Sunday, March 30, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
WHAT THIS WORLD needs to do is laugh.
Laughter has always been the prescription for what ails us as a people, a nation or a world trying to make some sense out of what is going on. And the man who has filled that prescription better than practically any other in our history was recognized last week by the president of the United States.
Whether we remember him as Clem Kadiddlehopper or Freddie the Freeloader or a half-dozen other names that he pulled from his life experiences, Red Skelton has been the epitome of comedy on the world stage for more than three generations. His was, and is, a comedy that endures, not for its filth and its finger-pointing, but for its real-life humor that has appealed to all ages at all times.
I remember, as do most Las Vegans who lived here in the early days, the sold-out performances at the Riviera and the Sands hotels when Red Skelton came to town. I also remember his weekly television shows that brought his very special kind of clowning comedy to the entire world. Red Skelton was the one show I would never miss, and his jokes and sketches were, until recently, memories I could never forget.
Perhaps my most vivid memory was of Red singing happy birthday and "Danny Boy" to my brother Danny from the stage of the Sands Copa Room. It was Danny's yearly birthday wish for him and his friends to see Red Skelton "live and in person" and each year Red lit up our table with laughter and even a happy tear or two.
That's why I felt so honored when my friend, Art Marshall, invited me to go with him and his son, Todd, to meet with Nevada's senior senator, Harry Reid, and a few others in Palm Springs. It was Harry's most delightful privilege to represent President Clinton at a very special luncheon to present Red with the president's "Certificate of Commendation."
Actually, the commendation was signed on April 1, 1996 -- an apt day for recognizing the greatest clown in our history -- but Red's health did not allow him to go to the White House to receive the honor directly from the president. When Art told me Red was well enough to meet with us, the decision to go was easy.
What was most memorable about that lunch was not only the incredible sharpness of Red's mind -- he recalled gags and jokes going back 70 years and repeated them flawlessly -- but the awe and esteem in which his luncheon guests held him. Harry Reid, especially, sat transfixed listening to the Clown of Clowns regale us with his wit. It is the kind of humor this country can use to regain some of our lost perspective.
And perhaps we will get another dose of Red Skelton. Art Marshall, who worked for a long time to get the presidential commendation for his longtime friend, asked Red how he spent his days now that he is recuperating. Each day, Red said, he writes an outline of a short story. And, each week he takes the best outline and writes a story. That way, he will have 365 good ideas for short stories and 52 completed stories to share with a world badly in need of his humor.
I am sharing my experience with Las Vegans because many will remember the wonderful days and nights Red Skelton entertained us. For those who came along at the end of Red's career and who weren't enriched by his humor, perhaps you will seek out the old shows and enjoy the kind of laughs that kept a country going during some difficult times.
And for those who want to see him again, the best I can do is publish a picture at the end of this column of Harry Reid presenting the presidential commendation -- the only one granted in 1996 -- to Red Skelton.
President Clinton's words tell the story:
"A natural-born comic who got his first laugh from an audience at the age of 10, Red Skelton has devoted a long and productive life to entertaining people of all ages. Moving from the vaudeville stage to radio, the movies and television, he became America's favorite clown, creating characters like Clem Kadiddlehopper and Freddie the Freeloader, whom generations of Americans looked forward to seeing every week. Red Skelton has served his country well. From his days in World War II and Korea as a soldier and an entertainer for the troops, to his many years on the large screen and small, he has given to all those lucky enough to see him perform the gift of laughter and joy."
Thank you, Red, for the many years of laughter and joy you have given us in Las Vegas. And thanks, Red, for lunch. Like you, I'll never forget that special moment.
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