oh, damn.

[sisyphusshrugged]

Alan King, one seriously funny man, RIP

Mr. King was born Irwin Alan Kniberg in a tough part of Brooklyn where he learned to use his mouth as a weapon. He also boxed, just in case words failed him.

He played drums and led a band that played at bar mitzvahs and other neighborhood events. He left high school to do comedy full time at burlesque houses and in Catskill Mountains resorts.

His assertiveness led to better gigs, such as when he persuaded the management of the Paramount theater chain to let him replace an aging comic on a bill. His career began to flourish when he moved to suburban Queens from downtown Manhattan. The change provoked the humor that became central to his act as he discussed struggling with the phone company, dealing with doctors and making airline reservations.

He spent years doing opening routines for such singers as Lena Horne and Billy Eckstine. His breakthrough came in 1956 when mainstream reviewers caught his act on the same bill with Judy Garland at the Palace Theatre in New York. With excellent feedback, he and Garland toured Europe and performed for royalty, including Queen Elizabeth II.

After that show, he had an audience with the queen, who asked, "How do you do, Mr. King?"

He replied: "How do you do, Mrs. Queen?"

A few painful seconds passed in silence. "She stared at me, and then Prince Philip laughed," he said. "Thank God Prince Philip laughed.