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The Flying Fickle Finger of Fate
May 25, 2008 | 11:36 PM PST
Category:
News
Saturday night on our 10pm newscast I reported on Dick Martin's death. I do that a lot-- report on people dying. But this one was different for me.
First of all, for those of you who weren't around between 1968 and 1973, Dick Martin was the jolly half of Rowen and Martin-- the team who created Laugh-In. I have very fond memories, sitting with my parents in front of our family TV set watching Laugh-In. I could spend take up a lot of space here writing about how Laugh-In broke ground that shows like SNL and MadTV later built upon but, in the case of Martin's passing, that isn't my point.
Reporting on Dick Martin's death was more thought provoking for me because I met Mr. Martin a year or so ago; not professionally-- I didn't interview him. I sat with him inside the cramped wine store I frequent. I would say, "..where I shop" but it's it's much more than a store, really. More like a Cabernet-tinted version of Cheers, minus the bar stools.
Dick Martin came in, tagging along with Tom Rowan. Tom is Dan Rowan's son; a marvelously friendly guy who, you could tell, picked up the friendship with Martin right where his dad left off when he died in 1987. I was in awe. I was sitting with Dick Martin! I felt like a 10 year old again, reliving memories of Beautiful downtown Burbank, Sock it to me and Hear come da judge! Mr. Martin spent an hour, filling me full of stories of starting out as a bartender in Pasadena and Hollywood.. of meeting Rowan and beginning their stand-up routine in the Valley, if memory serves (serves Me, not him. His memory was sharp as a tack!).
Dick Martin was known as being the same affable fellow off camera that he was on. And that geniality followed him into his 80's. He made millions laugh and that is a talent that should never be underestimated or undervalued. I am thrilled I got to chat with Dick Martin and for that reason I am a bit sadder that we have lost one more entertainer from the Greatest Generation.
