Rip Taylor/Coming of Age/Winter 2010/by Kelly Oden

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P r e s e n t e d b y C o u n c i l o n A g i n g o f We s t F l o r i d a

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Online Shopping That Gives Back It’s Turkey Time Reverse Mortgages

An Exclusive Interview with

Rip Taylor

www.coawfla.org www.ballingerpublishing.com

An Exclusive Interview With

Rip Taylor

By Kelly Oden

Rip Taylor, the legendary King of Confetti, has dazzled audiences worldwide in a career that has spanned over forty years.

A master of comedic timing and a consummate showman, Rip has headlined in Las Vegas, appeared on hundreds of television shows, played the lead in various plays and musicals, and frequently taken a dramatic turn in feature films. It is no exaggeration to say that Rip Taylor has created a very successful career in the entertainment industry.

Rip is one of television’s most recognizable celebrities. A guest star with over 2,000 television appearances under his belt, he has brought his wild energy to The Gong Show, Password, The Merv Griffin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show, Late Night with David Letterman and to the coveted center square on Hollywood Squares. Rip’s bright costumes, outrageous props, wacky wigs and colorful confetti have made him a pop culture sensation.

COA was fortunate enough to talk with Rip. In his usual hilarious fashion, Rip filled us in on his time as a page in the U.S. Senate, his rise to stardom and how his own past moved him to campaign against bullying.

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said, ‘That’s Mario Lanza singing Be My Love.’ So I started mouthing it like I was doing the words.

He says, ‘That’s funny.’ I said, ‘What’s funny?’

He said, ‘It looks like you’re doing it. Why don’t you put on a show?’ I did a show on the troop ship doing Mario Lanza and singing Be My Lover.

That’s how I got into show business. That was in Tokyo, Japan. I stayed in the Army in Tokyo.

Then, they sent me to Korea. I was on a pole— 90 feet up, climbing pole lines, bullets flying by my head and I said, ‘I got a better idea, let’s put on a show.’ So, I got into special services in Tokyo and they sent my show to the front so I wouldn’t miss any more fighting [laughs]. It was a mess. I stayed there four years in the Army, got discharged and lived there for two years doing record pantomime in Japanese and English. And I went back to the states and got a job in a strip joint doing record pantomime in Florida and there you are.

COA: You are known for confetti throwing, how did that start?

RT: It was later. I was doing the Merv Griffin show and I couldn’t remember anything so I wrote my jokes on 5 x 10 cards. They were such terrible jokes. I was really bombing, so I tore them up and threw them in the air and it became confetti. Then I used to throw food. I threw peanuts and candy, candy kisses, popcorn.

And they threw marshmallows back at me.

That’s how that all started.

COA: Tell me about your one-man play It Ain’t all Confetti. Although you’re a very funny person, I’ve read that the play is also very serious.

RT: Well I was surprised about the reviews—they were so overwhelmingly flattering. I’m not bragging because I was surprised they took me seriously, you see. I did the first 20 minutes because people expect you to be funny. Then

Rip’s Las Vegas Show

COA: You were a page in the U.S. senate, what was that experience like? How old were you when you did that?

RT: Oh, I don’t remember how old I was, but I was working...I got a job as a bus boy in the kitchen and there was a [page] vacancy. And one day I was delivering a tray of food to the Secretary of the Senate, Leslie L. Biffle. His secretary wasn’t at the desk and I put the tray down and he said, ‘Who is it?’ I said, ‘It’s Charles Taylor.’ That’s my real name. He said, ‘Well come in Charles,’ and I said ‘Can I ask you a question?’

I don’t know where I got the courage. He said, ‘yes.’ I said, ‘There’s a vacancy. How do you think I could become a page?’ He said, ‘How are your grades?’ I said, ‘It’s been nice talking to you.

