DIRECT FROM BROADWAY
AWARD °
/—'
JN: Can you remember any insults
that brought especially big laughs?
DR: The most prominent one was to
Frank Sinatra, rest his soul. When I
first met him, I said, "Stand up, Frank,
and be yourself; hit somebody!" After
that, we became close friends.
JN: Are there any hot topics in your
act this season?
DR: I don't really have hot topics. My
performance is mainly about people.
Five or 10 percent of my act changes
every night according to what the
audience is and what area I'm in.
Actually, what I do is take people, life
and everything in general and exagger-
ate it. That makes it funny.
DR I'm doing about 22 weeks a year
on the road, so that's quite a bit. It's
more than I was doing a few years
ago. As I get older, I'm doing more.
It's nice to keep my head going pretty
good, and I enjoy it.
JN: Are there any subjects that you
deem too serious to bring into your
act?
DR: Death or people who are inca-
pacitated. Sometimes there are people
who are great sports and love to laugh
about themselves. It varies, and just
like anything else, you have to know
how to regulate yourself.
JN: If you could insult anyone in the
world — saying anything you really
felt — who would that person be?
DR: Right now, it would be Saddam
Hussein.
JN: Can you recall earlier perfor-
mances in Detroit?
DR: I worked in a place called the 500
Club when I was a very young man. It
was quite fun in those days. We used
to hang out in a place with a large Jew-
ish population around Hamtramck.
JN: How do you think people should
respond to a real insult, something
that's really hurtful.
DR Hurtful is not funny. Anybody who
is hurtful shouldn't be taken graciously.
JN: What do you like to do to relax?
DR: Sit in my beach home in Malibu,
play golf when I can, travel with my
wife and enjoy nightlife with my
friends.
JN: What do you bring to the stage
from your Jewish background?
DR My Jewishness has always been part
of my life so it does come out in my
performance, not in speaking Yiddish or
doing anything Jewish, but in my atti-
tude. You would know in a minute that
I'm a Jewish boy, and I've mentioned
that on the stage many times.
JN: What directions have your chil-
dren's lives taken?
DR: My son is a writer; he wrote for
"Murphy Brown" and is in the midst
of writing some scripts. My daughter
recently made me a grandfather for
the first time, and she's happily mar-
ried for two years.
\ / =-)
JN: When you go out for an evening
to see other comedians, whom do
you like to see?
DR: I don't really make a habit of see-
ing comedians because I've been in
(the business) almost 40 years. Bob
Newhart is my dear friend, and I con-
sider him one of the finest comedians.
JN: How does your acting compare
to joking on stage?
DR: Acting is make-believe, just as
working on the stage. When I play a
tough guy, I try to portray it with a
toughness about me. If it's a comedic
role, I do my best to be comedic.
JN: Do you have any current film
projects?
DR: It's Toy Story II. I'm doing the
voice of Mr. Potato Head again for the
Disney Co., and I'm happy to be
doing that.
JN: Are you touring as much now as
you have in the past?
INNERS
JN: Are there any Jewish causes
you're involved in?
DR: I was very active in the Sinai
Temple in California and did a benefit
for a gymnasium there. It was named
after me, and it's now very popular.
I'm very proud of that.
MU IC JANUARY 19 24 • OPENING NIGHT ALL SEATS $30.00
HALL
474 -1.1ZIP
CENTER FOR THE
PERFORMING ARTS
Tickets on sale now at the Music Hall box office &
(248) 645-6666.
Group sales (20 or more) call (313) 471-3099. Info (313) 963-2366.
' -//
7.4
We Have a Large Selection of Artwork of Hudsons,
The big, newly relocated 5,000 square foot
Print Gallery in Southfield, is right in step
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THE
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29173 Northwestern, Southfield
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NOW PLAYING!
Hudson's Detroit, c. 1950 $16
CALL (248) 645-6666 riciva-e-d-s7E-v
JN: What advice do you give young
comedians?
DR: Just keep hanging in there. It's a
very difficult field, and you have to
have a good deal of talent. You have to
keep working at it and hope you have
the luck to have the right people see
you at the right time. Li
Don Rickles, joined by comedi-
enne/actress Suzanne Somers, will
perform at the Macomb Center
for the Performing Arts 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 14, and 8 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 15. $381$35 students
and seniors. (810) 286-2222.
MAREAUUMAI,MIUMUsaAa.%-kwi&A
B
THE VERE
40 W. Pike St., Pontiac, Michigan
For More Information and Group Rates, Call (248)745-8668
Pike St.
Advertise in our Arts & Entertainment Section!
a
t1 ,4viff Call The Sales Department
ft fillf/ ....,
JNArts & Entertainment
(248) 354.7123 Ext. 209
DETROrr
JEW11111 NEWS
.TN
Detroit Jewish News
1/8
1999
71