Following yesterday’s news that legendary comedian Don Rickles died at age 90, last night, late night hosts paid tribute to Rickles in their own ways. Rickles’ passing hit the hardest for Jimmy Kimmel, who had him on the show many times and became close with him over the years. “I’m gonna tell you right up front: I’m gonna cry. I’m already crying,†Kimmel said at the start of the show. Despite it clearly being tough news for Kimmel to get through, he devoted a portion of the episode to telling Rickles stories, reading some notes Rickles sent him over the years, and playing a clip compilation of some of his Jimmy Kimmel Live interviews with him. “There will never be another Don Rickles,†Kimmel said. “He’s probably the greatest talk show guest of all time.â€
Over on Late Night, Seth Meyers told the story about when he was a cast member on SNL and got burned by Rickles: “He just looked at me and said ‘Oh, I’m so sorry to hear Saturday Night Live is canceled.’ And I was like ‘Oh, it wasn’t canceled,’ and then he just went ‘Ugh. A guy can dream.’â€
On The Late Show, Stephen Colbert looked back on meeting Rickles backstage at the Emmys: “He hugged me and told me I was good. I felt like a made man, because we all should have his career and be who he was.â€