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Thats right: Dick Cavett is alive and well, and hes still got plenty to say.
Truth be told, we probably had enough stuff to do another film of the same length!
Whenever Alis there, its all good.
At least he didnt use heel spurs as an excuse.
On that two-hour Jerry Lewis talk show.
I dont know if youre old enough to remember it.
No, but Ive read plenty about it.
It may have been!
I wishIdthought of that …
But, yeah, I think poor ABC is still paying for it.
and people were standing around and watching and looking shocked.
And then Ali threw his arms up and said, I dont need to put up with this!
and walked just two feet and four inches, which took him out of the picture.
But then Ali burst into laughter.
And I thought, This guy is a really good actor and has all the showbiz instincts.
He knew when he was off-screen even by an inch or two.
The joke, I guess, is the oddness of our friendship.
But it doesnt seem odd to me.
Because our backgrounds are so similar.
Oh, good, I got a laugh.
If I add that to Mel Brooks calling me spectacularly gentile, Ill have a great combination!
I hope I get praised for my fall!
And he was at least as good at that as he was everything else.
He was so good and so wonderful in that way.
It was just an inborn, perfect instinct: he never made a false move comedically.
He could always get a laugh wherever he was.
But it was just startling to see him in person.
He probably had as many good showbiz instincts as any comic I know.
He was hated by many, he was threatened.
In fact, the single funniest moment for me was during the credits.
Get him!Oh, yeah.
Nobody wants me anymore.
Youre the only show that wanted me on.
Dick, youre my main man.
So thats how I see myself now, every day.
Heres a fairly amusing aspect of our relationship.
And he said, Terrible!
And I looked, and there he is, standing on this high cliff, looking at the sea.
And I went over and just said, Are you trespassing?
And he turned around, sort of startled, but then he said [happily] Dick Cavett!
I had that effect on him, and he on me.
Just seeing him brightened the day.
This all sounds kind of fan-magazine-y, but I said, Why dont you stay at my house tonight?
Unless you love your motel.
And he said, My mother will never believe it if I stay at Dick Cavetts house!
It was about 10 p.m. And when he picked up and slightly muttered the word, Hello, she said, Darling?
And he said, This aint darling.
Which was more than she ever offered to do for me!
I probably should have.
Id have to make up an authenticity certificate of some kind.
Yes, Muhammad Ali was between these sheets …
I read somewhere that he prank-called you after he stayed there.Oh you know about that, do you?
I pick up the phone and …
I dont get crank calls very often, but this one was nasty.
Hey, Dick, I hear you got n*****s in your bed.
And I said, Well, do you have anything wittier that you want to say than that?
And the person on the other end of the line broke into laughter.
And, of course, it was Ali.
As you’re free to see, he was playful.
Ali was more serious about being funny.
Frazier was a fairly bitter man.
And a great fighter, of course.
Im afraid he died bitter.
And when Ali called Frazier boy, everybody kind of took a quick breath.
But then, of course, Ali said, I said Roy!
I didnt say boy!
The big thing on that appearance was when they picked me up!
When Ali said, Lets pretend were friends, and both of us get him!
And a few people took offense to that, but a few people always do.
When was the last time you actually saw Ali?
And I said, No!
He was just looking straight ahead, and … God, he looked like a statue.
In a tuxedo and beautifully groomed, but no speech.
And people had tried to talk to him.
In fact, they were about ready to bring him out and mingle with the crowd.
The audience which, I recall, included Norman Mailer went crazy.
It was so hard to see him that way.
You know, I still think not selling the sheets was a missed opportunity.
So its probably best that we didnt!
