At 81, still partial to putdowns

By Jerry Fink

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Don Rickles made me sweat.

But then making people sweat is his trademark. He’s a walking sauna.

You can read all about it in his 2007 biography, “Rickles’ Book: A Memoir.” Or you can watch his rapier personality at work on his recently released DVD, “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,” a two-set disc that includes tapes of his shows and interviews with a lot of comedians, actors and directors who have been part of the 81-year-old entertainer’s life during a career that spans more than half a century.

I encourage you to buy both, or he may make you sweat too.

Rickles, the pioneer insult comic, needs no introduction.

During a recent phone interview from Los Angeles, while he was talking about his life and his upcoming engagement at the Orleans, he turned on the steam pipes.

Where are you? Los Angeles?

Spain. I’m here in Madrid, just got through with a bullfight and went home and I’m just relaxing in my suite. No, I’m in L.A.

What do you think of the changes that have taken place in Vegas since you started in the ’50s and ’60s?

I think progress, Jerry, is always great. Can’t knock it. We always like to see progress, but my day was my day. When I was coming up, being a young comedian gaining success, it was more of a family. They called it the mob influence. Call it what you may, but there was always one guy you had to answer to. That was the boss. You knew him personally. He was the guy that ran the place and that’s what you had to worry about. It much more catered to high rollers and people dressed up in furs and diamonds and it was not a family-oriented place and there were very few hotels, so it was very intimate. All the acts and the dealers, we all hung out together. Went to Lake Mead, water skiing. It was a different world. It was like a family. Today it’s big business and nobody really gets around that much anymore. We each work in our own hotels and that’s it. But the progress is great, because it’s brought a whole new look to it. I loved the old days, of course, because, as I say, it was very intimate.

You were pals with the legends. How did you keep your feet on the ground when you were pals with Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin?

Frank and those guys were great to me. Mr. Sinatra became a great friend to me. I had an ordinary life with them. Of course it was high-strung; in other words, it was very high-spirited. It was over at the Sands in the steam room every night having hot dogs and drinks and laughs and so forth. It was a fast world, but I came from a very good family foundation. I’m still the same fella that I was then. I’m not trying to be Charlie perfect here, but I was pretty much that. I never got involved in any problems, in any trouble, and I was always levelheaded, and I was very proud to be a friend of Sinatra’s.

Your whole life has been entertainment. Was there ever a point when you thought maybe you should be an accountant or something?

(Snicker) You say accountant. I had trouble getting out of high school. Accountant was the last thing on my mind. Ever since I was a very young man I always used to kid around, at church and synagogue functions and so forth, and I always thought I would be something in this business. When I was making $200 a week and when I was making $300 a week, that to me was the end of the world and I thought that was terrific and I was very happy. So my whole life, due to my mother’s influence, rest her soul, I continued to do what I do ... I didn’t realize I could do the act I did, but to be different was my goal, and that paid off for me.

Was there a lot of stand-up back then?

Yes. There were many great stand-up stars at the time. I used to do impressions and jokes in joints in those days. They were called striptease houses. I was the comedian while all the girls were undressing. By today’s standards they’re fully dressed. But I used to be the time-killer in between acts. I did bad jokes and lousy impressions and so I started talking to the audience and making fun of the place I was in, and that started out for what I do best. That was mainly because that was my personality — I was always being sarcastic.

Were they burlesque houses?

It wasn’t really burlesque. It was what they call striptease houses. It was regular nightclubs. Not fancy nightclubs, with the girls on the stage and they — you didn’t read my book, “Rickles’ Book,” did you?

Uh, no.

You didn’t do anything, Jerry. You’re really upsetting me.

I’m sorry.

Did you see my DVD?

Which one?

That’s two in a row you missed, Jerry. Which one? The one that came out. It got great reviews. When you get a chance, Jerry, next time you interview me, if that be the case, try to watch the DVD and read the book.

I used to watch “C.P.O. Sharkey.”

Give me a break. I was 12 and I don’t know how old a gentleman you were but jeez that’s a long time ago. Do me a favor. Watch the DVD, even after you speak to me. Go buy it. I’ll chip in if you’re broke, Jerry. I know the Las Vegas Sun. We better chip in.

You have me on the defensive.

Well, you didn’t read the book, Jerry. It’s like interviewing the president and you don’t know how long his office is going to be.

That’s true.

That’s OK. I’ll forgive you. You sound like a nice guy.

I lost my train of thought. What do you do these days?

I work in my garden. I go duck hunting. This is all a joke, Jerry. No, what I do, my wife and I we go out a lot, we travel a lot. I go to Dodger baseball games. I’m a big Dodger fan, and the Los Angeles Lakers. I live pretty much of a normal life with my friends. When I’m not working in this business I don’t go to comedy clubs, not that I have anything against it, but when you do this for 55 years I like to get away from it and live kind of a different life.

Is it more difficult to be funny now than when you started?

No, no. If you’re funny, you’re funny, Jerry. I tell it to young comedians. If you’re a funny guy you can stand on a stage anyplace in the United States and make them laugh, as I have, thank God. You just can’t turn it off and on.

I was always sarcastic, even socially. Girls were scared to death of me because they thought I would be a big talker but I was always the guy that made the jokes and the other guys got the girls. Thank God I’m married 43 years, so I finally made it right.

Are you still close friends with Bob Newhart?

Yeah. He keeps bugging me, wants to hang out with me.

He’s one of my favorite comedians.

Really? He’s your favorite guy?

One of them.

You sound very close to him. You almost had me losing you, Jerry ... Don’t shake me up, Jerry.

How do you want to be remembered, your legacy?

A Jew that didn’t go to temple that much. I don’t think about those things. I guess I want to be remembered as a likable guy.

Well, you’re OK in my book, not that it matters.

It does matter, it does matter, especially that you like Bob Newhart. Are you kidding?