Watch Carl Reiner reflect on comedy, recite Shakespeare in his final interview
Aux Features Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner died today at the age of 98, but the comic legend stayed alert and active until the very end. Just yesterday, he spent time on Twitter criticizing Donald Trump and celebrating the wit of playwright Noel Coward. And, in late May, he delivered what turned out to be his final interview. It comes courtesy of Reboot and Tiffany Woolf’s Dispatches From Quarantine series, which, along with Reiner, has highlighted remote chats with Ellen Burstyn, Norman Lear, and Larry King.
In the lovely 10-minute talk, Reiner reflects on making his brother laugh as a child, the pride he still has for the Dick Van Dyke Show, and his friendship with Mel Brooks, who he calls “the single most funny human being that ever existed.” He also praises his children, saying “the only thing that really matters in life is your progeny, people who come after you, people you send out to the world.”
The episode ends with a soliloquy from Hamlet, with the nonagenarian deftly navigating Shakespeare’s glassy streams, fantastic garlands, and coronet weeds. It’d be impressive for someone of any age.
Watch it in full below.
As you listen, dig into the numerous tributes to Reiner that have surfaced on social media throughout the day. We’ve highlighted a handful below.
Van Dyke, for example, called Reiner his idol. “He had a deeper understanding of the human condition than I think even he was aware of.” he writes. “Kind, gentle, compassionate, empathetic and wise. His scripts were never just funny, they always had something to say about us.”
Steve Martin, meanwhile, writes, “Goodbye to my greatest mentor in movies and in life.”
“Growing up, Carl was like a second dad to me,” writes Albert Brooks. “He was the greatest. Not just as a comic legend but as a man. There was no one else this funny and this nice. I loved him.”
See more from the likes of Bette Midler, Alan Alda, Michael McKean, Adam Sandler, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others.
11 Comments
It should be noted that most of the stories Reiner told in that clip were about the greatness of the people in his life.
A great story (thread):
Thank you for posting that.
That’s wonderful.
You wonderful person. Thanks for sharing this.
That is so perfect.And honestly, I could actually picture Carl Reiner basing an entire sketch — maybe an entire movie — around those twists.
I sent the thread to my mom. She introduced me to the 2000 Year Old Man, Your Show of Shows, and The Dick Van Dyke Show when I was really young and made sure I understood how important he really was.
It saddens me to think that one day death will come for Mel Brooks as well and take him away from us. You are so loved, Mel Brooks.
What a dear dear man. So iconic and a true joy for so many years that he graced us with. His rendition of Ophelia’s death, here, was very touching.
Ben Mankiewicz did the last TV interview with Reiner and hopefully not the last with Brooks. Them being two WWII vets they were talking about going through tough times and coming out of it. What I loved from both is in the age of Corona the fighting spirit is back for them, and they acknowledge despite all the precautions we SHOULD take we will overcome this and come back. Who really is a people person wants the chance to hold his weekly Hollywood area meet up with fans again. What I think I will miss most in Carl Reiner is his cheeriness. This was a guy who despite whatever was going on was a happy man and wanted that happiness to exhume. You see all these stories coming out about how nice he was to the people he worked with. A world class talent is now gone.At least we still have Brooks while I would not wish 2000 years on him if we really go to shit, I do wish him the longest life to keep his comedy and his uplifting spirit with us as time goes on.
https://www.cbs.com/shows/cbs-sunday-morning/video/HcDgWBfhZjwZ6hRs5MXCBDROg5mW4584/mel-brooks-carl-reiner-and-george-takei-on-getting-through-a-national-crisis/
He was a genius! Here’s a computer-generated tour of the home he gave us – from The Dick Van Dyke Show, with ceilings and all 4 walls, so it feels like a real home