Carl Reiner, the Bronx-born actor, director, writer and comedian, died Monday at the age of 98. There seemed only one way to best remember someone who seemed to have had at least one comedy triumph in each of the eight decades of his career:
Had he co-written and acted with Sid Caesar and company on “Caesar’s Hour” and “Your Show of Shows,” and not written the charming novel “Enter Laughing,” dayenu.
Had he written the charming novel “Enter Laughing,” and not created, produced, written and acted on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” dayenu.
Had he created, produced, written and acted on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” and not given us the “2000 Year Old Man” with Mel Brooks, dayenu.
Had he given us the “2000 Year Old Man,” and not made us laugh in “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” and the “Ocean’s” films, dayenu.
Had he made us laugh in “The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming” and the “Ocean’s” films and not directed the darkest of dark comedies, “Where’s Poppa?,” dayenu.
Had he directed “Where’s Poppa?,” and not co-written and directed the uproarious Steve Martin films “The Jerk,” “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” and “The Man with Two Brains,” dayenu.
Had he co-written and directed the uproarious Steve Martin films, and not spent his 90s tweeting with liberal passion, dayenu.
Had he spent his 90s tweeting with liberal passion, and not modeled with his buddy Mel Brooks the deepest, most loving friendship in all of show biz, dayenu!
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