Billy Crystal Recounts Comedic Encounters with Milton Berle

Billy Crystal recently shared some amusing stories about his interactions with the late comedy icon Milton Berle. During an appearance on Stephen Colbert’s show, Crystal recounted two separate occasions where he found himself being slapped by Berle, which he described as an unexpected twist in their comedic interplay.

“I might be the last one around who knows about Milton Berle,” Crystal said, reflecting on a moment from when he appeared on the Steve Allen Show alongside Berle and Carl Reiner. “Sitting between those two giants of television was quite the experience.”

He reminisced about a recording session that went awry—about twenty minutes in, the crew informed them that the cameras weren’t picking up the audio properly. They decided to pause, make adjustments, and begin again. At that point, Berle turned to Crystal and jokingly said, “Looks like you’re on a roll,” before demanding the microphone. This led to Berle entertaining the crowd with a flurry of antics, after which he suddenly slapped Crystal in the face, to everyone’s surprise.

“It was hilarious, yet really strange,” Crystal added, laughing off the incident. Colbert interjected with amusement, capturing the light-hearted tone.

Crystal continued with the story, mentioning a later encounter at a restaurant where he and comedian Alan King were discussing a script. That’s when Berle and his wife showed up. Crystal described the moment as Berle, trying to get King’s attention, was a “distracting presence” during their serious conversation about their project.

After some humorous exchanges, including impressions and playful banter, things took a funny turn again when Berle stood up and slapped Crystal once more after a joke landed well. “He pushed me to the ground,” Crystal recounted nonchalantly, capturing the chaotic spirit of the meeting.

Berle once even joked about wanting to direct a film with Crystal involved in the plot, hinting at their shared comedic roots. In the years that followed, they had many memorable moments, including a playful kiss at Crystal’s televised birthday celebration, emphasizing their unique friendship. Crystal ended his stories with a laugh, embodying the unpredictability and joy of the times spent with one of comedy’s greats.