Leslie Nielson, the Naked Gun and his laugh

Leslie Nielsen passed away today. He appeared in some of the funniest movies of all time like Airplane and the Naked Gun trilogy. Brian and I loved these hilarious movies and his subtle, deadpan wit.

His passing brought me back to the premiere of the first Naked Gun movie. Brian and I were excited to watch it and had to sit near the front of the sold out theatre. We loved it and never laughed so hard in our lives! We got EVERY joke and laughed harder than anyone in the theatre. We were repeatedly told to “shut up” – but we could just not help ourselves. Brain and I were simultaneously laughing out loud (real loud), crying and stuffing massive amounts of pop corn into our mouths. We did not even have any beers!

The famous movie critic Roger Ebert called great films “parking lot movies.” Meaning, were you talked in the parking lot and reviewed the great moments of the flick you just watched. I doubt “The Naked Gun” is on Ebert’s best “parking lot movies” list. But, it sure is on ours! (This is what passes for Irish “culture!”)

I can hear Brian’s outlandish laugh in my mind. He is almost crying, than he sighs and says “oh my side hurts” and “Tito, get me a tissue.”

Many would be surprised to say Leslie Nielson was partly responsible for one of your life’s greatest memories. Those who know Brian and I are really not.

Thanks Leslie for making many of us laugh at loud and for helping me remember a great memory of Brian. It is great to hear his mischievous laugh once again. Think of him laughing when you watch the following:

The Naked Gun Trilogy's funniest moments

White Boy

Brian was notorious for swimming in a t-shirt because his "pasty white body" would scare everyone off. He surprised us all when the shirt came off during my bachelor party fishing charter.

And of course, the smile we all miss.

My Brother Bobby & Halloween

If you knew Brian at all, and it's safe to assume you do because you're reading his blog, then you knew his sense of humor was absolutely wicked. When Brian would tell a joke he observed no boundaries and no level of taste. And more often than not each joke began with looking over your shoulder.

What I'm about to tell you is Brian's "special joke" that he cooked up and brought me in on as his accomplice while we were seniors at Xavier. The name of this joke is called "My Brother Bobby" and after several successful trial runs back and forth we ironed out each others parts and we drunkenly debuted it late Halloween night in 1996to Jen Ohl and another girl named Cecily in the back of Jen's Toyota Camry.

This joke is seriously crass so stop reading now if you're easily offended. Ok then. This is how it went down...

Brian: You know, Halloween really makes me miss my younger brother, Bobby.
Craig: Aww, Brian! You never talk about Bobby anymore so how is he?
Brian: Oh, he's doing pretty good. He's been busy lately with a lot of arts & crafts, but he always takes time to write me a letter each week so that makes me happy.
Cecily: That is so sweet! Brian, I never knew you had a younger brother.
Jen: I thought Matt was your only brother?
Brian: Well I don't talk about him too much because sometimes I just get too embarrassed.
Cecily: Why would you ever be embarrassed of your brother? Is he in jail or something?
Craig: No, he's not in jail. He's just special is all.
Cecily: That is nothing to be embarrassed of!
Brian: I know. I know. Well he wrote me a really fun letter this week and it made me smile so that's cool. Do you want to hear what he wrote me?
Cecily: Yes!
Jen: Definitely.
Brian: - Brian launches into a crazy voice of a disabled kid and pretends to read aloud a fake letter about how he misses Brian and can't wait until Thanksgiving.

I'm literally crying with laughter at this point, not believing we went through with it, and worst of all, we stupidly told it to two of the hotter girls we knew!

I look over at Cecily who is just staring at Brian. The whole car gets quiet. then Cecily looks over at Brian with these beautiful blue, glassy eyes and says "that is the most special thing ever. I have a brother who has down-syndrome too and his love is so important to me."

Brian and I just look at each other, stunned.