We lost Carl Reiner today. The giant of comedy was 98 when he passed away in California. Reiner had a staggering career in entertainment that spanned at least six decades. There has been a massive outpouring of grief today at the news because Reiner was so likeable and ultimately so funny. He created the Dick Van Dyke Show and worked with Sid Caesar and Mel Brooks along the way.
There's many youtube clips of Reiner being brilliant but this clip of him passing on a dirty joke from George Burns on the Conan show is just so good. It's lewd as hell but told with a 'butter-wouldn't-melt-in-his-mouth' grandfatherly gentleness.
If you want more Reiner, check out 'The Man With Two Brains', a Steve Martin film he directed. Jon Cryer also tweeted a pretty brilliant letter from Reiner after subbing in for him as an awards show host.
The brilliant and hilarious Carl Reiner hosted the Director’s Guild awards for decades before his health forced him to take the night off.
They asked me to sub in for him. Here’s the letter he sent me:#RIPCarlReiner https://t.co/dkvtzXtKfA pic.twitter.com/eUy2E9b0B0— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) June 30, 2020
Hadley Freeman's Guardian feature from February on Reiner's bromance with Brooks captured a very beautiful friendship. Reiner's tweet two days ago was a thing of actual beauty.
Nothing pleases me more than knowing that I have lived the best life possible by having met & marrying the gifted Estelle (Stella) Lebost---who partnered with me in bringing Rob, Annie & Lucas Reiner into to this needy & evolving world.
— carl reiner (@carlreiner) June 27, 2020
