“Trying To Keep The Lid On”: A Treasure Trove of Gene Wilder Interviews

The great, now sadly departed and much missed, comic actor Gene Wilder referred to one of his comedy techniques as “trying to keep the lid on.” You can see him now, in your mind’s eye, absorbing all the world’s mania, and trying, in a mighty fit of exertion, to hold it all in. Very few things are as funny as watching Gene Wilder almost lose his cool. He was the master of this technique, and of many other things that we didn’t know we needed until he showed us.

Life is, of course, often trying and difficult, but when we watch Wilder pantomime the difficulties of dealing with other people (and ourselves), he helps us keep the lid on.

Take some time soon to enjoy Wilder the artist by watching YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN or WILLIE WONKA or BLAZING SADDLES or HAUNTED HONEYMOON soon, maybe with a younger person. But right now, put on your headphones and enjoy many delightful moments of Gene Wilder below.

A 2001 Bravo profile:

Wilder explains how his mother’s heart attack made him funny:

Here he elaborates on his mother, and covers psychoanalysis and Mel Brooks in this animated “Blank On Blank” short.

And finally here is a heartfelt 2 hour interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air. Click here to listen.