Don Rickles was politically incorrect before it was incorrect. And at 90, he’s still going.

Washington Post ^ | May 25, 2016 | Karen Heller

[lowbridge]

“Sweetie,” Don Rickles says, welcoming us to his sumptuous Spanish villa near Beverly Hills. “Can I get anything for you, dear?”

This is the comedian known as the Merchant of Venom, the Insult King from Queens, Mr. Warmth (as in precisely the opposite). But not once in a convivial afternoon will he lob an insult our way, the sort he hurls at friends and fans alike, the latter paying handsomely for a dose of Rickles ridicule. At one point, he takes our left hand, bows his bullet head and, in the custom of an Old World courtier, bestows a kiss.

It’s one of Hollywood’s worst-kept secrets that Don Rickles is a mensch.

He is beloved by Morgan Freeman, Martin Scorsese, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood. “The kindest man I’ve come into contact with,” Johnny Depp gushed at a star-studded tribute two years ago.

Sinatra adored him. “Frank was the kind of guy, there was no gray area,” says Rickles. “He either loved you or fuggedaboutit.”

[Skooz]

Rickles predated Bunker and Blazing Saddles by years.

[zeugma]

Bfl

[JennysCool]

Jerry Lewis is still with us, as well.

[Mustangman]

Remember when men used to be men? Rickles was a man. And, that was and his appeal.

I don’t want to get too ‘out there’ but, I truly believe one of Trumps appeals is that he is not afraid to be a man, either. That is, he says what he thinks. You can take him or leave him, like him or hate himt, but he’s not afraid to be who he is.

For the last 30 years we’ve had nothing but carefully coached metro-sexuals tip toeing around every PC issue and apologizing at even the slightest accusation of being offensive....leading this country. What’s it got us? Transgender bathrooms. Good G-d we are all tired of being such a pu—ies!!!

No one is that perfect. I have flaws you have flaws. We tell the wrong jokes. We smoke. Perhaps we drop a cuss word too much. But, there was a time when we accepted each other warts and all. Remember? But now, if you’ll get fired if you happen to ogle your co-worker, or say the wrong joke. It’s really sick...dare I say....fascists how are society has evolved since 1980.

Anyway, Trump has come along, and said a lot of stuff, some of it smart, and some of it cringe worthy....but, the underlying message of every word out of his mouth is the same....which is: “I am not ashamed of who I am.”

In short, Trump is comfortable in his own skin. This is his attraction and this is why he will be the next president.

[Bubba Gump Shrimp]

Rickles old stuff that was on the albums was funny, very dirty but funny.

I must admit also he could make you laugh on the roast tapes they used to circulate around.

I always got the impression that Mark Levin tries very hard to imitate Don Rickles, it just doesn’t come off very funny to me. Levin comes off as a “hockey puck”

[TexasTransplant]

**** “He said...”HI! I”M GLEN CAMPBELL!” ****

At the time he was probably bigger than Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley and the Beatles combined. People seem to forget Rockets.

Glenn was not a Rocket, I will miss him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8TsAh-zYFI

[TexasTransplant]

**** “No one is that perfect. I have flaws you have flaws. We tell the wrong jokes. We smoke. Perhaps we drop a cuss word too much. But, there was a time when we accepted each other warts and all. Remember?” ****

My Fishing Buddy! 20 Years ago he was trying to get me FIRED because I’d stand up to his BS... we fought for YEARS... today he says that is what he liked about me back then (says he could have crushed me if he wanted to ... more BS) works great when you are fishing ... flinging bait or BS lines.
Best Friends need to be able to push each other... just mutual respect.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Jerry Lewis was just a “kid” to the others but one helluva performer. Saw him in 1963 or so at the Latin Casino, Cherry Hill, NJ.

He was sick, running a high fever, yet he did his whole show. We could see him sweating (front table, dead-center to the stage) but thought it was the hot lights and his performance.

Was supposed to meet him but because of his illness, only our friend’s daughter, whose birthday celebration it was, got to see him backstage, but he gave us all autographed photos.

Another “mensch”. Might be the all-time charity donations raiser from his Polio TV marathon shows.

Cute movie was “The Delicate? Delinquent”.

[Regulator]

‘Make a deal, Kelly’.

‘Maybe he’s a Republican!’

[2ndDivisionVet]

A deal deal.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Great in Casino.

[JennysCool]

Thanks for that memory. Very cool. I wish our “classic entertainers” still left good health and longer life.

[gigster]

He said once that he kept receiving hockey pucks in the mail, and he has a garage-full of them.

[Regulator]

:^)

[TexasTransplant]

I agree

If Donald J. Trump does nothing but KILL Political Correctness he will have set the libs back 30 years of stuffing that PC crap down our throats and I will be thankful.

I love what he does, how he does it and how he shakes the bushes ... chases the idiots out

Eric Erickson and Glenn Beck show their hands ... who woulda thunk?

[TexasTransplant]

“Whata guy” that is actually so funny if you saw him say it

[TexasTransplant]

Rickles saying “Whata Guy” (what I meant in the last post)

The guy can say anything and you just bust out laughing.

[trebb]

Only after Archie Bunker made a name for himself in 1970. Then came Blazing Saddles(73’). Rickles is no trailblazer. Just someone with a loud mouth.

Did you miss the '60s?????

[taildragger]

Outstanding post MM...

Found him and his album "Hello Dummy" during my HS years. A few of us darn near had the album memorized. It helped make us all un-PC, including one that went on to be a Police Chief now retired who Should be doing comedy, regardless of Rickles.

I have read someone has said that Hello Dummy might have helped us from melting down in the 68 thru 70' timeframe as he was an equal opportunity bash-er, and helped us laugh at the fact we are all flawed, Jew, Black, Italian, he jabbed them ( us ) all, and we laughed and weren't snowflakes that would melt and we realized we were all human and could get along.

[llevrok]

I think Don is the last working comedian from the Borscht Belt era. Stand up as they did, truly a lost art.

They honed their skills with out working blue (but well could be). They knew their craft, plain and simple.