Rest in peace

In the summer of 1980 I had just gotten dumped by the girl who lived across the street from us. I was taking it badly because I was still very shy around and with women back in those days and I was convinced that I'd never find another girl who would go out with me again. I decided to get my mind off the dumping by going to the movies, so I walked down to the Cameo Theatre in downtown Bristol and I saw one of the funniest movies I had ever seen. That film was Airplane! and I laughed so much and so hard during that film that I forgot all about being dumped by Debbie Jones.

The biggest reason why I laughed so much and still laugh when I see Airplane! is because of this guy,
Leslie Nielsen. His deadpan delivery and his slapstick were out of this world funny in Airplane!.

I followed his comedy career for many years. I loved him in the Naked Gun movies and the TV version of it as well. I even watched some of his painfully unfunny movies just because he was so good in them. I really liked him in the quirky little film called Men With Brooms.
For me, his last great performance was in Scary Movie 3, which I saw right after my bypass surgery. I remember laying on the couch with a chest full of pain and high in Oxycodone and laughing my ass off while he stole that film from everyone except Anna Faris.

Leslie died from complications of pneumonia on Sunday. I'll miss him but I'll always have his great comedy performances to make me laugh when I'm down. If anyone deserved to go on to better things after this life, then it's Mr. Nielsen. Farewell sir, fare well.