Philadelphia Weekly

Widely recognized as the original insult comic, Don Rickles plays three shows this weekend at the Tropicana in Atlantic City. But his act isn't just for those old enough to remember his glory days. Rickles has become a hipster icon in recent months with the publication of the best-selling Rickles' Book and the debut of the HBO documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project, which mixed war stories from the old guard (chiefly Rickles co-conspirator Bob Newhart) with tributes from the youngsters (Dave Attell, Chris Rock, Sarah Silverman) who can thank him for making the world safe for put-down comedy--if not so safe in general. See, Rickles has a nasty habit of threatening interviewers' lives. (All in good fun, of course.) PW risked death recently to speak with him.

In Mr. Warmth , Bob Newhart talks about the old Vegas disappearing, and the corporate world taking over in a way that makes it a little less interesting.
"It's not less interesting. It's a different world. When we were there we knew all the guys that ran the place, and it was a one-on-one relationship. Today it's all corporate and it's 14 million bosses."

Does it make it any harder for you?
"Not it my case. Of course not. But it was a different world. A different style, a different atmosphere, a different thing. But time marches on, and we change."

How do you feel about Atlantic City these days?
"It's great. I worked there--I was the third act in Resorts, believe it or not. The first act was Bill Cosby, then Steve and Edie, and then me."

And now there are the new casinos like the Borgata. They're a little more slick.
"They're trying to be another Vegas. They're still way far behind to be another Vegas, but they're coming along."

What are your memories of being in Philly?
"I worked Philadelphia. God, I worked Philadelphia. The Two-Four Club and the Celebrity Room. Then I worked the Latin Casino out in Cherry Hill. I worked in a lot of after-hours clubs in those days, and I had great times in Philadelphia."

What do you think about it now?
"It's a great city. What's not to like?"

We're kind of having some rough times these days.
"In what way?"

Lots of shootings.
"Welcome to the club. That's all over."

You're kind of like a hipster, young-person icon these days. How'd that happen?
"The young audiences say, 'My father told me to see you. When I was a kid you were on Johnny Carson, and I was too young to watch, and blah, blah, blah.' A lot of them became fans, and I'm very flattered by that. That I'm seeing more and more young people coming to see my performance makes me very happy because I'm not dated. In other words, what I do on the stage is about situations, and I don't tell jokes. I do a theatrical performance. And it just embellishes all the surroundings, making fun of life and people. And I'm never mean-spirited. So that makes it kind of fun."

Have you changed your act fundamentally at all over time?
"No. I have a beginning, middle and end. My act changes every night about 10 percent."

Do you study the young up-and-coming comedians?
"No. Not that I'm indifferent. When you're around this 55 years, when I'm away from it, I watch the ballgame, I watch television, I go out with my wife. Not that I have anything against it, but I don't go to comedy clubs because I've seen it, I've had it. I just don't take time out to do that. I see a lot of them on television, and I enjoy them, but that's about it."

Do you think there's any more ground to break?
"There always is. I don't know if I'll be around to see it, but somebody will make it different."

People always say you push the envelope in a way that was not as acceptable when you first started doing it.
"When I first started doing it, it was unheard of. Nobody criticized it because it was something completely different. Now they say 'politically incorrect,' but Don Rickles has been doing that for so many years that I'm a guy that's accepted and has always been accepted for what I do because I'm an originator."

Did you ever get any heat back in the day for the things you said?
"I always say this: 'When you stand on the stage, not everybody loves you. You're selling yourself.' I have no props up there. I have no toys. I have nothing. I have no ties, no shirts, no pants to sell."

What do you do to prepare for each performance?
"Nothing. After you do it 55 years, you don't prepare. You just sit in the dressing room, have a vodka and go onstage."