Gene Wilder

Gene Wilder, one of my favorite all-time comedians, died today from complications of Alzheimer's Disease.  He was 83 years old.

For several decades of my life, Gene Wilder was a name that would bring a smile to my face.  He was fantastic in "Blazing Saddles" and "Young Frankenstein," as well as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."  The first two films mentioned were a source of great belly laughs to me and my family.  He was truly a very funny guy.

Gene was once married to Saturday Night Live star Gilda Radner, until she died of ovarian cancer in 1989.

I'll miss him.

We are all happy about Osama Bin Laden's demise, but the Devil isn't laughing.

The Alligator
A Poem, By Henry Gibson.

The Alligator is my pal
He could be your pal, too.
He will if you'll just understand
That he's got feelings too.

The alligator is my friend
He likes to wink and flirt
I'd rather have him as my friend
Than wear him on my shirt

The alligator ate my friend
He can eat your friend too
If only you would understand
That he needs protein too.

He loves to play and swim about
He never sings the blues
You'd like him better as a friend
Than wearing him as shoes.

Alligator! Alligator! Alligator!
He could be your friend
Could be your friend
Could be your friend
Too.

(Too young to remember Henry Gibson?  It's a sixties thing. You wouldn't understand.)

Whenever a movie comes on TV that has Dom DeLuise in it, I know it's going to be funny. A few weeks back I saw him in the 1978 movie "The End" with Burt Reynolds. DeLuise plays a nut who has been committed to an asylum. He meets Burt Reynolds' character when he too is commited for attempting suicide. DeLuise's character tries to help the Reynolds character accomplish his suicide goal -- even after Reynolds has changed his mind. It was wickedly funny.