Catching up with Carl Reiner...

It was an absolute pleasure to chat up television legend Carl Reiner recently and to be able to tell him that "The Dick Van Dyke Show," which he created, is one of my top five favorite shows of all time.

"I love hearing it!" said the 86-year-old, still sharp as ever.

The 1961-66 sitcom, starring Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam still seems so fresh and current today.

Reiner told me why.

"It was about human condition, it was about human behavior," he said. "If you're writing about yourself and you're being honest about it, you put things within the realm of possibility. When I wrote any of these things, I would always say, 'Would I possibly do that? Could I do that? Would I behave that way? Would she behave that way?' If you pay attention to what real behavior is, that doesn't change very much."

Reiner, who also had the recurring role of Alan Brady on the show, was delighted to learn that the has some fans in high places.

"What a thrill it is to have Barack Obama write in his book that he got great pleasure out of watching his wife enjoy the reruns of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show.'" he said.

So which of the current TV shows does Reiner like to watch?

"I liked "Boston Legal" which is closing now. Well, I liked two-thirds of it. Everybody was (having sex) on that show every 30 seconds and I say, 'Let's get to the courtroom!'" There are other good shows. "My Name is Earl" makes me laugh and "Desperate Housewives" too.

Below are parts of an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show titled: "Obnoxious, Offensive, Egomaniac, Etc." Reiner appears in the third clip...