Nipsey Nipped

October 4, 2005 12:19 PM

Nipsey Russell, comedic "poet laureate of television," dead
The opposite of pro is con
That fact is clearly seen
If progress means move forward
Then what does Congress mean?
posted by me3dia (33 comments total)

More on Nipsey
- at Wikipedia
- in Nipsey Russell's Funky Palace
posted by me3dia at 12:21 PM on October 4, 2005

I'll always remember him as the Tin Man in The Wiz. Mecha-Nipsey!

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posted by Faint of Butt at 12:22 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by tristeza at 12:23 PM on October 4, 2005

adios, great one.
posted by jonmc at 12:39 PM on October 4, 2005

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I hope his passing creates a whole new generation of little Nipsey's, that would be cool.
posted by fenriq at 12:39 PM on October 4, 2005

Don't put your baby on the waterbed
It could be mighty grim:
You'll never know if he's wettin' the bed,
Or if the bed is wettin' him!

Heard him do that on The $25,000 Pyramid or something years ago. It's never left my mind since. He was unique.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 12:50 PM on October 4, 2005

He will be missed.
posted by Divine_Wino at 12:52 PM on October 4, 2005

As a kid, I loved when Nipsey was on Match Game or $20,000 Pyramid. I even have one of his party albums which is actually pretty decent given it's age.

Had no idea that Nipsey was one of the first black comedians to break the color barrier and Hollywood's sterotype of blacks to become a televison regular. In the late 50's early 60's.
!
posted by remo at 12:56 PM on October 4, 2005

Nipsey!
posted by shoepal at 12:57 PM on October 4, 2005

It is a sad day for comedy. Ronnie and Nipsey in one week.

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posted by DragonBoy at 12:59 PM on October 4, 2005

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He was one of the best and earliest rappers.
posted by First Post at 1:08 PM on October 4, 2005

To catch the milk
I'd better hustle
'cause I hate bein'
ol' Nipsey Russell
posted by nicwolff at 1:10 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by lilboo at 1:18 PM on October 4, 2005

Nipsey Russell was alive?
posted by Bonzai at 1:31 PM on October 4, 2005

He used to live in a building where my dad worked. I would see him in the lobby sometimes. He seemed very nice.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 1:32 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by SirOmega at 1:55 PM on October 4, 2005

Is it similar with Nipsey Russell, like the Dalai Lama? Do they send out a party to discover what child his soul has transmigrated / reincarnated to?
posted by Meatbomb at 2:17 PM on October 4, 2005

Meatbomb: No, but it's a good idea.
posted by lilboo at 2:28 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by bjgeiger at 2:33 PM on October 4, 2005

I always liked his work. Wow, many of the icons of the Silver Age of television have been passing on lately. Hats off to you, Nipsey. You never failed to make me laugh with you.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:39 PM on October 4, 2005

Is it similar with Nipsey Russell, like the Dalai Lama? Do they send out a party to discover what child his soul has transmigrated / reincarnated to?

HA! The 47th Panchin Nipsey.

Awesome.
posted by Divine_Wino at 2:49 PM on October 4, 2005

Was Nipsey the first black cop on network TV? I'm honestly curious. I can't think of any earlier ones.
posted by jonmc at 3:09 PM on October 4, 2005

the fact that i cannot remember Nipsey without a smile and a joke, i think, is a testament of a good life
posted by tsarfan at 3:27 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by wakko at 3:36 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by WaterSprite at 4:53 PM on October 4, 2005

nipsey, i guess your number's up.

it is truly said that the good die young,
that's the reason for all of my fears.
so let us be evil and wicked and bad,
and stay here for thousands of years.
-nipsey on the match game

as much as "what's my line" was a fixture in american life when there were only ever three channels on tv anywhere, i'm flummoxed by the dearth of nipsey poetry on the interwebs. for what is wikiquote if not this? not good.
posted by 3.2.3 at 5:09 PM on October 4, 2005

On one of his old specials, Gallagher ripped off the joke in the main post.
Sad.
posted by papakwanz at 5:31 PM on October 4, 2005

He was a bit before my time, but I remember him from Wildcats.

"Riiiight..."
posted by zardoz at 5:37 PM on October 4, 2005

Anyone remember the Nipsey Russell story Tom Hanks told on Lettermen? "Stop bending the shafts!!"
posted by davebush at 5:54 PM on October 4, 2005

Was Nipsey the first black cop on network TV? I'm honestly curious. I can't think of any earlier ones.

On NPR they mentioned that Nipsey was the first black actor to be a regular on a sit com (Car 54), so yeah, he probably was.
posted by sexymofo at 6:36 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by moonbird at 8:23 PM on October 4, 2005

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posted by Smart Dalek at 8:46 AM on October 5, 2005

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Wasn't he on Liars' Club too? IMDB isn't showing it, but I seem to remember him there.
posted by brujita at 9:20 AM on October 5, 2005