Rodney Dangerfield: Difference between revisions

| caption = Dangerfield performing in 1972

| birth_name = Jacob Rodney Cohen

| birth_place = [[Babylon (village), New York|Babylon Village, New York]], U.S.

'''Jack Roy''' (born '''Jacob Rodney Cohen'''; November 22, 1921 – October 5, 2004), better known by the pseudonym '''Rodney Dangerfield''', was an American [[Stand-up comedy|stand-up comedian]], actor, screenwriter, and producer. He was known for his self-deprecating [[one-line joke|one-liner]] humor, his [[catchphrase]] "I don't get no respect!"<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.definition-of.com/I+don%27t+get+no+respect|title=I don't get any respect |publisher=definition-of.com}}</ref> and his [[monologue]]s on that theme.

He began his career working as a stand-up comic at the Fantasy Lounge in New York City. His act grew in popularity as he became a mainstay on [[late-night talk show]]s throughout the 1960s and 1970s, eventually developing into a headlining act on the [[Las Vegas]] casino circuit. His catchphrase "I don't get no respect!" came from an attempt to improve one of his stand-up jokes. "I played hide and seek; they wouldn't even look for me." He thought the joke would be stronger if it used the format: "I was so ..." beginning ("I was so poor," "He was so ugly," "She was so stupid," etc.).{{Clarify|date=October 2021}} He tried "I don't get no respect," and the jokes that followed got a much better response from the audience; it became a permanent feature of his act and comedic persona.<ref name=MSNBCobit>{{cite news |url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6187136/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041010040243/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6187136/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 10, 2004 |title=Rodney Dangerfield dead at 82 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=[[MSNBC.com]] |date=October 7, 2004|access-date=September 14, 2006}}</ref>

Rodney Dangerfield was born Jacob Rodney Cohen<ref name="Dangerfield sweat">{{cite web|url=https://www.today.com/popculture/rodney-dangerfields-widow-keeps-bottle-his-sweat-refrigerator-2D11641666| title=Rodney Dangerfield's widow keeps bottle of his sweat in the refrigerator| last= Abramovitch|first=Seth|date=October 14, 2016|work=[[Today (American TV program)|Today]] |access-date=August 2, 2018}}</ref> in the [[Babylon (village), New York|Village of Babylon, New York]], on November 22, 1921.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/arts/06dangerfield.html|title=Rodney Dangerfield, Comic Seeking Respect, Dies at 82|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=October 6, 2004}}</ref> He was the son of [[Jews|Jewish]] parents Dorothy "Dotty" Teitelbaum and the [[Vaudeville|vaudevillian]] performer Phillip Cohen, whose stage name was Phil Roy. His mother was born in the [[Austria-Hungary|Austro-Hungarian Empire]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NbaAF5Zwax0C&q=%22the+whole+family+had+come+to+america+from+hungary%22&pg=PT15 |title=It's not easy bein' me: a lifetime of no respect but plenty of sex and drugs |date=2005 |access-date=July 18, 2016|isbn= 9780061957642 |last=Dangerfield |first=Rodney |publisher=Zondervan }}</ref> Phillip Cohen was rarely home; his son normally saw him only twice a year. Late in life, Cohen begged for, and received, his son's forgiveness.<ref name=DeseretNews>{{cite news| url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P-JYAAAAIBAJ&pg=7165,5199161&dq=rodney+dangerfield+father+was+never+home+he+was+out+looking+to+make+other+kids&hl=en|title=Dangerfield: summer-film comet|date=August 26, 1986|newspaper=[[Deseret News]]| access-date=August 26, 2013}}</ref>

DangerfieldCohen's mother was cruelreportedly andemotionally colddistant tofor himmost his entire life. Throughoutof his childhood sheand neverdid kissednot orshow huggedsigns himof oraffection showedtowards himher any sign of affectionson.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Strange, unhappy life of Rodney Dangerfield | work= The Spokesman-Review| url= https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2004/jul/18/strange-unhappy-life-of-rodney-dangerfield/|access-date= 2021-03-09| via=spokesman.com}}</ref> In an interview with [[Howard Stern]] on May 25, 2004, Dangerfield told Stern that he had been molested by a man in his neighborhood. The man would pay Rodney a nickel and kiss him for five minutes.<ref>{{Citation|title=Rodney Dangerfield (05/25/04)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAssKun1KZk| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624212344/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAssKun1KZk| archive-date=2021-06-24 | url-status= dead|language=en|access-date=2021-03-09}}</ref>

