Robert Schimmel R.I.P.

Whether you are or are not familiar with his work, take a few moments today to watch or listen to some classic Robert Schimmel and have a few blue laughs in his honor.
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Comedian Robert Schimmel just passed away from injuries sustained in a car crash, which came as a total surprise, and a sad one at that. Schimmel had overcome cancer and I must admit when I saw the headline, I thought it had come back and killed him. I hadn't heard that he had been in the crash, so it was quite a shock to say the least. He was one of the funniest (and filthiest) comedians alive and knew no bounds when it came to getting laughs.

My first time seeing him was in San Francisco years ago with my sister and our Dad. We were looking for something to do and saw his name on the marquee of a comedy club. I had seen his Showtime special on cable and knew he was funny. What we didn't know was that we would literally be crying and gasping for breath as he rolled out one line after another, killing us right up to "the beads," one of his signature pieces. The place was packed, so our Dad had to sit at another table. Considering how blue the material was, we were kind of glad! And yes, Dad laughed his ass off too.

Years later, I was talking with a few comedian friends I knew and mentioned his name, to which they all volunteered hilarious bits they heard him do at clubs on the road and around town. Comedians have a special bond and you could feel their reverence for Schimmel. He was certainly one of a kind, and will now join his buddy George Carlin in Comedy Heaven, or wherever comedians go when they die (hopefully not Uncle Chuckers Nut Club in East Pork, AK). Whether you are or are not familiar with his work, take a few moments today to watch or listen to some classic Robert Schimmel and have a few blue laughs in his honor:

Hardcore in the Big Apple Part 3:
Hardcore in the Big Apple Part 4:
Hardcore in the Big Apple Part 5:

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