Shelley Berman: The 'Sick' Comedian Destroyed By A Phone (March 10th 1963)

In 1963, Shelley Berman was a god of the "Sickniks"—the neurotic, intellectual comedians who turned anxiety into art. He was the first stand-up to win a Grammy and the first to sell out Carnegie Hall. Then, he invited a documentary crew backstage. This is the dry, dramatic, and entirely accurate account of how a single ringing telephone and a "Cinema Verité" documentary titled 'Comedian Backstage' committed professional suicide on national television. From his bitter "Telephone War" with Bob Newhart to his 40-year exile in the professional wilderness, we explore the rise and fall of a man who was born fifty years too early for his own temperament. Why does this matter now? Because without Shelley Berman’s 1963 meltdown, there is no Larry David. There is no 'Curb Your Enthusiasm.' We are looking at the biological father of the modern grievance. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more Weird Showbiz History 👍 LIKE the video if you enjoyed this forgotten tale! 💬 please COMMENT below #ShelleyBerman #curbyourenthusiasm #comedyhistory #ShowbizScandals #larrydavid #standupcomedy #historydocumentary #weirdhistory #Sickniks #televisionhistory #documentary #vintagecomedy #1960shistory 00:00 - 00:47 Intro 00:47 - 03:31 The Rise of the Sickniks 03:31 - 04:56 The Telephone War: Berman vs. Newhart 04:56 - 06:12 The Documentary: Cinema Verité Trap 06:12 - 11:56 March 10, 1963: The Assassination 11:56 - 13:17 Coping With The Aftermath 13:17 - 14:59 Perfect Subliminal Comeback: Curb Your Enthusiasm 14:59 - 15:43 Outro