My favorite memories of Don Rickles were his appearances on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
I was watching the show when Johnny found his cigarette box on his desk broken, from when Don had recently hosted the show. Johnny had a camera crew follow him next door, where they taping Don's sitcom, as Johnny gave him heck for it.
In the summer of 2001, I flew from Dallas to Las Vegas to see the Boulder Dam. I rented a car at the airport and drove to the Dam, and I took the "Hard Hat" tour. That was great! Driving back to Vegas, I saw a Billboard advertising Don Rickles performing at one of the Casinos. I stopped by the Casino and bought an unreserved seat ticket for the evening show. ($60).
I then found a cheap but nice Motel to stay in. I changed clothes, and put on slacks and shirt with a jacket. While waiting in line, there was a guy in jeans behind me. The "seater" asked if we were together. I said no. He seated that guy in the back. He sat me at a table right next to the stage, stage right.
It was great show! Don was very funny. And he chose people in the audience to give a hard time to. He would ask them where they were from, and then riff on that.
As part of the act, he got ticked at his assistant, a black man, that had been with him for decades, and fired him right from the stage.
What really surprised me was, Don, as part of his show, went right back to his Vaudeville roots, and danced around that stage for a good long while.
I actually thought to myself... gee, I hope he doesn't die, right here at this show I'm at !!!
