Description

Riding a wave of success that lasted more than sixty years Don Rickles is best known as the insult comic who skewered presidents royalty celebrities and friends and fans alike But there was more to Mr Warmth than a devilish eartoear grin and lightningfast putdowns Rickles was a loving husband an adoring father who suffered a devastating loss and a loyal friend to the likes of Bob Newhart and Frank Sinatra Sex race religion nationality physical appearance political leaningsnothing and no one was safe from the Planned Parenthood Poster Boy as Johnny Carson referred to him

The Merchant of Venom traces Don Rickless career from his rise in the 1950s to a lateinlife resurgence thanks to the Toy Story franchise his role in Martin Scorseses Casino and scores of TV appearances from Carson to Seth Meyers In the intervening decades Rickles conquered every medium he worked in including film television and on stage He was idolized by a generation of younger comedians including Jerry Seinfeld Chris Rock and Jay Leno and performed in the shadow of a shocking open secret he was the nicest man in town

An indepth portrait of the personal and singular professional life of Don Rickles The Merchant of Venom delivers a hilarious moving and longoverdue look at the real man behind the sting