When Don Rickles was on a television show, you never knew what to expect.
Country-music cowboy Roy Rogers finds himself in Don Rickles’ crosshairs in this classic comedy skit. Rickles dominates this scene by going off script!
That’s exactly what happened in a 1969 episode of Dean Martin’s variety show, Rickles crossed paths with Rogers in a skit that’s become known as the “Western Sketch.”
Poor Roy Rogers was not accustomed to dealing with this brand of comedy while Dean Martin couldn’t help but laugh as Rickles barked orders to the two of them that clearly were not scripted or rehearsed!
Roy Rogers was quick on the draw, but he was no match for Rickle’s brand of aggressive humor.
The comic, a right-at-home regular on Martin’s raucous Celebrity Roasts, plays a saloon bartender who tries to referee a shoot-out between Martin’s outlaw and Rogers’ sheriff.
The famously boozy Martin saunters in and uncharacteristically orders milk, prompting Rickles to quip, “He should get an Academy Award for reading that line.” But it’s Rogers, a deer in the headlights in the sketch, who bears the brunt of Rickles’ comedic wrath.
“Good reading, Roy. You’re going to get your water gun and your own pony,” Rickles fired off at Rogers who looked like deer in the headlights caught up in Mr. Warmth’s jokes.
With this, the studio audience erupted with laughter, reinforcing the live nature of Martin’s series and spurring Rickles to further improvise.
“Isn’t this fun, Roy, you’re staying up with the grownups!” he jested, before baiting Rogers one more time.
“You got a lot of good lines coming up, Roy. I’ll make you feel at home, ok?” Rickles continued, going on to impersonate a horse snort.
The whole bit ends with Rickles crawling atop the bar and a misfire of a duel between Martin and Rogers, who train their guns on the pesky barkeep. Naturally, Rickles let them know their aim isn’t true: “You’re shooting me in the leg, dummy!”
The scene ends as Rickles coordinates a duel between Dean and Roy, but things go astray when Mr. Warmth is struck in the leg by Dean’s poorly aimed bullet.
It’s a bit of revenge delivered by these two cowboys who bore the brunt of Rickles’ jokes for the whole scene. But, Rickles kept them laughing as the scene closed.
You will notice no foul language was used in the video above. This brand of talent doesn’t need to be crass.
The video will have you laughing and missing the good old days!
Sources: Taphaps, Cheatsheet
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