Random Musings from Gerry Mandel

Random Musings FROM GERRY MANDEL

GERRY MANDEL writes plays, short stories, essays, blogs and an occasional novel. He also plays blues and boogie, which you can enjoy on Facebook. Enter his name in the Facebook Search.

A Funny Thing to me; Bic pen poised over my notebook. Next to me sits Woody in wrinkled shirt and slacks. Across the table from me, Mel Happened on the smokes a cigar, throws out hilarious lines. Neil just shakes his head. I don’t smoke but I might as well. The meeting begins, Carl at the head of the table. Way to My Musings The dialogue: Carl Reiner: Listen up, guys. We need a closer here. priest, a minister Neil Simon: Where’s here?

Aand a rabbi walk Carl: The restaurant, Neil. Sid into a bar. The and Imogene. Sid asks for frog bartender looks legs. Some kind of joke?” at them and says, “What is this? Larry Gelbart: That’s funny right there.

Rim shot. Carl: Last line. Selma?

What’s so funny? These days, not a lot. Yet the laughs keep coming. Take your choice of sources: sit-coms (old and new) Selma Diamond: “We’re out of legs. How about a couple of shoulders?” on TV, movies, stand-ups, streaming, Carl: Not funny. Frogs don’t have websites, podcasts, apps. Laughter shoulders. Anybody? persists for one reason: we need it. We Sid Caesar’s writers. Carl Reiner is 4th from left. Photo: AP Mel Brooks: “You want a pair of need that balance in our lives, the bright release from the dark. It’s a special human gift. Researchers claim that some animals laugh - chimps, dogs, rats, dolphins. But they only react to physical stimulation, like playing and tickling. They’re unaware of punch lines, and haven’t evolved as far as “knock-knock” jokes. ago. I spent thirty years as a writer for ad agencies and was pretty good at it. But my soul wanted something else. To write comedy. Funny plays, movies, TV shows. What I really wanted was to have been one of a special group of writers who wrote for Sid Caesar from 1950 to 1954. It was called “Your Show of Shows,” and starred Sid, argyles with those legs?” Carl: C’mon, guys. Gerry. Whaddya got? Gerry: How about this? Sid asks the waiter, “Do you have frog legs?” The waiter says, “No, I walk this way because I’m chafed.” BIG LAUGH AROUND THE TABLE. Carl: Bingo. Thanks. Well done.

Which brings me to Carl Reiner, who died Imogene Coca, Howie Morris and Carl. My fantasy continues ad infinitum. I love this past July at the age of 98. That’s a lot His stable of writers included men and the process, the people, the life of a comedy of years and a lot of laughs for a whole lot women who tickled America’s funny bone. writer in New York in the early ’50’s. I go of people. Carl became a comedy legend You’ve heard of some of them: Neil Simon. to the Carnegie with Mel and Carl. I go in many media, as writer, actor, performer Larry Gelbart (Mash). Mel Tolkin (All in to the Village to hear jazz with Woody, and director. My favorite Reiner creations the Family). Danny Simon (Neil’s brother… Selma and Danny. Carl calls me and asks were The Dick Van Dyke Show and The what a funny family). Woody Allen. Selma me to work on a TV sit-com he’s developing. 2000 Year-Old-Man albums with Mel Diamond, Joe Stein, Lucille Kallen. Among Character’s name is Rob Petrie. I say “sure”

Brooks. They are as funny now as when I them they created some of America’s most and feel validated. I watch “Your Show of first discovered them many years ago. Make memorable moments and shows, as well as Shows” on TV and wait for my lines, my that decades ago. a style of humor barely recognized at the ideas, mingled with those giants of comedy,

The driving force behind that laughter time. who are making America laugh. And I feel was the writers. Today there are some In my more fanciful moments over the complete. incredibly talented comedy writers, with years, I’ve fantasized about sitting in Sid’s Charlie Chaplin said, “A day without laughmore outlets for their efforts than ever. writers’ room, cup of coffee - black - in my ter is a day wasted.”

But the seeds were planted, the formats hand; a half-finished poppy-seed bagel with Charlie was right. and rhythms developed seventy years a glob of cream cheese on a paper plate next

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