For the last five decades, comedy writer and ultimate gentleman Michael Barrie has penned jokes for Joan Rivers, biting barbs for comedy roasts (when they were good), and he has written the monologues for the likes of the late Johnny Carson and the recently retired David Letterman. In fact, he has been with Carson and Letterman through most of their careers. There is about a 99.9% chance that if you have watched Carson or Letterman in the last few decades, you have laughed at a joke written by Barrie. If you meet him, you would think he were a spy – he is that discreet about his legendary status in the realm of comedy. Happy birthday Michael Barrie! photograph by Oliver Maxwell Kupper