There’s nobody like Carl Reiner, his best friend and comedy legend in his own right, Mel Brooks, said Tuesday.
“Carl was a giant, unmatched in his contributions to entertainment,” Brooks, 94, tweeted about Reiner, who died Monday night at the age of 98.
The two met decades ago in 1950 on “Your Show of Shows,” an NBC variety show which broadcast weekly from 1950-1954, he explained.
“And we’ve been best friends ever since,” he said. “I loved him.”
The two also did a bit called “The 2000 Year Old Man,” with Brooks as the main character and Reiner as the straight man, asking funny questions. They managed to make it a regular sketch and produced several comedy albums, which solidified their 70-year friendship.
In a February joint interview, Brooks told The Guardian that he didn’t “think I’ve ever had a better friend than Carl."
“My God, the thought of being without him—the world would be too bleak!” Reiner replied.
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In his tribute Tuesday, Brooks noted his best friend’s death left a hole in the comedy community.
“So whether he wrote or performed or he was just your best friend — nobody could do it better,” Brooks said. “He’ll be greatly missed. A tired cliché in times like this, but in Carl Reiner’s case it’s absolutely true. He will be greatly missed.”
