Gary Shandling and Biblioklept
One of my favorite bloggers, Biblioklept, has written a terrific reflection on the life and work of Gary Shandling. I must be about the same age as Biblioklept, because this too was my experience:
I grew up with Garry Shandling on TV—weird, enigmatic even—dry, sure—watching him when I was too young to get what he was doing. But he stuck out more than others to me when I’d watch Carson late at night with my grandmother. And then watching It’s Garry Shandling’s Show on Fox sometimes, with my parents: it was like Newhart (and Bob Newhart’s stuff in general)—I didn’t quite get it (yet), but I wanted to get it. It wasn’t dumb—and when it was dumb, it was dumb in a smart way.
And watch Conan O’Brien’s moving monologue on Shandling: