The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

We all received the sad news today that Johnny Carson, in his 80th year of life, died today. Carson had long been retired from his Tonight Show, a show taken over capably by Jay Leno. But there never was anyone like Johnny Carson, and there may never be.

What I most liked about Johnny was his humble approach to his show. He opened with a monologue, he told his jokes plainly and simply, and waited for the laughter. It usually came. Some times it didn't. When the laughs did not come, he took on that familiar sad look of his, and that became the joke.

I was a working person during the run of his show, but Johnny Carson's tonight show was one that I often stayed up late for, it was that good. When the show was still in New York, he of course told New York jokes. One I remember vividly was during one particular cold winter, Johnny simply said, "It was really cold today." Ed McMahon, his trusty sidekick, asked, "How cold was it?" Johnny answered, "It was so cold today, a cab driver was saying something to a pedestrian and his middle finger froze." Another I remember was, when doing his 'Carnac' routine, the answer was "Four on the floor." The question was, "Describe two 80-year old topless go-go dancers."

Johnny of course went to Los Angeles, and there the show took on another dimension. Johnny was quite a prankster, and played a good one on Ed McMahon, not as part of the Tonight Show, but funny anyway. Ed was "set up" by placing some studio property in the trunk of his car. Leaving the studio, guards made a random trunk check, and "discovered" the stolen property. Johnny Carson actually dressed up as one of the guards, Ed McMahon was so flustered, declaring his innocence, it didn't even register to him that he was face to face with his boss!!

But the best thing I liked about Johnny Carson was his interview style. He was the best ever. He would ask a question then shut up and let the guest talk. He didn't have a big ego, like many current TV personalities, and try to show how much he knew. He simply let the other person talk.

Farewell and Godspeed, Johnny Carson.

I over the years may have watched from time to time "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" on a rare occasion when I would set up perhaps from not having school or being on school break, yet mostly my mom made me go to bed. Still thru classic footage and clips and old rerun shows on digital TV I've saw some episodes of Johhny Carson. And his show was a delight a treat the man was very funny and wise as the skits on his show were thoughtful and well done and his sidekick Ed MacMahon was always a good buddy what more can you say Carson ruled the late night airwaves for right at thirty years. Johnny helped pave the way for Jay Leno and David Letterman as they made appearances on his show many times doing stand up and even guest hosting when Johnny was out or away. And the guests of Carson were always A list from Hollywood's best, and he had sports and political figures on and many of today's well known comedian's got their first light of the TV camera on his show. So anytime you see an episode your looking at TV history and pop culture entertainment at it's best.

Johnny Carson was a trailblazer on late night TV. There were other talk show hosts before and during his tenure. Carson, though, had true charisma, a dry sarcastic wit, and perfect timing. You would be cheered up just by him walking on stage. When a joke bombed, he could find a way to make it the funniest part of the monologue. There has never been a late night host since Johnny Carson who would ask a guest an open ended question, and then just sit back and let the celebrity be brilliant on their own. Every other late show host interrupts guests with their own "funny story" or "punchline" and it is unfortunate. Carson could always do a great set up and then just let the celebrity go with it. I think the recurring guest I enjoyed the most was Joan Embery from the San Diego zoo, bringing animals both creepy and cuddly to crawl all over Carson. Carson always rose to the occasion.

It's probably good Johnny retired when he did. He would have been uncomfortable among most of the talk show hosts who were on the air by the end of the 1990s. Everything became cruder, more political. more of a coliseum. There will never be another Carson.

As an interesting aside, Saturday Night Live came into existence because Carson wanted an extra night off. NBC was already running "The Best of Carson" one day a week, but doubted they could get away with doing that two nights a week. And Carson was going to get his way because he was NBC's only hit TV show in the mid 1970s. Thus Saturday Night Live was born.

Carson is still around on DVD, maybe on Netflix, most definitely on youtube. If you've never seen him at work I suggest you study him for awhile. When he was on we were truly living in a golden age of charm and wit and grace.

Carson – the best at what he did. Enigmatic off camera, from what I understand, but absolutely brilliant on camera. His easy interview style and ability to let his guests be the focus stands in contrast to so many pretenders to his late night throne. His jokes and skits, even the ones that flopped, made you feel like you were "in" on the jokes. I don't remember all of his tenure, but I remember over half of it and can still quote from long ago evenings. Example – Doc Severinson wearing a loud jacket with flowers on it. Johnny: "That's some jacket Doc. Put some fertilizer on it and it might bloom". Doc: "We could dip it in your monologue". Johnny: "I'll suggest that to the new band leader". Spontaneous? Probably not. Hilarious? Absolutely! As fun and nostalgic as it is to see current superstars early in their careers as Johnny gave them their first big break, it is even more of a treat to see so many legendary stars, many still in their heyday. Bob Hope, Lucy, Dean Martin, etc. Like Johnny, they are gone now. And like Johnny, they don't make'm that way any more. Sad, but thank God for DVD and video.

For thirty years Johnny Carson's tonight show defined main stream late night television. For thirty years main stream was a very good thing. I think that the fact that his show hasn't been on since 1992 makes us realize what we have truly missed. Fortunately a lot of his shows have been saved. In the beginning his guests included Groucho Marx, Jack Benny, George Burns, Buddy Hackett and many others too numerous to list. In the end he was discovering the talents of Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr, and Drew Carey. Bob Hope of course was pretty much on his show through out. Thirty years with thousands of quality guests and thousands of quality laughs, that is his legacy. An unmatched legacy indeed.