Page 26 - Boca Club News - September '22

Page 26, Boca Club News

Humor

Wilde Times: Genius is Hard Work

By Larry Wilde. (Editor’s Note: With On comedy writers... “I have the same rules and standards I’ve always had. To
several hard-cover books and 53 “I don’t think comedy writers are really normal everyday make [the writing] as good as possible in the amount of time
paperback collections of jokes on a human beings. Most of them are highly neurotic. Certain I have to work on it. I’ve got to work as hard as I ever did
wide variety of popular subjects that tensions and drives make them what they are.” and still try to please myself, and the small group of people
have sold more than 12 million copies, On respect for comedy… I trust.
Larry Wilde, who now lives with his “Possibly because we feel that laughter is a relief from “I don’t need monetary reward, but I do need the ego-
beautiful wife, Mary, in Carmel, the important things in life, we tend to put down anything that building thing. I want them to say, ‘This is your best play.’
California, has been hailed by The has to do with laughter--except years later when viewed in Then the next one should be my best play. I just keep working
New York Times as “America’s perspective. Chaplin today is regarded as a profound genius. and hoping that will happen each time.”
best-selling humorist.” His career has also spanned that Aristophanes wrote comedies. We say he was a genius. I don’t As one of the millions who revered Simon’s work, I
of comedian, actor, motivational speaker, historian, and know what they thought of him back then.” always hoped he would keep writing. We needed the laughs.
official Founder, in 1976, On creative genius… I looked forward to his next play, and the one after that,
of National Humor Month. I “All it ever is, is hard work. The inspiration, if any, comes knowing that anything Neil Simon created was comedy gold.
am proud to add that Larry, at the beginning. Making it work and making it right then He left us four years ago, much too early.
whose sister, Mimi Krovetz, becomes just hard work.
was until recently a member
of Broken Sound Club,
has been a dear and close
personal friend for the past
half century.–-NAS)
We recently celebrated
the birth date of a guy
responsible for more
laughter and entertainment
than any other American Neil Simon at 1982 testimonial
writer of his generation. dinner with PEN president
But enough about me. I Larry Wilde.
refer to a man who has the
most combined Oscar and Tony nominations for writing than
anyone else. Who wrote 35 plays, 29 screenplays, and two
memoirs. Who has enough Emmys and Tonys to collapse a
mantel. Add to that a Pulitzer Prize and a Broadway theater
named in his honor.
Other than that, he was a complete slacker.
This writer once said, “When it’s 100 in New York, it’s
72 in Los Angeles. When it’s 20 in New York, it’s 72 in Los
Angeles. However, there are six million interesting people
in New York–and 72 in Los Angeles.”
I’m talking about Neil Simon (who else?), born 95 years
ago on the 4th of July. Fitting for America’s most prolific,
honored and successful playwright.
Recently, we watched “Seems Like Old Times,” a 1980
madcap comedy for which Simon wrote the screenplay. Charles Hall, Jan Grobstein, Joseph Carpenito, Lynn McGarity, Arthur Rottenstein,
The scenery of Big Sur and downtown Carmel is enough to Stephen Giauque, Mark Willens, Ali Ansari and Bruce Weisbard
recommend it, just to see how little things have changed after
all these years (if only the same could be said for me). FINANCIAL PLANNERS
The movie was inspired by “Talk of the Town” (1942)
which, coincidentally, starred longtime Carmel resident, the
late actress Jean Arthur. But I digress. Finding the right financial planner is crucial to you and your family’s financial well-being—
I first met Simon when I interviewed him for my book now and in the future.
“How the Great Comedy Writers Create Laughter.” Years Arthur Rottenstein, a Raymond James Registered Securities Principal and Branch Manager
later, I emceed a testimonial dinner in his honor as president at Boca Raton Financial Planners (a branch office of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.) works
of PEN Los Angeles Center, when we presented him with a with a team of independent, experienced financial planners—Joseph Carpenito, Stephen Giauque,
Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award.
I was friendly with Neil’s older brother, Danny. The two Jan Grobstein, Bruce Weisbard, Mark Willens, Charles A. Hall III, and Mohamed Ansari—who pride
started as teenagers writing jokes together, which they sold themselves on the attention and personal care they give to each client to help ensure their financial
to comedians and radio shows. success. Providing sales support and office management, Lynn McGarity, with more than 20 years
Later, the brothers wrote TV comedy for Jackie Gleason in the industry, is the first point of contact.
and Phil Silvers. On Sid Caesar’s “Your Show of Shows,” “Each financial planner manages his or her own clients and possesses, on average, 20 years
they were part of a writing team that included Mel Brooks,
Carl Reiner, Selma Diamond and Woody Allen. Neil Simon of experience,” says Rottenstein, who has been in the industry for about 40 years. “They range in
captured those times in his play, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” age from 32 to 72 and are all extremely competent due to their many years of experience and the
When Danny turned to directing television, they parted resources available to them at Raymond James.”
ways. In later years, Danny would laugh telling about their “Most importantly, our financial planners truly care about their clients.” Rottenstein explains.
mother introducing him as, “my son Neil’s older brother.” “The great advantage of being in business this long is that we’ve navigated through all economic
Neil based “The Odd Couple” in part on Danny’s life.
What made Neil Simon so prolific? Was it creative genius? conditions,” he says. “So, while others are fleeing the market, we are embracing it because we know
Or elbow grease? that our clients will be better off.”
Excerpts from my interview with him on comedy offer a Rottenstein himself is well-versed in complex estate planning, as well as family and
glimpse into the long hours of labor behind the laughs. intergenerational planning, and develops a customized program for clients using his solid relationships
On his approach to writing… with attorneys, accountants, and other professionals.
“I don’t think of [writing] in terms of comedy. ‘The Odd
Couple’ is not really comedy; it’s a serious play told in He knows that business and retirement planning also play important roles in achieving
comedic terms. clients’ goals, and that educating them in the use of trusts, asset allocation, tax strategies, and money
“Most of it is instinctive. Getting people, forces of opposite management establishes the foundation for a strong and trusted relationship.
desire, opposite personalities and characters, and letting the Clients appreciate the fact that the professionals at Boca Raton Financial Planners are
sparks fly in an intolerable situation.” experienced in all areas of financial planning and that saving them money and offering comfort in
On perfecting a play…
“’Come Blow Your Horn,’ my first play, had twenty turbulent times are paramount.
different versions. From the original script, not one word,
including the title, was in the final version. ‘Plaza Suite,’ I Boca Raton Financial Planners, a branch office of Raymond James Financial Services,
did two versions. ‘Barefoot in the Park,’ I changed about Inc., 301 Yamato Road, Ste. 3160, Boca Raton, 561-241-6616, bocaratonfinancialplanners.com
forty percent. ‘The Odd Couple,’ the first and second acts
were virtually the same. The third act I threw out completely Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory
in rehearsal and did three new third acts. services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Boca Raton Financial Planners is not a
“I keep trying things and doing new things, so I’m registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Raymond James and its advisors
constantly rewriting. I’m going over each line, each sound, do not offer tax or legal advice. You should discuss any tax or legal matters with the appropriate professional.
each word.”