Carl and Mel, Of Course

In honor of Carl Reiner, all he was, and all he will always be to us, it is fitting that I share the last page of my book, "Writing from Personal Experience"(Penguin Random House) here:

I grew up in a house in which there was great respect for the word. And humorists got the last one. So it is only fitting that I give them the last words here.

On a recent PBS Special about Sid Caesar's "Your Show of Shows," one of the writers told a story about the time he brought his mother there. After watching the first sketch, he asked her what she thought.

"That Caesar is amazing," she said.

"Ma, I worked on that sketch," the writer told her. She went on. "What a talent Caesar is!"

In the next sketch, Sid used several different languages. When it was over, the writer's mother was again in awe.

"That man," she said. "There is no end to his talent." "I wrote that sketch," the son told her.

But she wasn't done. "Caesar can make jokes. He can do languages. A fabulous talent."

The next sketch was a musical number. Same thing. "Look at how he dances and sings," said the mother. "I wrote that one, too, Ma."

"That guy Caeser can do anything," said the mother.

It went on like that for the entire show. When it was over, the writer went backstage to tell Sid what a great job he did and to share the story about his mother .

Sid listened. "You know," he said, "my mother was here just a few minutes ago, too. I asked her what she thought of the show. You know what she said? She said, 'Boy, you must have some writers.' "

*****

Carl Reiner will be with us for at least 2000 more years. Watch this wonderful video: Carl Reiner