Sometime yesterday the news began to filter through that Carl Reiner had died. Having reached the age of 98, this actor, comedian, director, screenwriter, author, parent and source of joy to myriad people was blessed with a fruitful life. The multiple tributes I've seen on social and other internet media so far focus mainly on Carl Reiner's work with Mel Brooks, especially the 2000 Year Old Man sketches, and the Dick van Dyke TV show from the early 1960's. Strangely enough, I just started watching the Dick van Dyke Show last weekend. I have loved the sketches for a while longer. For me, there is nothing more healing than laughter, and Carl Reiner brought so much of that into my life, for which I will always be grateful.
Here is a selection of links that may be of interest at this time:
New York magazine on how the 2000-year-old Man was born.
Two hour old baby sketch (suggested by Cary Grant)
First appearance on Late Night with Conan
2000-year-old-man in the year 2000 on Jay Leno
and again on Charlie Rose
tributes on the BBC website
Mel Brooks' tribute as reported in Rolling Stone
a few words from Max Brooks in the Forward
Obituaries from
Corriere della Sera (headline: Carl Reiner is dead - friend of Mel Brooks & winner of 9 Emmys)
NY Times (paywall)
The Times (paywall)
and the last word for today is from Max Brooks:
"It's expected, but it's unbelievable," Brooks said of his father's reaction to Reiner's death. "No more Carl? How do you reconcile no more Carl? It's like you wake up in the morning and the sun never comes up."
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