R.I.P. Richard Lewis

[danfrank]

I wasn’t a big fan of his standup, but I’ve really enjoyed watching him these past 20+ years on Curb Your Enthusiasm. He plays some version of himself. He’s neurotic but not the rapid-fire, manic-y neurotic from his old standup act. His relationship with Larry David feels like the most authentic relationship on the show. He’s terrific. I’m glad Curb is ending because it wouldn’t be the same without Richard Lewis, even though his wasn’t a big part.

I know he didn’t have the most peaceful life, so I wish him peace now.

[Reza]

Lewis and Curtis had great chemistry in the sitcom Anything But Love - a show that was a sort of precusor to Mad About You and Friends. Curtis won a Golden Globe and a sassy Ann Magnuson provided laughs. Lewis is funny as the neurotic but tough reporter at the Chicago-based magazine.

Lewis, a funny standup comedian, never quite made it as a leading man in films. He was in a few supporting roles on the big screen but appeared mostly on other tv shows throughout his career.

Apparently he suffered through various medical problems during the last few years.

R.I.P.

[Sonic Youth]

I used to get him confused with David Brenner.

His shtick was too much for me, but growing up my mom loved him and watched him whenever he could along with Richard Lewis, Garry Shandling and Robert Klein (not Brenner though) until they all became interchangable in my head. Now except for Klein, they're all gone. Which feels really strange.

[Sabin]

When he was diagnosed with Parkinson's last year, I was surprised. I thought he had been diagnosed years prior.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv ... 67f4510774

Richard Lewis was one of those guys whose moment in the sun was before I really started paying attention. I used to get him confused with David Brenner. I didn't really see him on Carson or Letterman. When I started paying attention, he was post his "Aren't I neurotic?" phase and he was firmly in his "No, seriously, I'm fucked up, I could overdose any minute" phase. I was always aware he had stature to him. I think most people of my generation know him from Curb Your Enthusiasm but honestly, I've never really seen much of the show. I'll probably remedy that at some point.

Looking at his wikipedia page, I'm intrigued at the longevity of his career as well as roots in Greenwich Village and the crop he came of age with. It's always sad to see a funny person die but it would seem that mortality was a feature, not a bug, in his appeal. RIP.


EDIT: lord knows, my schedule today didn't ned this but I looked up a little bit of his history online. He was in a Mad About You-ish sitcom with Jamie Lee Curtis called Anything but Love in 1989. It was him and Jamie Lee Curtis and the series was about them slowly falling in love over the course of the season. I always thought this was a post-When Harry Met Sally... show (WASP + Jew) but it debuted months prior. I've never seen it. It looks like Mad About You at a magazine or newspaper. Does anyone remember it? Apparently, it was retooled, moved around, and finally the production company (not the studio) killed it because they didn't think it would get a fifth season and it wouldn't be profitable in syndication... Then Mad About You came out the following year. Anyone watch this thing?