Carl Reiner honored by late night television

The passing of comedian Carl Reiner brought tributes from late night television

Comedy legend and icon Carl Reiner passed away on June 29 at the age of 98. Active since the 1940s, Reiner leaves behind a legacy and resume unmatched by anyone in entertainment.

Reiner’s resume includes co-creating and writing the television series Caesar’s Hour and The Dick Van Dyke Show. He directed movies such as The Jerk and Where’s Poppa? and acted in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and the Ocean’s trilogy.

With Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner created one of the most famous comedy duos ever. Their “2000 Year Old Man” routine is considered comedy perfection and has been performed on stage, television, and recorded countless times since the 1950s.

Given Reiner’s long and prolific career, it was no surprise to see the outpouring of support for the comedian and his family. As a frequent guest on late night television programs over the years, Reiner’s passing was marked by several personalities. All current shows are off this week, meaning there won’t be any on-air tributes to Reiner yet. But a number of sentiments were shared online on Tuesday.

Carl Reiner’s influence and contributions to comedy celebrated by today’s stars

Stephen Colbert didn’t waste any words in describing Carl Reiner. The actor, writer, and director is simply “The Greatest” in the eyes of late night television’s current great.

Reiner’s son Rob Reiner, a comedy actor, writer, and director himself, was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2016. He discussed what it was like to grow up surrounded by comedy royalty like his father, Mel Brooks, and more.

Jimmy Kimmel may be on vacation for the summer but he took time out of his hiatus to mark Reiner’s passing. On Twitter, Kimmel wrote:

"Even at 98, it was too soon to lose [Carl Reiner] – a brilliantly funny, kind and prolific man. Love to the excellent family and friends he left behind"

Late Night host Seth Meyers echoed Kimmel’s sentiment in a tweet of his own. Meyers, known for playing the straight man to countless “Weekend Update” characters on Saturday Night Live, celebrated Reiner’s talents.

"No one brought more humor and joy to the role of straight man than Carl Reiner. RIP to the gold standard."

Through Late Night with Conan O’Brien to Conan, Reiner was a longtime guest of Conan O’Brien. There is no better time than today to go down the rabbit hole of Reiner’s interviews with O’Brien, covering decades of comedy history and the fascinating life of an icon.

O’Brien made sure to express how much Reiner meant to him even at a young age. He shared a touching story about seeing Reiner for the first time and what the comedian’s life and career meant to late night’s longest-tenured host.

It probably meant the world to O’Brien when Carl Reiner was a guest on Conan in 2017 and revealed the admiration was mutual. Reiner stopped the interview to tell O’Brien how much he enjoyed “Nut Spoon,” one of the more absurd and idiotic sketches in O’Brien’s career. But Reiner loved it and said as much.

You can spend hours, days, and weeks going through the best of Carl Reiner. Whether you start with his bits with Mel Brooks or his late night appearances with today’s hosts, you’re guaranteed to be entertained.