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And then theres his work with Mel Brooks.
In their later years, the pair ate dinner and watched movies together nightly.
We the People Speakwas a weekly news program hosted by Dan Seymour.
What I heard one Sunday night was, I thought, appalling and begging to be satirized.
It seemed like a perfect vehicle for Sid Caesar.
I know you are shaking your head, but I stand by that quote.
And then to illustrate how utterly ridiculous the whole premise was, I pointed to young Mel Brooks.
Isnt that true, sir?
I use the wordhandsomeobjectively.
I know Mel will not be upset if, when writing about him, I stick to the truth.
I pressured the Old Man and asked, You knew Jesus?
I gave it to them … nice boys, well-behaved… .
The one that did was similar to one he did whenever he felt we needed a laugh break.
It was a Yiddish pirate captain who had an accent not unlike the 2,000-Year-Old Man.
Im stuck in port, the pirate captain would complain, I cant afford to set sail.
Do you know much theyre asking for a yard of sail cloth?
It doesnt pay to plunder anymore!
Yes, I did say five millennia.
A word now about why we held firm about not commercializing the 2,000-Year-Old Man.
The Yiddish accents they employed were all reminiscent of how Middle and Eastern European Jewish immigrants spoke English.
The album was well reviewed, but Mel and I still worried about its broad appeal.
Half of the album was Mel performing many different characters.
We were sure everyone would find them funny, but the title half was all the Jewish-accented Old Man.
Would WASP America get him?
Would Christians find the old Jew funny?
Do our people still consider the Yiddish accent to be non grata?
Our unlikeliest fan, Cary Grant, gave us a hearty vote of confidence very early on.
Universal had given me a big, comfortable bungalow right next door to Cary Grants bigger one.
He popped in one day, introduced himself, which is something Cary Grant never need do.
He couldnt have been more effusive in his praise of Mels 2,000-Year-Old Man.
On our second album there is a two-hour-old talking baby.
Who is going to say no to Cary Grant?
Twenty years after leaving MGM, he still brought them his weekly laundry.
I did remark about the possibility of his buddies not getting it and he pooh-poohed my concern.
They do speak English, he reminded me.
A week later Cary Grant and I had this conversation.
CARYCarl, the album was a smash!
CARYEveryone one at the Palace.
CARLAre you talking about Buckingham Palace?
CARYOf course …
CARLYou … You playedThe Two Thousand Year Old Manat Buckingham Palace?!
CARYYes, and she loved it!
This story and the dialogue, like 96 percent of this book, is absolutely true.
Well, there it was, the definitive word on the subject.
Talk about broad appeal!
Not only was the album well received but it was nominated for a Grammy, which it didnt win.
As you may have gathered, I am very fond of Mel and his brain.
On the lecture circuit, I borrow liberally from my friends brain.
I quote him often and to excellent effect.
Until recently, I was certain that Mel had never quoted me or had a need to.
However, a month or so ago, I called his home and got his answering machine.
It was Mels voice saying just three words, Leave a message!
FromMy Anecdotal Lifeby Carl Reiner.
Copyright 2003 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martins Publishing Group.
