Don Rickles is still alive

Ramon Ramos
   I noticed when I was at Potawatomi casino last time that the late great Don Rickles was coming this summer for another insulting performance of comedy. With the death of BB Ki g that was the talk of the Right Bulls in our Left Shark office I threw out some people who could be next. actually Don Rickles should be next and I wonder if he will make this performance in Milwaukee in July. I thought this guy was already dead and having to see him way back in the eighties the guy was so old then. I can't imagine how old he looks in reality as clearly the billboard had a picture of the Don Rickles of Johnny Carson fame with the smirking dumb smile that should be slapped off in many hand formations. Don Rickles has never been funny and is basically a generational comedian from another era where insulting any physical deformations of audience members of celebrities was very acceptable and encouraged. Don Rickles has about the same talent and Dodo the clown who is a minimum wage performer for kids parties somewhere in  the Mishawaka region of Indiana. How Don Rickles became a star and a Las Vegas performer is both unsettling and amazing as this decrepit guy keeps getting gigs as his audience dies off from this world. Many of the targets of this mans vicious comedy will have solace in the fact that Rickles is getting really old these days and celebrities are dropping like flies. Sooner or later a Don Rickles with the smirk that needs to be slapped or pied in the face will reach the obituaries of the newspapers and casinos can be free of his slices and demand for his performance opening the way for fresh talent with material after 1980 and new perspectives in the world of stand up comedy. Where this demand for Don Rickles comes from is unknown as I have never heard anyone young or old declare they got to see this turkey some day live and have him dialogue about meeting the queen of England one day in the seventies. When someone gets as of as Don Rickles reminiscing becomes the basis of their comedy nits and for Don Rickles this is one bit that has gone on way to far.