Rodney Dangerfield Dies at Age 82

[Nick Burns]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=...angerfield

LOS ANGELES - Rodney Dangerfield (news), the bug-eyed comic whose self-deprecating one-liners brought him stardom in clubs, television and movies and made his lament "I don't get no respect" a catchphrase, died Tuesday. He was 82.

Dangerfield, who fell into a coma after undergoing heart surgery, died at 1:20 p.m., said publicist Kevin Sasaki. Dangerfield had a heart valve replaced Aug. 25 at the University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center.


Sasaki said in a statement that Dangerfield suffered a small stroke after the operation and developed infectious and abdominal complications. But in the past week he had emerged from the coma, the publicist said.


Clad in a black suit, red tie and white shirt with collar that seemed too tight, Dangerfield convulsed audiences with lines such as: "When I was born, I was so ugly that the doctor slapped my mother," "When I started in show business, I played one club that was so far out my act was reviewed in Field and Stream," and "Every time I get in an elevator, the operator says the same thing to me: `Basement?'"


In a 1986 interview, he explained the origin of his "respect" trademark:


"I had this joke: `I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me.' To make it work better, you look for something to put in front of it: I was so poor, I was so dumb, so this, so that. I thought, `Now what fits that joke?' Well, `No one liked me' was all right. But then I thought, a more profound thing would be, `I get no respect.'"


Dangerfield is survived by his wife, Joan, and two children from a previous marriage.

He was a damn good comedian. Its a shame he died, his movies where some of the best.

[OB1]

Man what a shame. At least he lived a long life, though. That guy was hilarious, one of my favorite comics.

[buckey_lasek]

oh wow that sucks. he was great.

[EdenMaster]

:( Truly a loss for the whole world. He'll be missed.

[Darunia]

Yea; bummer---I hate it when cool guys like him pass away. I loved him in Caddyshack. This sucks. And 82 isn't THAT old.

*Sigh*

[Great Rumbler]

If you live to 82 you've done pretty well for yourself.

[Darunia]

82 is just barely about the average life span; thus it's barely any better than average. I'd say, 86+ is nice & ripe.

[Dark Jaguar]

Oh NOW he gets respect...

[alien space marine]

You realize at one time the age of 40 was the average lifespan, Just being 50 or 60 was a big deal and usually only the whealthy lived longer.We have gone pretty far doubling it in our modern era, There is so many that dont make it to 80 so its not a small acheivement.

[A Black Falcon]

82 is a few years above average... isn't it 77 or something for men, and a couple of years higher for women? Anyway, it's not really old (anymore), but above average isn't bad.

[Dark Jaguar]

ASM, stop saying stuff everyone already knows.

Really, I'm starting to wonder if you are like 14 or something.

[alien space marine]

ASM, stop saying stuff everyone already knows.

Really, I'm starting to wonder if you are like 14 or something.

How could I assess your education and known knowledge ? Maybe Some people here didnt know. Why are you such a dick head?!! If you already knew that then dont read it any further! I am not forcing you to read that post! Use your vastly superior intelligence and ignore it like any sensible human being.WTF does it matter To you?Unless there was thread recently still visible talking about lifespans going backward in time centuries ago I would have understood.

I simpily meant to remind you that 80 years isnt conciderd too young as many dont even reach it today like my grand parents *smokers*, So Dangerfield did live a long respectable life concidering the lifespans of the early or late 19th/ 20th century century.

[Dark Jaguar]

You should be fully aware that's common knowledge. The only reason you wouldn't is if you JUST learned that yourself in school, which would suggest you are young.