The fast pace of US life and its monotony can bog down any person eventually. However, I consciously try to break these invisible barriers of ennui every day, while being cognisant of the risks of newness after the age of 80. Let me come to the point right away. Two months ago, I first saw a neon and digital billboard at the southwest corner of the UNLV campus. It was about the  comedian Rich Little (full name, Richard C. Little) who performed for five days a week in Las Vegas’ Tropicana Hotel and Casino.

I thought Rich was dead and gone as he was professionally at his prime as an impersonator in the 1970s. But I am not a comedy fan. Yes, I do like subtle jokes – the crude ones turn me off. After all, comedy is the index of the intellectual development of a society or a nation. No wonder, the US draws comedians of every ethnicity in the world. Some of them literally would have no future in their native lands. 

When I found out that Rich Little was 84 years old, I decided to see his craft as I am 83. My friends and family members constantly ask me about my retirement. Five years ago, I decided that the day my students would tell me that I was not a good instructor or take this complaint to the Department Chair, then that would be my last day on the job. Or, if my scholarly activities should not be solid enough, then I would retire. My creative output of books is largely due to my enjoying what I do at UNLV. 

Back to Rich Little: a month went by in finding a suitable day and the ticket price, as $60 for a 70- minute comedy show was too much for me!  Even after living in the US for 55 years, I  do not get all the nuances, punch lines, puns and jokes. Unlike math, comedy is parochial and cultural. Anyways, last week, I bought a ticket from a wholesale broker, TicketBat.com – for $40 for tonight’s show. 

For 70 minutes, Rich Little was on his feet; nay, it was a performance. In fact, he expanded his 1964 routine when he gave 20 impersonations in 20 minutes when he was first invited on the US show of Judy Garland. This time, Rich updated his classic impersonations with the present social and political milieu. He was especially good at President Biden – including Biden’s gait, gestures, stumbles and falls. I am sure an invisible stage hand helped Rich in the falling act – nevertheless, he executed it very well for someone of the age of 84. 

On a personal note, last semester, I taught a course for 2.5 hours once a week without sitting down or having a break. In fact, I will be teaching a course starting next week for two hours a day for five days a week. Physically, I am keeping up with Rich. However,  Rich is trim, but I am not. 

Rich’s audience was relatively small  – 50  in a hall with a capacity for 100. They were mostly men and women in their 70s and 80s. Musical and fine arts are generational in the sense that fans of specific generations follow a particular band or an artist, physically or electronically. In mathematics, it  is just the opposite. Students learn and enjoy different mathematics topics at different stages of their lives. During the show, I  thought that if Rich ever tried to use math in his routines, then they would backfire on him. However, mixing humor while explaining a mathematical problem can enliven the lecture and draw students into it.

Comedians are always welcomed at the bases of the US Army, Air Force and Navy for entertaining the soldiers who live in a ‘do or die’ type of daily life. They cheer up sick children, and adults in hospitals, and seniors in assisted living centers. ‘Laughter is the best medicine’, is an adage which is aptly applied. Whereas, math is trans sensorial – beyond sensory experiences!

While impersonating legendary comedians George Burns and Bob Hope, who both lived for 100 years, Rich jokingly told the audience of his living that long. Talking of longevity, the only mathematicians that I personally know who have completed 100 years are CR Rao (b.1920 – ) and SS Shrikhande (1917-2020). 

Concluding sidebar: Rich Little, a native of Canada, moved to the US in his 20s for professional opportunities in Hollywood. But he became a naturalized US citizen only eight-nine years ago, and has now made Las Vegas his home. He may end his professional life in Tropicana. This segment of his life is so close to mine! With such thoughts, I kind of waltzed out of the Casino.

Satish C. Bhatnagar, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences,  University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154 Phone: 702-895-0383 Email: bhatnaga@unlv.nevada.edu
Adjunct Professor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda (2019 –  ) UNLV Faculty Senate (2018 – 2021)

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