Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Carl Reiner (March 20, 1922)


Carl Reiner was a writer for Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca's famous "Show of Shows" at the dawn of TV. My father loved it! We watched too, though didn't get it quite as much as I think he did.

Reiner had (and I think still has) lots to say about his life and about the era. About the devastating McCarthy persecutions he says:“We didn’t know if they were after Communists, Jews, or just short people.”

With Mel Brooks, he invented the 2000 year old man.
The two comedians/comedy writers at first restricted performances to private groups of friends. Why? They were afraid to make fun of Jews in public. Finally, they did release it, and everyone loved it (that included me and my friends).

One follow-up:
"When they were finally convinced to record an album, Reiner showed it to Cary Grant, who brought copies before the Queen of England. Reiner crowed to Brooks, 'The biggest shiksa in the world loved it!' ” (See this)

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