Lewis Has Been Gone 20 Years

[Straightshooter2]

I didn't realize until I saw it online but as of yesterday, March 20, Lewis Grizzard has been gone from us for 20 years. A lot of you may not know who he was but for many of us, his humor was about things we knew or grew up with. His books, some poking fun at himself were the stuff of legends. "They Tore Out My Heart And Stomped That Sucker Flat" may very well be the funniest book ever written. "Elvis Is Dead And I Don't Fell So Good Myself" is a close second.

"In the South, we have two words for being unclothed. Naked and nekkid. Naked means you ain't got no clothes on. Nekkid means you ain't got no clothes on and you up to something!" - Lewis Grizzard

RIP Lewis. I still miss you.

 

[bgrone]

Lewis

Has it really been that long? I wonder if Kathy Sue Loudermilk is still alive? I really enjoyed his columns and books, if I remember he was raised in the same vicinity as one of my other favorite Georgians, Alan Jackson.


Jim in Iowa

 

[BaldEagle1313]

Even I, the quintessential west coaster, knew of Lewis Grizzard. His books never failed to make me laugh.

 

[bgrone]

Lewis

I remember him appearing on Designing Women also. He had a difficult upbringing but he never failed to cheer me up.

Jim in Iowa

 

[boatme99]

I loved his books.
I'll have to get on Amazon and get some to reread.
Thanks.

 

[joeintexas]

I haven't thought of Lewis in years, sure did enjoy his writings. Elvis is dead and I don't feel so good myself still makes me chuckle.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Who can forget "Shoot Low boys they're riding Shetland Ponys"

 

[scott1970]

And his two dogs, Cornbread and Catfish.


Can't believe it has been two decades already! I very much enjoyed his columns and books.

 

[47knuckle]

20-25 years ago I was sitting in an airport waiting area reading one of Lewis' books. I got to the part about his aunt using the outhouse and upsetting the wasps so bad they stung her on her 'taint. For the non-southern readers he then explained female anatomy. When I quit laughing and wiping tears, everyone in the waiting area was looking at me like "are we sure we want to get on a plane with this guy?"

 

[george minze]

A lot of the good old boys have left for the great beyond...Jerry Clower put the Ledbetters on the map. Also a funny man ...without being crude or dirty.....imagine that. I met him back in the 70's...I was assigned his sort of protection at the state fair wear he was the Master of Ceremony's..He out weighed me by 70lbs. Heck it was fun...I put on at least 5lbs while with him...two weeks.....kept me in stitches the whole time, and never a dirty joke....The old timers could do that for some strange reason......Times are a changing...RIP to all of them, they made us laugh at ourselves, at nobody's expense but our own..

 

[redlevel]

I was, and am, a big fan of Lewis. I had to overlook the fact that he was, especially in his earlier days, outspokenly anti-gun, and he remained anti-hunting. He called NRA members "bullet-brains" in a couple of his columns.

He was funny, but he had some severe emotional problems. He had a domineering father who turned him against hunting, I believe.

 

[Trooperdan]

I swear that Kathy Sue Loudermilk was/is one of my cousins... my female cousins (3) lived in Newnan at the right time frame.. and all three were cute as a bug's ear. there are other old southern customs about cousins of the opposite sex!

 

[MrSurly]

Can't believe it's been 20 years! I do recall sitting at a friend's dining table breaking bread when the subject of his passing first fell on my ear.

 

[old bear]

Louis was a true treasure, a man who lived his, all to short, life to his fullest. I remember his comments when Catfish passed away,"what's left of my heart is Broken." To this day that one short sentence still brings a tear to my eye; not something that happens very often.

But I'll bet Louis, Catfish and Cornbread have been having a Hell of a time for the last 20 years

 

[Grayfox]

Gone,but never forgotten.

Southern Language

Lewis has a bunch of stuff on youtube.

 

[rockdawg]

RIP Lewis, don't seem like it's been that long..... and GO DAWGS!!

 

[wbraswell]

I wouldn't call Lewis a 20th century Mark Twain, but he was the best we had. What a short 20 years.

 

[JCS&W]

Lewis, like his friend, Weyman C. Wannamaker Jr., was a great American. The older I get, the more I miss his humor. RIP

 

[JackM]

I recall something he wrote about his father, a Korean War veteran. They were at a ball game, the Star Spangled Banner was played, and the elder began singing the anthem in his apparently customary loud voice. Young Lewis said, "Daddy, it embarrasses me when you sing like that." His father replied, "It embarrasses me when you don't."

 

[jgh4445]

He attributed his heart attacks to his penchant for eating at Waffle Houses. I think of him every time I eat at one. Seems just like yesterday I was on the front row at the Civic Center in Dothan watching him. RIP.