes frequent late night appearances on shows like the Late Show With David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

    Rickles was honored less than a year ago by New York’s Friar’s Club.

    One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles will no doubt be one of the biggest comedy events of 2014. Will you be tuning in to Spike to share in the laughter?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Don Rickles to Get Tribute from Jimmy Kimmel, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Newhart

    Don Rickles will get an all-star tribute from an impressive lineup of comedic celebrities such as Jimmy Kimmel, Bob Newhart, and Jerry Seinfeld next month. Robert De Niro, David Letterman, Tracy Morgan, Regis Philbin, Ray Romano, Martin Scorsese, John Stamos, and Jon Stewart are also slated to appear at the event.

    The 90-minute tribute titled One Night Only: An All-Star Comedy Tribute to Don Rickles will be taped on May 6 at the Apollo Theater, a New York City landmark located in Harlem. The show will air May 28 on Spike Network.

    “The genius of Rickles is in the danger, nobody is safe, and what you can expect is a night of comedy from these superstars worthy of a legend. It truly will be One Night Only,” said Casey Patterson, Executive Producer and Executive Vice President, Event Production & Talent Development, Viacom Entertainment Group, which owns Spike.

    Rickles, a native of Queens, will turn 88 on May 8.

    Often referred to as the “Merchant of Venom” or “Mr. Warmth,” Rickles is considered comedy’s master of the insult.

    Early on, Rickles abandoned his dreams of becoming a serious actor to hone his nightclub act. In 1957, Frank Sinatra saw the act at Slate Brothers in Los Angeles and quickly became Rickles’ champion.

    It wasn’t long before Rickles had caught the attention of Dean Martin and Johnny Carson and was headlining performances in Las Vegas.

    ”My humor is so over the top you’d have to be an awful fool to think I’m embarrassing you,” Rickles said in a 1996 interview with The New York Times. ”When I pick someone from the audience, their eyes say, ‘I can take it.’ But if I’m wrong, I’ll never let them know it. When you sell yourself you just can’t back down. I absolutely believe that. You’ve got to stay with what got you to the dance. It’s an old expression but true.”

    Rickles and his wife Barbara celebrated their 49th anniversary in March. They’re the parents of two children, Larry and Mindy. Mindy followed in her father’s comedic footsteps.

    One Night Only is a relatively new annual event on Spike. The first installment, which aired in 2012 and paid tribute to Eddie Murphy, remains the highest rated show in the network’s history.

    Image via YouTube

  • Don Rickles Joke Cut from Shirley MacLaine Tribute

    Don Rickles, the insult comedian who was a frequent guest on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson”, dropped an Obama joke during TV Land’s American Film Institute tribute to Shirley MacLaine that won’t make it into the broadcast. Rickles made a name for himself ridiculing and poking fun at celebrities and political figures, and is known for his abrasive, off-color humor. However, some have viewed his latest attempt at humor to be a racially charged, prompting the network to remove the bit from the June 24th broadcast.

    At one point during the event, Rickles turned his attention to the President, unleashing an uncomfortable joke about Obama’s race. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the comedian jested, “I shouldn’t make fun of the blacks. President Obama is a personal friend of mine. He was over to the house yesterday, but the mop broke.”

    A spokesperson from TV Lands told the Hollywood Reporter, “It’s not going to make it on the air — that’s all I’ll say about it.” However, a representative from Rickles camp seemed to have a different viewpoint on the matter.

    “He is not being censored. Before all of this started, we knew Don’s spot would be cut a bit for time, as would others, including possibly Shirley herself since the show ran over and we knew it was likely that might be edited. This is a non-story and requires no further comment,” the rep remarked.

    Of course, this isn’t the first time Rickles has attempted to make a racially-driven jab at the President. Shortly after Obama’s election in 2008, Rickles paid a visit to “The Tonight Show with David Letterman.” During his appearance, he joked about the President playing basketball during a national emergency, a quip that didn’t settle too well with those in the audience.

    Is making a racially-insensitive joke about the President something that should be avoided in this day and age? Is getting insulted by Rickles no longer a badge of honor? The majority of people on the micro-blogging site seem to think that this is just Rickles being Rickles, nothing more. Have a look at some Twitter reactions to this story below.