Trivia

Has known Larry David (who was born 3 days after him) since they met at a summer camp when they were both 13.

He appeared on Candid Camera (1960) when he was approximately 17. A bogus guidance counselor advised him he was best-suited for work as a laborer and/or shepherd. (This was re-aired on Candid Camera (1998) in 2000 and he appeared advising Burbank, California, students that they were best-suited for some unusual jobs, including stand-up comedian).

Has petitioned Bartlett's Familiar Quotations to attribute the phrase "the (blank) from Hell", i.e. "the date from Hell", "the roommate from Hell", etc., to him. They have rejected his claims, stating that the phrase was in use as early as World War I when kilted Scottish soldiers were given the nickname "The Ladies from Hell". However, the Yale Book of Quotations does attribute the phrase to Lewis. This inspired a story line in the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode The Nanny from Hell (2002).

Had a very close relationship with his comedy idol Jonathan Winters in the last ten years or so of Winters's life.

First appearance on television: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) in March 1974.

Friends with David Brenner, Richard Belzer, and Albert Brooks.

Graduated from Ohio State University in 1969 with a degree in marketing and communications. He was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

Gentleman's Quarterly named him one of the 20th century's influential humorists.

Appeared in two films with John Candy: "Once Upon A Crime" and "Wagons East" (on whose set Candy died). Lewis ended up dying one week short of the thirtieth anniversary of Candy's death.

On his The Other Great Depression Tour (February 2001)