The sixth annual Paley Honors feature a parade of A-list comedy icons who were treated to generous standing ovations, laughter-inducing montage packages and lots of love
Show business can be unforgiving to performers when they reach a certain age. The work often slows to a trickle, audiences dwindle and the laughter, well, it quiets. Try telling that to Carol Burnett, 86, Norman Lear, 97, Bob Newhart, 90, Carl Reiner, 97, and Lily Tomlin, 80, five comedy legends feted Thursday night during the sixth annual Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
He was serious, too. He called Newhart one of his “all-time comedy heroes,” someone whose “signature pauses elevated great writing to new heights. Nobody burns fewer calories while getting a huge laugh than Bob Newhart. His resting heart rate is and always has been two beats per hour. Like the greatest matadors, Bob barely moves and everyone is spellbound.”The Bob Newhart ShowThe late-night host even mentioned his own: “The scene where Dr.
“Naturally, what do you do when you leave accounting?” he asked. “Obviously you become a stand-up comedian.” He decided to give it a year to see if he could make a living, but one year turned into two, and two turned into three years and three became four, he said. What really changed his life, he said, was his 1960 live album “The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart,” which put him on the map and earned him three Grammy Awards including trophies for album of the year and best new artist.
Proceeds from Paley Honors support ongoing education programs as well as the creation of the Paley Center’s Comedy Collection, a compendium of programs and comedic moments preserved as part of the Paley Archive. Those also in the room included Allison Janney, Sean Hayes, Jason Alexander, Bob Mackie, Brenda Song, Jane Leeves, Jane Seymour, Jimmie Walker, Kat Dennings, Mackenzie Phillips, Marla Gibbs, Michaela Watkins, Mitzi Gaynor, Novi Brown, Peri Gilpin, Tichina Arnold, Zulay Henao and more.
In accepting, the elder Reiner also surprised by delivering a soliloquy from Hamlet before turning his attention, like Newhart, to his significant other. "The gift of my life is I married a girl called Estelle," he said of his late wife who passed away in 2008. "The single most gifted woman I know." They were together 65 years and had "three of the greatest children anybody could have," he said, saying that Rob "should be president of the United States.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Stephen Curry, Will Arnett NBA Comedy Series in Development at FoxStephen Curry and Will Arnett may never be on the same basketball team, but the duo are working together on an NBA-related series which is in development at Fox. Titled “The Second Half,&822…
Read more »
‘Once More’ Comedy Produced By Justin Spitzer & Hazy Mills In Works At ABCEXCLUSIVE: ABC has put in development Once More, a single-camera half-hour comedy from Superstore creator Justin Spitzer, Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner’s Hazy Mills and Universal TV, where Spi…
Read more »
Paley Center’s Comedy Legends Tribute: Funny Things That Happened On The Way To Becoming TV IconsThe Paley Center for Media awarded Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Carl Reiner, Carol Burnett and Norman Lear at The Paley Honors: A Special Tribute to Television’s Comedy Legends on Thursday Night in Be…
Read more »
Louie Anderson to Star as Talking Cat in Comedy in the Works at Fox (EXCLUSIVE)Louie Anderson may have found the purr-fect role. Variety has learned exclusively that Anderson is set to star in and executive produce the multi-camera comedy “Tigsley” at Fox. The pro…
Read more »
Rhea Perlman, Miya Cech Star In Coming-Of-Age Comedy ‘Marvelous And The Black Hole’EXCLUSIVE: Cheers alum Rhea Perlman and Miya Cech will star in Marvelous And The Black Hole, an indie film from Kate Tsang, who was award a $1 million grant by AT&T Presents: Untold Stories ear…
Read more »
NBC Nabs Adaptation of British Immigrant Comedy ‘Home’ From Ben Stiller, Stacy Traub, Lionsgate TV & BBC Studios As Put PilotEXCLUSIVE: NBC has handed a put pilot commitment to single-camera comedy Home, about an American couple who take in a Syrian refugee. It is based on the British series, which was created by Rufus J…
Read more »