Muhammad Ali Called Billy Crystal His “Little Brother” | Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend

you got to know. Ali well and Ali really enjoyed you yes. he really enjoyed you you did a a. fantastic impression of him and he loved. that and that was that created a bond. yes it was the first time um that I. really was on television uh as a standup. was a local local special only scene in. New York Connecticut and Pennsylvania um. it was uh produced by Sport magazine a.

great writer there was the later became. a great friend named dick shap dick was. a great sports writer and journalist. and amazing. man and it's a it's a it's it's really a. story about fate and about. Destiny uh Ali beats George Foreman He's. 33 years old and he's named as the Sport. magazine Man of the Year so they're. going to have this special for him at. the Plaza. Hotel so dick calls my agent Pat Lee who.

later produced who gave me my first job. yeah yeah looking for Robert Klein cuz. Robert did a lot of great sports stuff. MH and she said well see Robert's out of. town but I have this new kid he does. this really good little three minute Ali. coel thing that might be perfect for you. dick dick goes sounds great um tell him. Friday night um be there at the Plaza. hotel around 6:30 the show's going to. start at 8:00 um the din at 700 and give.

me his phone number so I am. literally feeding my daughter who I just. told you about we went fly fishing. together yesterday yeah yeah and I'm. feeding and my and Pat calls me said. dick Sha's going to call. you and why I knew dick he was the Ed. McMahon of the Joe namoth had a talk. show yeah and he this is back when Joe. nameth could have a talk show yeah it's. a different time um and he's going to I. said why he it's a dinner on a Ali and.

so and so it's goingon to be televised. and so really and then taking oatmeal. off her cheek phone rings hey Billy dick. sha would you like to hear the imitation. no no no here it's great really it's. it's good over the phone you know that's. how I like de no no it's fine so get a. babysitter J and I drive into the Plaza. Hotel I I thought it was supposed to be. a tuxedo for some reason and I I. everyone in his business suits I look I. really look stupid in this little.

makeshift tuxedo I've got and Janice and. I walk in holding hands looking like two. people who had just come to. America and I meet dick he couldn't have. been more Charming yeah and said Janice. you'll sit with me Billy you're going to. sit two seats from Ali wow on the. deas and I look at Ali and there he's. the first time I saw him in. person and and it was like you know he.

was the son and everybody was revolving. around him it was insane it was a scorsi. shot everyone else was in slow motion as. I walked closely you know up to the deis. and got there was like this tracking. shot I'm just looking at. him and I sit down and I'm in between. Archie Griffin who had just won the. Heisman award and Gino maretti who was. the the defensive end for the Baltimore. Colts because not only was II The Sport.

magazine Man of the Year all of these. people were their the man of the year in. their individual sports M. plus Neil Simon and George Plimpton yeah. so oh my God this so now I'm sitting. there and Ali looks over and he's and. he's like he knows everybody except me I. didn't even know. me I mean I'm still I'm still substitute. teaching during the day for. $43.50 and working a catcher rising star. at night and Dick says to me before I.

sat down how shall I introduce. you I said just dick just say here's one. of his closest and dearest. friends and I'll walk to the podium and. I'll go right into hello everyone how. it'll just make sense and I won't have. to talk as myself it'll be okay I'll be. in character I'll be. fine so you know as I said Ali's looking. at me probably thinking what the hell is. Joel gray doing. here he's not looking so good. so he says my name I walk up I go right.

into the uh the coel of it and I get. heckled in the audience by Al um one of. his trainers his name is Drew bondini. Brown y y and he's such I don't know. what he's yelling hello everyone how it. goes hell coming to you live from Zer. you got it. man that's what heckles sound like you. never know what they're saying I got. this bundini I got this no you got.

it so I get in finally I get to Muhammad. come over Muhammad come over and then. how do you knock out George Foreman how. do you feel everybody's talking about. Joe Fraser I want talk about Joe Fraser. and then it goes on and they go they go. crazy yeah and it finishes I'm. announcing tonight I'm changing my name. cuz I got new religious beliefs I want. to be known now as Izzy. ytz Izzy y I am the greatest of all.

time it's Jewish boxing Jewish boxing. you don't hit them in you just make them. feel. guilty get in the clutch I said to him. when's the last time you spoke to your. mother he goes oh Jesus boom I I gave. AET i. b you know Bo it finishes and then dick. says my real name big Applause Ali holds. me in his arms and Whispers into my ear. you're now my little brother oh and. that's what he called me for 42 years.

and we would he lived not far from here. um in the Fremont Place I think it's. called and it was later they shot the. Rocky movie that was his house there. it's not far from here and he'd call me. up and it was never bill it was always. little brother what are you doing you. want to run with me tomorrow the golf. course I run to golf course over. Wilshire golf course I said I said. Muhammad i i i i they won't let me there. I'm I'm Jewish they don't they it's. segregated they it's restricted no Jews.

allowed he goes what I'm a black Muslim. and they let me run. there I'm not going to ride there again. so he never ran there again wow so we. would have all of these events over the. years he would be there she came at my. 50th birthday party and surprised me and. walked out in front of everybody and did. it he it was just it was. crazy you know didn't you guys go to. coel's funeral together yeah and it was. sitting at Howard's funeral yeah and.

they meant everything to each other you. know Howard for all of his pomposity. sided with Ali when when Muhammad um. refused to go into the service and he he. kept him going and fought for him and. and in some ways helped the Supreme. Court overturn his conviction and they. meant a lot to each other so I'm sitting. next to him close. casket and Ali says Whispers to me he. goes hey little. brother you think he's wearing his.

hairpiece so now I lose it I lose. it I'm just gone it's like you know. somebody farted in in church that's what. this is like oh my god I'm laughing I'm. laughing I'm laughing I said I I don't. think so he said well how will God. recognize. him I said once he opens his mouth he'll. know so this one on this one on and on.

and now we age we all age and I get a. call that he's not going to make it. through that. weekend and um so Lonnie his. unbelievable wife. um says listen uh it's going to be. Memorial in Louisville Muhammad wanted. you to be one of the. eulogists I said oh my God can you come. I said of course you'll come so we fly. there it's very emotional it's an arena.

of 17,000 people Jes um that day they. paraded the casket through town and. people ran after it the way that people. looked at the at the train with Robert. Kennedy's casket um flying by and just. he I mean and I'm sitting there waiting. to go on and President Clinton's on my. left and Janice is on my right and we're. still holding. hands and I'm thinking to myself.

s what if Robert Klein was in. town those all those years ago or what. if you had been on SNL what if you had. gotten on that night October 11th. 1975 you still because you're you you. make it but it's different this is how. could it have gone better than it went. and that's God I've gotten belted around. I this success that bomb this didn't do. well but I had a great time I've learned. perspective you know it's all about the.

experience now yes and that's what I've. that's what I come back to is. that it's not they're wrong I'm right. it's that God I I I really was good in. that I learned so much I made new. friends I found another part of me I. never thought I could do that this I. take the positives out of it and then I. go weep yeah I I'm familiar with weeping. you're weeping when you came in uh.