WHEN DON RICKLES TOOK OVER KIMMEL'S STAGE
There are certain comedians who can walk onto a talk-show stage and immediately change the entire atmosphere.
Don Rickles was one of them.
On December 4, 2009, Rickles appeared as a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, alongside actress Anika Noni Rose and musical guests Band of Skulls.
For fans of classic American comedy, the appearance is a great example of why Rickles remained such a recognizable television personality for generations.
He did not need a complicated setup.
He simply needed a microphone, an audience, and someone willing to play along.
DON RICKLES AND JIMMY KIMMEL
The combination of Don Rickles and Jimmy Kimmel was naturally suited to late-night television.
Kimmel could guide the conversation, but Rickles had his own rhythm.
He could turn a simple question into another joke.
He could change the direction of a conversation with a single comment.
And he could use a pause or facial expression to make the audience anticipate what was coming next.
That unpredictability was one of the trademarks of his style.
A CAREER BUILT ON SHARP COMEDY
By the time Rickles appeared on Kimmel's show in 2009, he had already spent decades in entertainment....