Sorry to bother you,’ and I picked up the dishes and started to walk out of the office. He starts laughing and he says, ‘Me too!’ And long story short, he made me a page in the United States Senate. I mean that easy, that quick, who would have thought...the others had patronage from a 32 COMING

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congressman or a lot of money, you know what I’m saying. I went to page school and I saw history. I was there when MacArthur said ‘Old soldiers never die. They just fade away.’ I saw that. I was there in Congress at the time, in the house. It was sensational. It was unbelievable— the history how they do it—how they still do it. I met Taft and Hartley—the Taft-Hartley Bill. I met so many people and so many congressmen, so many ambassadors because a page would always be invited to the embassies every weekend. It was just magnificent. And then one day I got a draft from the Army, our side. I almost passed out from being drafted. Oh my God, can you imagine me defending you for two years? But I did.

COA: How did you get into show business?

RT: On the troop ship, I said, ‘Let’s do something,’ so I started listening to records and the radio station. Then I started hearing this man sing and I said to the engineer, ‘Who’s that?’ He

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after a while, I say, ‘Do you know how all this started?’ And they go, ‘How?’ And then I got ‘em and then I tell them how it all started like I just told you. And then it’d get more serious because as a child I was in many foster homes and I mention it briefly—not a pity party—some of the things that happened to me and how to get out of that stress and trouble and different homes.

And then I got to go to school and be a page and all of this and it went on and on. But that’s how serious it got. And then I meet all these stars because they want an opening act to do a few minutes to warm up the audience while they are getting ready to go on. And all the stars say he’s not working for much money, let’s use him. He’s also funny. And they did that. I worked ten years for Sammy Davis and I worked with the biggest stars—Sinatra and Dean Martin. And then to television, mind you. Merv Griffin, my God. And then the movies. I was in Indecent Proposal with Demi Moore and Robert Redford. And that’s how it happens, word of mouth. They get you.

They find you. And it was just heaven on earth.

It’s all in the play, too. It was interesting because people didn’t know that. They only see the comic that I show them.

COA: Your comedic persona is very much larger than life, outspoken and outrageous. What are you like at home?

RT: No, no, no. Not at home, I’m not on all the time. I’m not boring and I’m not serious. I’m just like you and everybody else. But my business happens to be making people laugh that’s what I do because it isn’t work. It’s a gift. You know what I mean?

COA: What will we get to see you do in Jackass 3D? RT: I’m in every Jackass movie. I’m in the one now and it’s so gross, but I like gross. I’m at the end of every one. In this one they blow up the building and then flood it with a million gallons of water and I’m in that. I look in the camera and

Rip with Red Skelton

say, ‘What are you people doing in the theatre watching this?’ It’s a gross movie, but it made $52 million in two days.

COA: You have a very prolific acting resume.

Film, television and stage—do you have a preference?

RT: I have a preference for work. You know why?

Because it isn’t work. It’s more fun than anything.

COA: Are there any young comedians that you admire?

RT: I meet these young kids now who are so dirty and they don’t have to be. I’m not a preacher, but I don’t appreciate it because it isn’t funny. It’s just too much. It’s not necessary.

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COA: You appeared on a number of game shows, including a long run on Hollywood Squares, right?

RT: I waited a long time to—no, I did Run For My Life, but I also waited a long time to get on the Match Game. I did Password with Patty Duke where she had mentioned the word, she gave the clue, and I got mad and took my hair off and threw it at her on camera. It got the biggest laugh. It was hysterical. And then everybody said, ‘Oh my God, where have you been?’ I said, ‘Waiting for Charles Nelson Riley to get sick so I could get on and replace him.’ That’s the truth.

COA: What do you think of the current batch of game-like reality shows?

RT: Oh no. You see through how it’s done. It’s not amusing anymore. I don’t want to see people hurt. At least in Jackass, I’m funny at the end. I don’t stay with them for what they do. At the end, I bring back a little reality by saying ‘What are you doing watching this? Get out.’ They laugh at that.

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Young Rip in the military ... as Rip says "Can you see me defending you for four years?"

