Billy Crystal expressed his hope "laughter and joy" will return to Ukraine as he accepted a Lifetime Achievement honour at the Critics Choice Awards on Sunday (13.03.22).
The 'City Slickers' actor recalled how he wanted to seek a career in comedy both through watching his heroes on TV, and, more significantly, by being surrounded by funny people in his family, many of whom had their roots in the war-torn country and Russia.
He said: "Funny people, entertainers, we start by making our parents laughed first. Our parents, family, and friends. I grew up in a time that was extraordinary. My older brothers and I came up in the early 1950s, when television was this new frontier, it was the comic that settled it. The greatest comics of the day. Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Phil silvers, Ernie Kovacs, Steve Allen, Jonathan Winters...and watching them get laughs made me want to get laughs.
"So, before I knew it, I am standing on a coffee table and imitating my relatives.
"Who were these joyful souls many of them from Rostov on-Don in Russia, my grandmothers were from Odessa and Kyiv. They escaped the programs to come to America where they could live free from tyranny.
"And their laughter, the first laughs I ever got in my life, is the fuel that my engine is still burning today. So, I dedicate this award to those amazing people in our living room back in Long Island whose laughter and joy started this five-year-old boy on his way to this moment."
Billy then went on to pray for those in Ukraine amid its invasion by Russia.
He added: "And as we all have thought about and spoken about tonight, I pray that somehow, someway, there can be laughter and joy in that part of the world once again."
The 74-year-old actor - who celebrated his birthday on Monday - had been introduced to the stage at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who joked he was desperate for Billy to be his "best friend".
He said: "Maybe the most important thing about Billy for me selfishly, he is a great talk show guest. When Jay Leno forcibly took control of the Tonight show in 1993, he asked who to be his first guest? Billy Crystal. And on Jay's final show, his third in a series of final shows, he asked Billy to be his because he doesn't disappoint. He is funny, on the stage, and a chair, Billy Crystal is one of the all-time greats.
"Billy Crystal was the first celebrity I ever interviewed back in 1997. And 25 years later, I am proud to call him my best friend, even though he most certainly is not. I'm working on it, though.
"Please welcome, and celebrate, the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award honoree for 2022, the one and only Billy crystal."
When he arrived on stage, the 'Here Today' actor couldn't resist a joke at Jimmy's expense.
He said: "Thank you so much. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. I so appreciate that. It is delightful just to be anywhere. Thank you, Jimmy. This is a little embarrassing, but I had asked for Jimmy Fallon. Now what do I do?"
