DON KNOTTS: NOT. Soon after news broke of the death of actor-comedian Don Knotts at the age of 81, I heard from suddenly solemn funnyman Frank Santopadre. "What a lovely, gracious guy he was," wrote Frank, who had met Knotts a couple of times in Los Angeles.

One evening, back around 2001 or so, I'm sitting at a stop light in Beverly Hills. I glance over and see that Don Knotts is a passenger in the next car pulled up beside me. So I rolled down the window and I said, "You're a great talent. God Bless you." He smiled and said, "You have great taste," then gave me a thumbs up as his friend drove off.

There are lots of Knotts tributes online, including Barney's Home Town, the Don Knotts Official Website, Don Knotts - Mayberry and Beyond, and The Shrine to Don Knotts [link removed July 7, 2006 due to questionable provenance].

Who do you think would make the best Don Knotts: Steve Buscemi or John Waters?

Photo from The Shrine to Don Knotts [link and photo removed July 6, 2006 due to questionable provenance]