Read Online Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny by Marlo Thomas - Free Book Online

did—only harder. Both of his parents were performers—the popular comedy team of Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara—and like all comics, they frequently went on the road. Ben likes to tell stories of how, when his parents were home, he and his sister Amy would perform for them. Maybe all showbiz kids do this. Terre and I were always putting on shows—from our closet. It had a sliding door, which one of us would pull back so that the other could pop out and do her bit. We even had theme songs. Children everywhere imitate the grown-ups in their lives—showbiz kids just have more material to work with. In the 1970s, Stiller and Meara were regular guests on a popular game show called Tattletales, in which celebrity couples had to answer questions about each other—separately. So that’s how I decided to talk to Ben and Jerry—first Ben, then Jerry.
    —M.T.
    Rehearsing at Home
    Ben: When my parents weren’t on the road, they were always writing their act together at home, and my sister Amy and I could hear them. There was this one routine they did called “The Hate Sketch,” about a married couple and how much they hated each other. They would just go off: “I hate you,” “I hate you so much,” “I have such a big hate for you.” We’d hear them yelling and we weren’t sure if they were rehearsing or fighting. To my sister and me, this was what we were living with, and we didn’t realize till later how funny that was.
    Jerry: Our apartment wasn’t very big—maybe five rooms—so Anne and I would rehearse in the living room. We’d turn on a tape recorder and write our act. So one day we’re practicing “The Hate Sketch”—screaming at each other—and Amy walks in. She couldn’t have been more than three years old and she was crying. She said, “Mommy and Daddy fight?” I said, “No, no, honey, Mommy and Daddy rehearse!” Two weeks later, Anne and I were having an argument, and Amy comes in and gives this big smile and says, “Mommy and Daddy rehearse!” I said, “No, no, honey, Mommy and Daddy fight.”
    Getting the shpilkes
    Ben: My parents did everything from nightclubs and summer stock to TV shows and game shows. I remember the game shows the best. There was this one show called Tattletales that was like a celebrity Newlywed Game, and Amy and I would watch it from backstage. There was definitely a stress level watching my parents perform. I wanted people to laugh and enjoy them.
    Jerry: Amy and Ben would be in the green room when we were doing Tattletales . The idea of the show was that one spouse would tell a story about themselves and the other spouse would try to match it. But any time Anne and I screwed up, the kids would scream at us. “Don’t you guys remember what you did? Why didn’t you get that right?!” We tried to tell them, “Look, it doesn’t matter—people came, they laughed, they had a good time.” But the kids were still mad at us. They took the show very, very seriously.
    Ben’s Little Secret
    Ben: When I was little, I wanted to be a spy. So I’d sneak a tape recorder into my parents’ room and tape them. I think they knew what was going on, but they would play along. They were very encouraging of our playfulness.
    Jerry: He put a tape recorder in our bedroom? That’s what Ben said? I had no idea—I can’t believe it. Oh, my God.
    Parties at the House
    Ben: My parents would throw parties—Thanksgiving, New Year’s, even Passover Seders—and all these comedians would come over. Rodney Dangerfield, Andy Kaufman, Henny Youngman. My sister and I grew up around comedians and actors hanging out on late nights at our house. I really loved being around them. They were fun and funny and over-the-top.
    Jerry: Everybody showed up. Henny, Jimmy Coco, Bill Hurt, Kevin Spacey. Actors love to come to a party, you know.
    And we had a few Seders with Rodney. But he’d always have to leave early to keep an eye on his comedy club on First Avenue. He was the boss. He’d joke,