Don Knotts As The "Nervous Weatherman" Has Viewers Roaring With Laughter

Apr 15, 2020 by apost team

It is a certified fact that Don Knotts was one of the funniest entertainers to have ever walked the earth. This irreplaceable icon was a formidable one-man act, and he delivered sheer hilarity with every performance.

As proof of the mastermind’s unmatched knack for humor, just check out this vintage skit featuring him as a skittish weatherman. The “Nervous Chap” bit was a cherished Steve Allen Show staple.

The delivery is funny right from the start. In a frenzied panic, Knotts set up the gag perfectly when he exclaimed to someone offscreen, “You mean you still haven’t gotten through to the weather bureau? What am I going to do? I can’t stand here and stall for five minutes.”

Naturally, he proceeds to do just that. While looking like a deer in the headlights, the prolific entertainer ironically begged his imaginary producers to rescue him from a humiliating live broadcast by yelping, “Please, I’m not an entertainer.”

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When showtime mercilessly arrives before any information comes through, the actor doesn’t miss a beat. He immediately turns to the camera and switches to a professional persona. His futile attempts to drag out the segment become more desperate and outlandish as the cameras keep rolling. At one point, he even drops a taste of unusual innuendo that somehow goes over everyone’s heads: “No, the gambling casino is just a front. In the back, there’s a candy store.”

Knott’s rare ability to convey awkward social discomfort is amazing. His off-camera cohort, Herb, keeps setting him up and letting him down. The running joke keeps escalating to crazy levels, and it culminates in some seriously quirky antics that were ahead of their time. To show off his ingenious understanding of comedic craftsmanship, Knotts sarcastically broke character and the fourth wall with a single subtle line: “I’m not a comedian or anything. I do like to get my licks in.”

This American comedy legend had an impressive career that spanned seven decades. Although you may think that you don’t know Knotts, his filmography encompassed more than 80 memorable roles based on his IMDb so you are bound to have seen him in something.

Unsurprisingly, this is the type of presentation that landed Knotts a role in It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. You may happen to recognize him from Three’s Company, which saw the star as Mr. Furley the landlord. Additionally, the performer reached a wide range of audiences via The Andy Griffith Show playing Barney Fife. You also can’t forget about The Apple Dumpling Gang. Basically, every production that featured Knotts turned into comedy gold. There will never be a funnyman who creates more laughs than him, so it’s a delight to see what he was like back in his heyday. 

This uproarious black-and-white footage serves as an excellent piece of historical memorabilia. Classic comedy is making a comeback right now, and you can do your part in the revival by passing this tape forward. Everyone who witnesses this retro wonder will certainly be left guffawing and chuckling until the cows come home. What’s not to love about that?