COA: You worked in Vegas for many years during the rat pack years. Any good stories you can share?

RT: Just that they were wonderful people. Fun people. There’s always a mystery about all these people in Vegas in those days, about who ran the town and everything. Those people who did that were just wonderfully fun entertainers. They loved show people. You work one job in Lake Tahoe and they give you the Rolls Royce to drive while you’re there. They treat you like a king because that way, you feel obligated to work harder for them.

COA: On your blog, you’ve mentioned Carol Channing, Florence Henderson and Cloris Leachman, all of whom have also done exclusive feature interviews with Coming of Age. Who are some of your favorite actors and personalities?

RT: You just mentioned them. And Debbie Reynolds. We get to laugh at each other. It’s just so silly that we’re still doing it. Debbie Reynolds and I still do an act together. The thing about Debbie and I, really the interesting thing is that we are both funny people, but we don’t care who gets the laugh. We have an act, but we don’t stick to it all the time. That’s why it works.

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COA: You’ve become passionately involved in anti-bullying campaigns. Tell me about your interest in this topic.

RT: It happened to me and after a while, years later, I was invited to the high school reunion and I said, ‘I’m not going to go to this because they treated me like a dog.’ But then I said, ‘Wait, wait, wait. Mr. Taylor will appear.’ I did show up.

I rented three hookers and a long limousine to go to the high school reunion in Washington, D.C. They held it in an Armenian beer hall with straight back wooden chairs. So here he comes with the hookers, the rhinestones and the low cut dresses. They say, ‘Will you say a few words?’

And I said, ‘Well if I have to.’ So, I start walking up to the podium. Oh God, this always gets me because, it’s true. I saw the guys who beat me up. I saw them. And it all flashed back, what they did, how I had to get away, get out of there.

But they were actually liking me. They were smiling. So proud of me and I was so surprised at that because I held all that hate all those years. It gets me every time I speak about it. Even in the show. Then I say, ‘We could’ve been friends. We don’t know each other tonight and we didn’t know each other then and we could have been friends all these years.’ Then we all sang the school song and cried and now we are the best of

friends. They knew and I knew. It was overwhelming, how I had held on to that. What a waste of time. Now I did, I asked myself, honey, did I work this hard to show them or did I do it to show me? It’s still happening. Why do kids have to kill themselves? There’s nothing left.

They try to talk to people and they laugh at them. It’s just the saddest thing in the world.

RT: I don’t. I have a picture like Dorian Grey getting older in the closet.

COA: I read somewhere that you visit your Hollywood walk of fame star weekly and polish it. Is this true?

RT: As a matter of fact, tomorrow, everybody who has a star on Hollywood Boulevard—which I have— is going to be honored, the ones that are still alive. There’s a big 50th Anniversary Gala and all the stars are going to be honored tomorrow and a big photograph at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Funny you should call today. It’s a very flattering thing to be involved in. So my star’s on Hollywood Boulevard and I shine it on my hands and knees every Saturday. I just go at it.

COA: Do you think you will ever retire?

RT: Bite your tongue.

COA: And you stay young?

RT: I always have. I walk around with the rhinestones and things on stage. People say he’s nuts. Meanwhile, they’re laughing and I’m having a hell of a fun time.

COA: Anything Else?

RT: No, darling. When I come to your town, I hope you all come and see me. Separate checks, of course.

COA: Our magazine is based out of Pensacola, Florida. Have you ever been to the Florida?

RT: Yes, I have. Many years ago.

My first job in show biz was Miami Beach in a strip joint called the Life Bar. I worked every strip joint in the state of Florida for about 10 years. Every hotel along the beach starting at College Avenue and First all the way up to Golden Beach.

I’ve been [to the Northern part of the state] many times. I’ve been everywhere. Worked all the clubs.

COA: We are a magazine for seniors...

RT: When I become one, I’m sure you’ll call me.

COA: What are your thoughts on aging? How do you feel about it?

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