Don Rickles lived a long and fruitful life.
Let me repeat that last sentence with emphasis: Don Rickles LIVED a long and fruitful life.
The caustic comedian had another side to him when the cameras were off. He was a loyal husband, father and friend. And he was relevant until the day he died. His appearances on talk shows were funny. His stories about Frank Sinatra were hilarious. But he didn’t live in the past. He was truly planted in the present.
I have a big birthday this year. I’ve watched my own parents age and struggle at the end of their lives. Looking for role models to emulate for the rest of my life is important (Whether it be one day or 40 more years). So here you go. (Let’s call it the Don Rickles plan.)
1. Find humor in life.
2. Be a good father, husband and friend.
3. Live life in the moment (but tell funny stories about the past).
4. Be relevant until the very end.
Works for me, you hockey puck.
One of Rickles’ comedic contemporaries, Alan King made his name on the Ed Sullivan Show by lambasting the airlines and reading obituaries. On the obituary side, his punch line catch phrase was “So and so was 109 years old. Had a great life, many great grand children and he joyously smoked and drank up to his last breath. And (Wait for it:) “He is survived by his wife of many years” . I couldn’t help but google Rickles on Wiki, and sure enough, he was married to so and so “until his death”. Alan King must be having a ball laughing about this with Rickles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PypsMk_0QxY