The most respectful interview Letterman ever did. Perfectly executed. Let Ceaser ramble, put him back on track with some "difficult" questions, digging for the dirt, the painful and interesting stuff Ceaser was happy to provide. Somewhat In awe of the man. In the presence of a comedy demi god.
One of the Kings of Comedy...I remember one of the only a few skits...this is your life...I must have been 8 maybe...I laugh so hard my stomach ached and tears were falling form my eyes...the whole team all Kings💖
I think the comedians of the early & mid '50s were all unusually handsome -- and Sid led the pack. He was truly someone you woulda noticed in a train station -- w/ that wavy black hair, tan complexion, and gorgeous blue eyes -- the man had it goin' on. Sad that he drank himself outta the best years of his career -- but I honestly think that's part of the price of genious. 'Hail, Caesar -- and thanks so much for the memories, Sir . . . .
Sid was a true comedic genius, and so was his partner Howie. Thank goodness we have you both on film so that others may appreciate your wonderful talent. God bless both of you. RIP ^^
He was from Yonkers, NY. His dad ran a luncheonette where young Sid mimicked a lot of foreign dialects of the day (Italian, German, Polish, etc.) which he eventually used in his act. A comedy legend.
You can't exclude Ernie Kovacs, nor can you ignore the main influence from across the pond, Spike Milligan, whose influence on the Pythons was critical in tracing the roots of 'modern comedy'.
@@NxDoyle Right, Ernie Kovacs, David Letterman's main influence. I also should have said American comedy. However we could go back to Laurel and Hardy, Marx Brothers, vaudeville, and then even Shakespeare. With all the influences, I'd still give a slight edge to Reiner, Brooks and Caesar from the 60's on. It's a shame that Carl Reiner just passed away last month as well.
Woody Allen, America's most highly decorated and accomplished original screenwriter also worked writing with Mel and Carl and Neil Simon, possibly the most decorated and accomplished playwright of his generation, at the Your Show of Shows show with Sid Caesar.
Sid Caesar and Little Richard are a lot alike. HUGE careers for a decade or two, and then they have to sit and watch while so many others copy them badly.
Cannot agree w/ you more. I was distantly related to Sid -- and Little Richard was my all-time favourite R&B artist. They were truegreats who peaked early -- and, yes, had to witness all their insufferable imitators. But, you know what? I draw inspiration from the fact that both gentlemen survived and enjoyed lives well lived even when they were no longer famous. So much of what they were the public never even knew about -- and for that I give them both the utmost credit . . ..
Sid grew up in New York, and he waited tables when he was a kid, and he heard all the languages that were to be had, and memorized the rhythm of the languages, and was able to fake it so well, that if you didn't know him, you'd swear he was a polylinguist.
"Where Have I Been?" is an amazing story. For anyone who has suffered from addiction, or has a family member going through an addiction crisis, this book has some amazing psychological insights into the nature of the disease. Becoming friends with yourself, as a pathway to sobriety, is one the key themes explored in the book - among many others. Here's a guy who had everything, and then proceeded to destroy his career, his family, and friends - because of dark, unresolved issues, that were fantastically magnified by a chemical dependence. And yet, even after being lost for 20 years, he still found a way out, mostly using his own self-analysis techniques that he describes in detail in this book. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the life of Sid Caesar, or the nature of addiction - or both.
Damn. Thanks for the book title I just went down a rabbit hole and found Sid Caesar this very night. I’m currently undergoing a battle the likes of the late great Issac Sidney Caesar so therefore just reading a summary of it on Amazon gave me the chance to take on reading the book. I needed this. 🙏
Thanks so much for posting. Sid was my grandma's cousin -- and, while I never met him, I relate to him so much. I've suffered from addiction myself -- and all the "fears" that Sid expressed in his book really resonate w/ me. He was a remarkable man -- and wasn't he handsome?! (We always used to joke in our family that Alec Baldwin was his closest successor -- but didn't quite rival our man w/ the tan, black hair & gorgeous blue eyes . . . .)
