Billy Crystal's Unforgettable Encounters with Comedy Legend Milton Berle
Billy Crystal, the celebrated actor and comedian renowned for his roles in 'When Harry Met Sally' and his multiple Academy Awards hosting gigs, possesses a treasure trove of Hollywood anecdotes. However, few stories resonate as profoundly as his interactions with the late comedy icon Milton Berle. Crystal recently recounted two separate incidents where Berle playfully slapped him across the face, and remarkably, both tales are heartwarming and humorous.
A Live Television Moment with Comedy Giants
During an appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' on April 15, the 78-year-old Crystal humorously noted that he "may be the last one alive to know Milton Berle stories" before delving into his memories. He described finding himself on a panel with Berle and Carl Reiner for the final episode of 'Tonight Starring Steve Allen'. "I sat in between the two of them, these two bookends, the giants of television," Crystal told Colbert. He emphasized Berle's monumental impact, stating, "This was a man who sold more television sets. Milton was Mr. Television for a reason. He helped kill the movie business in the beginning because people stayed home to watch this new amazing thing called television."
Approximately twenty minutes into the taping, the crew informed the trio that the cameras "were not registering" anything, forcing them to restart. Berle seized this opportunity brilliantly. "Milton Berle turns to me and says, 'Looks like I'm on,'" Crystal recounted. Berle then requested a microphone, stepped in front of the audience, and delivered a hilarious, albeit peculiar, performance. "He's doing it, he's walking on his ankles, he's doing everything," Crystal said. After receiving a standing ovation, Berle returned, looked at Crystal, and unexpectedly slapped him in the face. Crystal clarified that this slap was purely for comedic effect, adding that Berle later invited him to his house to "smoke some dope" and witness his impression of Jerry Lewis directing a movie.
A Restaurant Reunion with More Slapstick Humor
The duo crossed paths again a few weeks later when Crystal was dining with comedian Alan King at the famed Los Angeles restaurant Spago. Crystal explained that Berle repeatedly popped his head up from behind him, making absurd noises unbeknownst to King, who was facing Crystal. "Then there was the cigar under the upper lip. This went on forever and ever and ever, and I'm just dying," he recalled.
Eventually, Berle approached their table and launched into his Jerry Lewis impression. "Now, listen, your wife has left you, you're lonely, you've been drinking too much. Life is meaningless," Crystal remembered Berle saying, while slipping into an exaggerated impression of the late comedian. "You're in a hotel all by yourself, right? You have to reach inside yourself, Bill. Just think about any loss in your life, any pain. You have to summon it and say, 'This really is sucky.'" True to form, Berle then slapped Crystal in the face once more. "He hipped me into the ground," Crystal said with a laugh.
For Crystal, both encounters with Berle concluded identically: with a slap to the face and a story he has cherished for decades. These anecdotes not only highlight Berle's legendary comedic timing but also underscore the enduring bonds and playful spirit within the entertainment industry.
