Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Don Rickles, the comedian who pioneered an abrasive (but hilarious) breed of in-your-face humor and inspired a generation of imitators, has died at 90 of kidney failure. His publicist, Paul Shefrin, confirmed the news to the Washington PostThursday.As a performer, everything Rickles did was spontaneous, and no one was spared from his comedic crosshairs. He absolutely mastered the art of the celebrity roast—skewering A-list stars like Frank Sinatra, Ronald Reagan, Clint Eastwood, and Mr. T. His signature style—launching barbs at anyone who caught his eye, spitballing joke after joke—can be seen in the work of Louis C.K., Lewis Black, and Zach Galifianakis, among many others.Whereas today's stand-up comedians often break out to pursue film and TV, or hope for a Netflix deal, Rickles never really launched an on-screen career in his own right. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts alum was more of a hit onstage and on the late-night talk-show circuit, with a small part in Martin Scorsese's Casino and as the voice of Mr. Potato Head in Toy Story. He also appeared in some classic sitcoms, like The Dick Van Dyke Show and Gilligan's Island.Rickles spent most of his successful years at the Sahara Hotel's Casbar Lounge, the kind of place the Rat Pack—of which Rickles was a kind of honorary member—would frequent. Dean Martin once called the comedian the "funniest man in show business," and Rickles went on to join the singer's Celebrity Roast shows as a regular.Despite being known as an "insult comic," Rickles always insisted his goal was never to be malicious or mean."There's a difference between an actual insult and a friendly jab. So I don't think I'm offensive onstage," he once told the New York Daily News. "I like to think I'm like the guy who goes to the office Christmas party Friday night, insults some people but still has his job Monday morning."According to the LA Times, Rickles is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughter, Mindy Mann, and two grandchildren.
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