Roy took the name Rodney Dangerfield from an episode by [[Jack Benny]] on his radio program in a 1941 broadcast.<ref>{{Citation |title=Jack Benny - JB 1941-12-21 The Christmas tree | date=2 January 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV0VhpPo0y8 |access-date=2023-03-24 |language=en}}</ref> The name was referenced as an actor who Jack had invited to his upcoming Christmas Party, but [[Mary Livingstone]] had never heard of him. The name surfaces again in the December 15, 1946, episode as a "movie star" on Jack's Christmas Card list.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTysLG6zCDQ | title=Jack Benny - JB 1946-12-15 Exchanging Shoelaces | website=[[YouTube]] | date=7 January 2018 }}</ref> The name was also used by [[Ricky Nelson]] in a 1962 television episode of [[The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet|''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'']], as a phony name for a blind date.<ref>{{Citation |title=Ricky Nelson is Rodney Dangerfield | date=24 May 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJkLBO2AbjQ |access-date=2024-02-14 |language=en}}</ref>

Dangerfield was married twice to Joyce Indig, a singer. They married on October 3, 1951, divorced in 1961, remarried in 1963, and divorced again in 1970, although Rodney lived largely separated from his family.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.biography.com/performer/rodney-dangerfield|title=Rodney Dangerfield|website=Biography.com|access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> Together, the couple had two children: son Brian Roy (born 1960) and daughter Melanie Roy-Friedman, born after her parents remarried. From 1993 until his death, Dangerfield was married to Joan Child, whom he met onin [[Santa1983 Monicaat Statea Beach|Santaflower Monica beach]], whereshop she ranowned ain flower[[Santa shopMonica, California]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Pearlman|first=Jeff|title=The Tears of a Clown|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10466-2004Jul23.html|access-date=May 14, 2016|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=July 24, 2004}}</ref><ref name="Indeterminate">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-20030112-2003-01-12-0301100282-story.html|title=RODNEY STILL GETS THE JOKE - Daily Press|date=12 January 2003 }}</ref>

Although [[Jewish]], Dangerfield referred to himself as an [[atheist]] during an interview with [[Howard Stern]] on May 25, 2004, about four months before his death. Dangerfield added during the interview that he was a "logical" atheist, adding: "We're gorillas - does a gorilla come back?" In the same interview, he lamented that he "suffered greatly for being a perfectionist"; he also said "My mother never hugged me, kissed me, nothing, okay? Other kids would go to sleep listening to a [[fairy tale]]. I went to sleep with a fight downstairs, listening to a guy yelling 'Enough! Enough!'"<ref>{{Citation |title=Rodney Dangerfield Stops By The Show | date=23 September 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUlpgCJYTFM?t=1360 |access-date=2023-07-12 |language=en}}</ref>

On November 22, 2001 (his 80th birthday), Dangerfield suffered a [[Transient ischemic attack|mild stroke]] while doing stand-up on ''[[The Tonight Show with Jay Leno|The Tonight Show]]''. While Dangerfield was performing, host [[Jay Leno]] noticed something was wrong with Dangerfield's movements and asked his producer to call the paramedics.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://people.com/health/jay-leno-on-high-cholesterol-risks/ | work=People (magazine) | title=Jay Leno Speaks Out About His Battle With High Cholesterol | date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> During Dangerfield's hospital stay, the staff were reportedly upset that he smoked [[Cannabis (drug)|marijuana]] in his room.<ref name=Brownfield>{{cite news|title=Comic genius Dangerfield still cutting jokes to thwart boredom|first=Paul |last=Brownfield |agency=Los Angeles Times|work=Journal - Gazette|location=Ft. Wayne, Indiana|date=December 21, 2002|page=3.D}}</ref> Dangerfield returned to the ''Tonight Show'' a year later, performing on his 81st birthday.<ref name=Brownfield/>

On April 8, 2003, Dangerfield underwent [[brain surgery]] to improve blood flow in preparation for [[heart valve]]-replacement surgery on a later date.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/44934/dangerfield-undergoes-brain-surgery|title=Dangerfield Undergoes Brain Surgery|date=April 8, 2003|website=E! Online|access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> The heart surgery took place on August 24, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/rodney-dangerfield-to-have-heart-surgery|title=Rodney Dangerfield to Have Heart Surgery|date=March 25, 2015|website=Associated Press|access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref> Upon entering the [[Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center|University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center]], he uttered another characteristic one-liner when asked how long he would be hospitalized: "If all goes well, about a week. If not, about an hour and a half."<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=07SShhi-hHcC&pg=PT501|title= Funniest Thing You Never Said 2|editor=Rosemarie Jarski|publisher=Ebury Press|year=2010|page=501|isbn= 978-0091924515}}</ref>

