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Home , Imogene Coca, Larry Gelbart, Neil Simon, Sid Caesar

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truth. It was then. It is now.It will always be. There's a mil. lion funny ways to open a door.If you're nervous in front ofa. girl, you may show it a certain silly way. It was funny when' Sid Caesar is not simply a pioneer, but a true gi- wedid it, and it is still just as funny.Wealso shyedawayfrom, ant of American . His variety series Your Show of topical material. And of course, there's [YourShow of Shows' Shows (compilations of which are available on video) set the costar] . She is one of the few comediennes tone for a generation of television humor, and brought to the who doesn't sacrifice her femininity.

VT: Your writers included costar , , I'M NOT OPTIMISTICABOUT THE FUTURE OF SKETCH , , and . Did you have

COMEDY,PANTOMIME,AND DOUBLETALK.I'M any-idea that one day they would all achieve such an out.I AFRAIDTHEY'RE DYINGARTS. standing degree of success?

SC:No. [Woody]Allen was highly intelligent and really off. beat. He was very shy.[Neil]Simonwas so shy,he had to talk through [Carl]Reiner. Carl was great. He proves that to be a great straight man, you have to be a great comedian. Mel [Brooks]was a crazy man, loony,but in a nice way.

VT:Thuappeared with in the movie It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, along with a host of other comic gi- ants. ~s Keaton an idol of yours?

SC:Oh,yes. That's how I met him, and I was in awe. He was the greatest pantomime artist and his mind was just beauti- ful. Meeting him was a great thrill. I didn't knowwhat to say though. I do regret never having met [Charlie]Chaplin. I was at two parties he was also at. I just didn't have the nerve to introduce myself.

VT: Were you very shy?

SC: Extremely shy- I didn't know who I was. I didn't feel NOTONLYIS SIDCEASARIN GREATSHAPE,BUTHEHASANEXERCISEVIDEO, very good about myself. SIDCEASAR'SSHAPE.UP.TOHELPOTHERSASWELL. VT:Did your drinking have something to do with that? limelight such performers as Imogene Coca and , and a host of brilliant young writers, including Mel SC:I suppose. I know I wasn't too confident. To tell you the Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Neil Simon, and Woody Allen. De- truth, I'm very lucky to be alive. If I hadn't stopped [drink- spite considerable personal adversity, Caesar has' never lost ing], I wouldn't be here talking with you. his enthusiasm for life, or his desire to make people laugh. Steve Dale recently spoke with Sid Caesar about his career, VT:Not only are you here, you're in great shape. And you his recent exercise video, and his thoughts about comedy. have an exercise video to prove it!

VIDEOTIMES:The best of YourShowof Shows is availableon SC:GeorgeBernard Shaw said, "Youthis wasted on the video, and so are many classic TV programs from that era. young:' But I say, "Youth is wasted on the young, unless Will they all weather the test of time? you're in shape." Because if you're in condition, and if you're lucky enough to have your health, you can do things. Age SIDCAESAR:We said the truth. The truth is the truth is the doesn't have to mean a thing. A fifty-five-or sixty-five-year-

10 VIDEO TIMESIApril198 CORN ER

old person is not over the hill. And you can enjoy life at any those people last. You gotta pay your dues. age. My two hobbies are history and physics, that's what I like. I swim up to six days a week, and I walk a lot. I'm also VT:Are you worried about the direction that young comics careful about my diet. are taking today's humor?

VT:So, this is not a Jane Fonda workout tape? sc: Well, you can tell a nation by its sense of humor. I'm afraid we're laughing at the wrong things. I worry that we're sc: Oh,no. No bouncing women or big music, just how to keep fit formen overfifty. Howyou can work out in your own room. IF YOUWANTTOBEA CLOWNONSTAGE,YOUMUST KNOWHOWTOACTFIRST.TODAY,TOOMANYYOUNG PEOPLEWANTINSTANTSUCCESS. VT: Can video one day help to open doors for young comics, .. as television did for you and Imogene?

sc: That's an interesting possi!:>ility.You never can tell. You don't have to be on a network program to become popular anymore. The market is more narrow, and everything has be- come specialized. Whole stations are just devoted to weather or news. Why not a station devoted to comedy?

VT:Which of today's comedians do you enjoy?

sc: RobinWilliams,, Robert Klein, and Made- line Kahn.

VT:It's interesting that none of those performers is currently seen on a network sitcom.

sc: So what? Everyone thinks that if you're not on television, you're not alive. You can have a war some place in the world, but if it's not on television no one believes it exists. There's more to life than sitcoms. Today's young comics only know from stand-up and sitcoms. I'm not optimistic about the fu. ture of sketch comedy, pantomime, and double talk. I'm YOURSHOW OF SHOWS PRESENTEDCAESARAND IMOGENECOCAIN A afraid they're dying arts. You have to be an actor first, before VARIETYOF COMIC ROLES. you can be a funny actor. making heroes out of the dope scene. The world is more than VT:Lately we've seen an array of comics from your era suc- just a few jokes. cessfully perform as actors in dramatic roles. Both and Art Carney wonBest Supporting Actor Oscarsfor VT: Would you like to see live television return? and Harry and Tonto, respectively. And you have repeatedly appeared in serious roles on TV. . .. sc: Yes,and so would half ofAmerica. People like to be in on the gags. That's why those blooper programs have done so sc: If a person is funny at parties, that's great. But it doesn't well. .. I think there's a cravingfor live TV. And live[studio] make you a comedian or an actor. If you want to be a clown audiences are coming back. People are too sophisticated for onstage, you must know how to act first. Today, too many laugh tracks. The Cosby Show, The Golden Girls,and other young people want instant success, like instant. . .pudding! successes use a live audience. Maybe the networks are finally Everythingin our world is instant. And some get the instant beginning to learn. gratification by shocking audiences. But let's see how long -STEVE DALE

VIDEO TIMES/April1987 11