| To the serious cigar smoker, cigars are no laughing | | | | Milton Berle: Whether he was performing in front of a |
| matter. That is, of course, unless the cigar smoker is a | | | | packed house at a Vegas hotel, or becoming |
| comedian. For comedians, cigars aren't just used in | | | | television's first major star, Milton Berle always |
| matters of luxury, they are also used as props, | | | | maintained a magnetic charisma. During the golden age |
| sometimes serving as a signature feature of a | | | | of TV, he became known as "Uncle Miltie" a nickname |
| stand-up routine. To some, cigars are as essential as | | | | attributed to the endearment America felt towards him. |
| the microphone, helping entertainers to leave the | | | | Though he wasn't a drinker, Berle was an avid cigar |
| audience in stitches...and ashes. This article is dedicated | | | | smoker and an avid gambler, spending days smoking |
| to the cigar smoking comedians of past and present, | | | | cigars at the horse races. |
| those who have allowed us to find out exactly what | | | | Ernest Kovacs: A pioneer of telvision, with his ad-lib |
| happens when "two cigars walk into a bar." | | | | routines and off-the-wall antics, Kovacs helped turn |
| Groucho Marx: He is perhaps not only the most | | | | comedy into what it is today. As series such as |
| famous cigar smoking comedian, but one of the most | | | | "Laugh-in" were modeled after his creative genius, a |
| famous cigar smokers of all time. Rarely ever seen in | | | | creative genius that led him to knock down the wall |
| public without his trusty cigar, Marx was one of the | | | | between audience and performer, Kovac was nothing |
| pioneers in the cigar smoking world. Today, comedians | | | | if not innovative. While Kovacs was a spokesman for |
| everywhere can mimic his routine simply by puffing on | | | | Dutch Masters cigars, off camera he only lit up |
| a cigar and not plucking their eyebrows for 2.5 years. | | | | Havana cigars. Nonetheless, the commericals for |
| George Burns: Preferring cigars over most things in life, | | | | Dutch Master cigars featuring Kovacs are still |
| George Burns was also rarely seen on stage without | | | | regarded as some of the funniest of all time. |
| a cigar. Starting his vaudeville career using cigars as | | | | David Letterman: Following in the footprints of one of |
| props, Burns eventually became synonymous with | | | | his mentors, David Letterman has become as |
| cigars; the two were inseparable. Upon his death at | | | | synonymous with late night television as Johnny |
| 100, he was buried in a suit, with three cigars in his | | | | Carson. While he does not use cigars as an on-stage |
| jacket pocket. | | | | routine, he can often be seen smoking cigars between |
| Bill Cosby: While Bill Cosby didn't smoke cigars in public | | | | commercial breaks. He then appears back on stage |
| or use cigars as props as frequently as other | | | | with a face of guilt, looking like a cat that just ate a |
| comedians, he was once an avid cigar smoker, a habit | | | | canary. |
| he has since given up. This was a hobby he began in | | | | Comedians and cigars have always gone |
| order to copy Groucho Marx, one of his comedic idols. | | | | hand-in-hand. From the early days of silent movies to |
| In an episode of "The New Bill Cosby Show," Groucho | | | | the present day stage routine, if there is one bit of |
| Marx appeared on stage, looked at Cosby and said, | | | | luxury made for comedic performers, it is cigars. |
| "You smoke cigars I see. They're a handy thing to | | | | That's, of course, not to say only comedians should |
| have for a comedian - assuming, of course, you are a | | | | smoke cigars. That notion, naturally, deserves the |
| comedian." And here we thought Bill Cosby only | | | | biggest laugh of all. |
| smoked pudding pops. | | | | |