Carl Reiner put his stamp upon American comedy when he began writing and acting on Your Show of Shows in 1950. However, to me he will always be renowned as the creator of The Dick Van Dyke Show. His memoir, I Remember Me, is an amusing collection of anecdotes that highlight his ability to find humor in the mundane and write jokes that still make people laugh today.Reiner's stories are gently humorous but occasionally get pointedly political, as when he discusses the "Red Scare" and its impact on Hollywood, where many of his fellow writers and actors were accused of being communists. Upon being questioned by the FBI, Reiner used his gifts of comedy and showmanship to deflect their suspicions and avoid naming any of his left-wing comrades. A staunchly liberal atheist, Reiner enjoys mocking conservatives and Scientologists, so those stories spice up the otherwise tame narrative.
More than anything, I Remember Me is a love letter to Carl's wife, Estelle, who passed away in 2008 after 64 years of marriage. Estelle was a singer, but everyone knows her as the woman who delivered the iconic line, "I'll have what she's having" in When Harry Met Sally, a film directed by her son, Rob Reiner. Carl outlines how they first met, fell in love, kept up correspondence after he was drafted into the army during the Second World War, and were eventually married at New York City Hall.
You won't learn anything new or exceedingly scandalous from this collection of tales, but it's a fun read and contains sharp insights into the way Hollywood worked in the twentieth century. Reiner's style of broad and loving comedy provides a welcome respite from the biting satire and meanness that punctuates much of comedy today. I Remember Me offer a nice balance of generosity and wit and is a pleasant read for any fan of classic American comedy.
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