<!--In September 2004, it was revealed that Dangerfield had been in a [[coma]] for several weeks. Afterward, he began breathing on his own and showing signs of awareness when visited by friends. However, he died on October 5, 2004 at the [[UCLA Medical Center]], a month and a half short of his 83rd birthday, from complications of the surgery he had undergone in August.-->Dangerfield died on October 5, 2004. He was interred in the [[Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary|Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery]] in [[Los Angeles]]. On the day of Dangerfield's death, the randomly selected Joke of the Day on his website happened to be "I tell ya I get no respect from anyone. I bought a cemetery plot. The guy said, 'There goes the neighborhood!'" This led his wife, Joan Dangerfield, to choose "There goes the neighborhood" as the epitaph on his headstone, which has become so well known that it has been used as a ''New York Times'' crossword puzzle clue.<ref>Joan Dangerfield in{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/king-comedy-15-rodney-dangerfields-658907/9-random-access-jokes|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|title=The King of Comedy: 15 of Rodney Dangerfield's Never-Before-Seen Photos|first=Seth|last=Abramovitch|date=November 21, 2013|archive-date=November 18, 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20201118001841/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/gallery/king-comedy-15-rodney-dangerfields-658907/10-rodneys-epitaph|url-status=live|quote=Because of the joke of the day incident, I decided to put the punch line on his tombstone.|access-date=August 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.rd.com/list/funniest-tombstones-that-really-exist | work= [[Reader's Digest]] | title=19 Funniest Tombstones That Really Exist | date=July 29, 2020}}</ref>

[[UCLA]]'s Division of [[Neurosurgery]] named a suite of operating rooms after him and gave him the "Rodney Respect Award", which his widow presented to [[Jay Leno]] on October 20, 2005. It was presented on behalf of the [[David Geffen School of Medicine]]/Division of Neurosurgery at UCLA at their 2005 Visionary Ball.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/7483:University | title=Neurosurgery Division to Present Jay Leno With Rodney Dangerfield Legacy Aw | publisher=[[Regents of the University of California]] | date=September 14, 2005 | access-date=November 1, 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305184848/http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/7483:University | archive-date=March 5, 2012 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Other recipients of the "Rodney Respect Award" include [[Tim Allen]] (2007),<ref>{{cite news| url= https://variety.com/2007/voices/columns/rodneys-respect-726/ | title=Rodney's Respected by Tim | date=September 4, 2007}}</ref> [[Jim Carrey]] (2009), [[Louie Anderson]] (2010),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-504660 | work=CNN | title=Louie Anderson Illuminates The Night | date=October 19, 2010 | access-date=November 5, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219210425/http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-504660 | archive-date=February 19, 2015 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Bob Saget]] (2011), [[Chelsea Handler]] (2012),<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.bennettawards.com/project-highlights/2014/5/16/comedian-chelsea-handler-receives-bennett-custom-recognition-award | work=Bennett Awards | title=Comedian Chelsea Handler Receives Bennett Custom Recognition Award | date=February 26, 2013 | access-date=June 25, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151006031822/http://www.bennettawards.com/project-highlights/2014/5/16/comedian-chelsea-handler-receives-bennett-custom-recognition-award | archive-date=October 6, 2015 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Chuck Lorre]] (2013),<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Stedman |first= Alex |date= October 25, 2013 |title= Chuck Lorre, Steve Tisch, William Friedkin Honored at UCLA Visionary Ball |url=https://variety.com/2013/scene/news/chuck-lorre-steve-tisch-william-friedkin-honored-at-ucla-visionary-ball-1200761037 |magazine= [[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |access-date= September 13, 2019}}</ref> [[Kelsey Grammer]] (2014),<ref>{{cite web |title=Kelsey Grammer To Be Honored At UCLA Visionary Ball |url=https://www.looktothestars.org/news/12623-kelsey-grammer-to-be-honored-at-ucla-visionary-ball |website=Look to the Stars |access-date=September 13, 2019 |date=September 24, 2014 }}</ref> [[Brad Garrett]] (2015),<ref>{{cite web |title=Past Honorees |url=http://neurosurgery.ucla.edu/visionary-ball/past-honorees |website=[[UCLA Health]] |access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref> [[Jon Lovitz]] (2016),<ref>{{cite web |title=Jon Lovitz To Be Honored At UCLA Department Of Neurosurgery 2016 Visionary Ball |url=https://www.looktothestars.org/news/15915-jon-lovitz-to-be-honored-at-ucla-department-of-neurosurgery-2016-visionary-ball |website=Look to the Stars |access-date=September 13, 2019 |date=October 24, 2016 }}</ref> and [[Jamie Masada]] (2019).,<ref>{{cite web |title=Tiffany Haddish to Present Jamie Masada with Rodney Respect Award at LACC Gala |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Tiffany-Haddish-to-Present-Jamie-Masada-with-Rodney-Respect-Award-at-LACC-Gala-20190307 |website=[[BroadwayWorld]] |access-date=September 13, 2019 |date=March 7, 2019 }}</ref> [[Jimmy Fallon]] (2021),<ref>{{cite web |title=Jimmy Fallon Honored With a Custom Award from Bennett Awards |url=https://www.bennettawards.com/projects/2021/5/jimmy-fallon-honored-with-bennett-awards |website=Bennett Awards |access-date=June 4, 2024 |date=May 17, 2021 }}</ref> and [[Whitney Cummings]] (2022).<ref>{{cite web |title=Whitney Cummings to Receive Award Named After Rodney Dangerfield at LACC Foundation Gala |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/whitney-cummings-rodney-dangerfield-institute-lacc-award-1235241948/ |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=June 4, 2024 |date=October 14, 2022 }}</ref>