Death of a funny man

Sad news: Jonathan Winters dies at age 87. A brilliant improviser, Winters could never quite buckle down to the demands of a regular TV show. But he could drop in for a guest spot and make 'em laugh better than just about anybody.

In our little genre Winters is probably best known for his guest appearances on Hollywood Squares. He also turned up way back in the black and white days on What's My Line and I've Got a Secret. For the same reasons that he could never succeed as host of his own variety show, Winters wasn't well suited to a regular role on game shows. The rules were just too confining for his absurdist fantasies.

Winters has most directly influenced Robin Williams, though Williams has often shown an irritating preachiness that Jonathan blissfully lacked. Winters wasn't interested in making points. He just wanted to make people laugh at the craziness of human existence. He very, very often succeeded. R.I.P.