Quotes from Don Rickles

I mean, in my - and I'm not trying to do spilled milk, but in those days it was a little - I think it was much tougher, because you got an image, and you were in a saloon. And it was tough to come out of a saloon and to get in films, and to maintain an image, you know.

I was nice to the people in the Philippines for the two and a half years I was there, because I knew eventually I'd have to kiss up to them so my grandchildren could have toys.

To this day, when I say that I went to the American Academy, people are very impressed. The reputation of the school has always been fantastic.

I'm very shy so I became very outgoing to protect my shyness.

I was always the guy who made jokes and ribbed people at parties. After I went to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts I got sidetracked into clubs and started doing comedy.

I was always the guy - out of insecurities, I was always making fun, even as a kid.

Yeah, I make fun of blacks, and why not? I'm not a black.

I did a picture 40 years ago with Carroll O'Connor and Telly Savalas, God rest their souls, and Clint Eastwood, called 'Kelly's Heroes,' which we filmed in Yugoslavia for six months.

Frank Sinatra. Hey, Frank, I saw you in 'The Pride and Passion,' and I want to tell you the cannon was wonderful!

The highlight of my career was being at the inaugural gala of Ronald Reagan, and I owe that to Mr. Sinatra.

Sinatra was somebody special.

Don't call me 'sir; 'King Jew' will do fine.

They always use the word 'insult' with me, but I don't hurt anybody. I wouldn't be sitting here if I did. I make fun of everybody and exaggerate all our insecurities.

I cannot tell a joke. But I can do a situation, that it becomes a joke.

Sometimes, I knew generally what I was going to do, but I've never written anything down. Call it a sixth sense: the lines just come.

I was a big shot in high school - big into social events and at the dramatic society - and I always had trouble in school. Not because I was a dummy, but I was always busy being the Jackson Heights clown.

No matter where you go in this world, you will always find a Jew sitting in the beach chair next to you.

My mother was a Jewish General Patton.

Johnny Carson was a big influence on me - all of those shows I did with him over the years, like, 100 of them, they made a bit of a name for me at the time, so that part of my life was very good.

Half the battle is that people have to like you before you say one joke, one bit of humor.

I say things I get away with, and it becomes a joke.

I exaggerate all our selves, our beings. I make fun of everything: of our life and what we are. But I don't tell jokes, really. I just exaggerate life, and it comes out funny.

I have my own gym. When you do jokes and they sell, you get a gym.

I told jokes badly.