He was soooo brilliant..and had a WONDERFUL CAST....those SHOW OF SHOWS...were..and ARE still laugh out loud funny....Sid..was handsome...terribly funny man .lm sorry he was so lost for.such a long time.....but happily hes found his way back .......a REAL HUMAN TREASURE
"Where Have I Been" really helped me through depression, believe it or not. Sid's behavior during his alcohol and drug-fueled haze mirrored my own behavior, but I didn't need either to be that way! I ended up in the same position, asking myself if I would live or die. I chose the right one, and the application of Jung, and talking to oneself as explained in the book may have saved my life. My mom met Sid (both served in the Coast Guard) during the Second World War, and said he was very handsome and a very nice guy. Naturally hilarious, and so creative; thank you Sid, RIP.
my dad resembled Sid Caesar. My Dad died when I was 4. I spent years thinking my Dad left us and went away to do tv and would one day just come back. Well myI mom always told me no but i thought she was lying because she was mean and she was the reason he left. Wow many years in therapy over that one. But to this day I love Sid like he was my Dad.
It's because everyone's at home with their I Pad watching porn. The world is inside out and no one reads or deigns to look at "old" TV; so much originated from Vaudeville...So much good stuff, great people, history. Sid Caesar. "This is your Life" satire, incredible. Howard Morris. - I did Neil Simon plays for years as a young actress, laughter and charm and romance. No filth. - I have to look at Sid's book. He looks handsome here. He changed physically several times over the years: metamorphosis. RIP.
@What's My Line?, now that number is multiplied by a factor of 100, but it stll seems like it ought to have even more. Darn kids these days, don't know quality when they see it. Youth is wasted on the young! :D
IMO, the greatest comedian in my lifetime (70 years) & I started watching his show when I was 5 or 6 years old. He made everyone laugh no matter how old you were. Your Show of Shows was the fore runner to Saturday Night Live but as Sid states, SNL had much more leeway in subject matter and allowed topics and language. The problem was, they came up with a good idea but never pushed it far enough to make it an epic sketch. SNL has been on the air 45 years and there’s only a handful of sketches that are classic but YSOS was on the air for 6 years and almost most of those sketches are classic and still make you laugh until your belly hurts. Check out these classics on RU-vid: The General, Boy at his 1st Dance, This is Your Story, Man at the Movies and so many more.
You're right on all counts, but also the two comedy worlds intersected in the 1970s when SNL invited Sid Caesar to host SNL. He did such a great job that the SNL cast made Sid an honorary cast member.
This was the year I graduated. Crazy to think he was working waaay back in th '40s and now I'm probably the same age as he is here. Like, wow man... : )
Imogene was in her early 40s during "Your Show of Shows," while Sid, Carl & "Howie" were all in their late 20s/early 30s. I actually think that added to the program's dynamic -- something about a petite, saucer-eyed middle-aged lady being so ably supported by a trio of young hunks (who all clearly adored her -- Sid, especially). It made for a very unusual -- but *highly* appealing --onscreen chemistry.
Well...if some drug and booze crazed guy tries to throw you out of the window you might not want to work with them. But I think Mel could have done some good work with him. These comedy genius' are right on the edge.Ask Williams ,Belusi, Farley..
@@degsbabe Mr. Brooks explains it here acknowledging totally and sincerely his debt and admiration for the elder master - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-u0MIG9YwfFY.html
Thanks for posting the link to that other interview. I've always been fascinated by the rapport between the brooding, introverted Sid & the restless, extraverted Mel -- which began when they were teenagers in the Catskills. I don't think either of them would've made it w/out the other -- and, indeed, they both acknowledged as much. They were almost like father & son. (Though Sid was only 4 years older, he gave Mel his start in "the business." And, later, Mel "returned the favor" by trying to help Sid when his career was on the skids -- and otherwise singing his praises right up till the end.) What touched me most about their relationship was that was nothing phony about it. They were just two guys who'd been through a heluva lot together & still loved one another, "warts & all."
I agree those questions should have been out of bounds. Why? It could not have been comfortable to revisit that and at the end Caesar appeared to object to the line of questioning. But Caesar shined anyway.