He made us laugh

February 12, 2014

They know who he is, and know his work.

And for a younger generation that often is obsessed with celebrities with little talent, I was overwhelmed by this reaction to Caesar's death.

He was ground breaking - and he came of age when television was coming of age. He became a huge TV star - along with his partner Imogene Coco - and Americans became addicted to having Sid Caesar make them laugh.

Said fellow comedian Carl Reiner, "From my vantage point, which was sometimes no further than an inch from his face, and one time nose on nose, he was inarguably the greatest pantomimes, monologist and single sketch comedian who ever worked in television. His ability to mimic foreign languages in double talk was extraordinary. He could make you believe you were actually listening to a man speaking German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese or Japanese. He was a great flame who all the comedy moths wanted to be around, moths like Mel Brooks, Mel Tolkin, Lucille Kallen, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart, Joe Stein, Tony Webster, and in Sid's last year on television, Woody Allen."

And the great Mel Brooks said of Caesar, "Sid Caesar was a giant - maybe the best comedian who every practiced the trade. And I was privileged to be one of his writers and one of his friends."

And so we remember this comedian's tonight, as we prepare our 11 p.m. newscast. He died at his home in Los Angeles today, at 91.

Weather tops our news - as Meteorologist Lee Goldberg tracks the sixth major snow storm to hit our area this year. It's a 24 hour event, maybe longer - bringing snow to everyone, and interrupted for many by rain in the middle, and then more snow. Just what we don't need. Lee leads our coverage tonight at 11. And we're in the 'burbs tonight, where many communities have blown their snow budgets and their allocations of salt. What schools are closing, and what schools will delay their openings, as this storm figures to make a mess of the morning commute? We'll have the latest.

We'll also have any breaking news of the night, plus Rob Powers with the night's sports, including the latest on the news that the Yankees Captain, Derek Jeter, says he'll retire after this season. I hope you can join Sade Baderinwa, tonight at 11. And if you tire of the slippery slopes - why wait for your news? @abc7ny has your news at 11 p.m. with @billritter7 and @sadeabc

BILL RITTER

Subscribe to my page on Facebook at facebook.com/billritter.wabc.

Follow my tweets at www.twitter.com/billritter7.

Click here to send a comment.

Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.