Does Yer Deug Bite?

Richard Henry Sellers: September 8, 1925 - July 24, 1980

I remember where I was in 1980 when I received word of Peter Seller's death. I had taken a group of youth to music week at Camp Carson (now called CarsonSprings Baptist Conference Center) in Newport, Tennessee and we were returning to our cabins for the night. There were several music ministers in the group and one asked if we had heard the latest. He then proceeded to share that the British comedian had died of a massive heart attack.

He was 54.

It's hard to explain, but I felt like I had lost a member of my own family.

Ever since being "introduced" to Chief Inspector Jacques Clouseau in Blake Edward's 1963 film, The Pink Panther, I was a fan of this very funny man.

I saw every sequel .. even the one that didn't have "pink panther" in the title (A Shot in the Dark .. the best of the series, IMHO) and I was greatly influenced by this crazy character, played brilliantly by Sellers.

In fact, I was a college student during the second wave of "panther flicks" (three were made during my four years at Union) and I had a coat and hat that looked much like the ones Clouseau wore. So (anything for a laugh), I would often dress up like the Chief Inspector (I know it sounds a little weird now .. at least I wasn't a fan of The Rocky Horror Picture Show which came out around the same time) and do little "scenes" around campus.

A guy from South Fulton (I won't divulge his name .. but his nickname was "Mercy") shared my enthusiasm of "panthermania" and he would play Kato "my little yellow friend," as Clouseau referred to him (talk about being politically incorrect!).

Mercy really "got in to it" and would often jump out and try to attack/scare me at the most inopportune times.

Once, while the guys were watching The Return of the Pink Panther (VHS of course) in the Men's Commons, I came walking through (in Clouseau costume .. of course) and Kato jumped on my back and we began "fighting."

This was planned.

On another occasion, I pulled my car around to the circle by the ladies' dorms and when I opened the door for my date, Kato leaped from the back seat of my car.

This was not planned.

To this day, I still check the back seat before getting in the car.

Housekeeper: You've ruined that piano!

Clouseau: What is the price of one piano, compared to the terrible crime that has been committed here?

Housekeeper: But that's a priceless Steinway!

Clouseau: Nyot Anymeur.

Has it really been 29 years?

You never know when it will be your time to leave this world. Are you ready?

"Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." - Luke 6:25b