Rodney Dangerfield, the comic who lived by the mantra “I don’t get no respect,” died Oct. 5 due to heart surgery complications. He was 82 years old. Dangerfield started his career at the age of 15, writing jokes; at 17 he started performing at amateur nights. By the time he was 20, he decided it would be best to give up his dream of being a comic, and went after a more stable career.

But at the age of 40, 20 years after he gave up on comedy, he decided to give it another shot. Lucky for us, he did, because it was at this point he came up with his act. Things took off for Dangerfield; he opened his own comedy club and was in numerous pictures such as, “Caddy Shack,” “Easy Money” (which he co-wrote), and “Ladybugs.” And who could forget his performance in “Natural Born Killers” as Mallory’s father?

Clad in a black suit, starch white shirt and bright red tie, he took the stage. His brand of comedy was self-belittling, and people ate it up with good reason, because it was genuinely funny. Who wouldn’t laugh at such a line like, “When I was born I was so ugly the doctor slapped my mother”? Flowers have been piling up on Dangerfield’s star on the Walk of Fame. In New York, at the comedy club where he got his start, The Improv, the marquee reads “Rest In Peace Rodney.” There was also an impromptu tribute to him the night of his death at Hollywood’s Laugh Factory. Comedians shared the condolences with each other as well as the Dangerfield family. I believe Adam Sandler said it best with, “When you saw him on TV or in the movies was doubled when you had the pleasure to meet him. He was a hero who lived up to the hype.”

Once Dangerfield got his break he didn’t forget his roots. His comedy club gave way to many of today’s comics that we know and laugh at. Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Jim Carrey, Jeff Foxworthy, and Jerry Seinfeld, just to name a few. In giving these people breaks, he helped bring about the next generation of comedy.

Dangerfield’s comedy will be missed, and never forgotten. The smiles he gave us-the campy movies and his corky personality will live on in every young comedian that feels no one respects their line of work. Mr. Dangerfield, we respect you and will greatly miss your presence.