
Don Rickles
The Merchant of Venom
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Narrated by:
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Johnny Heller
Riding a wave of success that lasted more than sixty years, Don Rickles is best known as the "insult" comic who skewered presidents, royalty, celebrities, and friends and fans alike. But there was more to "Mr. Warmth" than a devilish ear-to-ear grin and lightning-fast put-downs. Rickles was a loving husband, an adoring father who suffered a devastating loss, and a loyal friend to the likes of Bob Newhart and Frank Sinatra. Sex, race, religion, nationality, physical appearance, political leanings—nothing and no one was safe from the "Planned Parenthood Poster Boy," as Johnny Carson referred to him.
The Merchant of Venom traces Don Rickles's career from his rise in the 1950s to a late-in-life resurgence thanks to the Toy Story franchise, his role in Martin Scorsese's Casino, and scores of TV appearances from Carson to Seth Meyers. In the intervening decades, Rickles conquered every medium he worked in, including film, television, and on stage. He was idolized by a generation of younger comedians including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, and Jay Leno, and performed in the shadow of a shocking open secret: he was the nicest man in town.
An in-depth portrait of the personal and singular professional life of Don Rickles, The Merchant of Venom delivers a hilarious, moving, and long-overdue look at the real man behind the sting.
©2022 Michael Seth Starr (P)2022 TantorListeners also enjoyed...




















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In defense of…
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Loved that guy!
There will be only one Don Rickles
Funniest Man!!!
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The history of Don Rickles
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Wonderful book!
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Great book
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This story was very good and included a lot of information about his early years, but it quickly tapered off after the 1970s. I was hoping for a lot more information and context about his new-age/present-day relationships and roles (Leno, Letterman, Toy Story, etc).
Great, but could have been even greater!
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It’s Rickles..
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Love Rickles, but This Isn’t Him
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Meh
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Narration doesn’t do Don justice
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