Ack. He was The Man. None of his so-called successors could carry his jock.
Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien are so unfunny that watching them causes me actual physical pain.
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Anonymous2005-01-24 15:57 (sage)
Shame, I've never heard of Johnny Carson. But I've heard of references to Ed McMahon in many TV shows.
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les aptt2005-01-28 4:39
Johnny Carson was Many things:
The perfect comedic straightman. He made every comic on his show seem funnier. And he did it for 30yrs.
Master of the double-take, take-to-camera, and other now neglected skills.
He actually cared and knew about his guests.
He was in complete, total control of his show. One night Jimi Hendrix was on. Played his first song and then sat down next to Johnny. Jimi was "trippin" to say the least. After about 30 seconds Carson said: "lets go to break". And in a very sad voice, "You came on my show stoned."
No rock act appeared on his show again for over 20 years.
That's power.
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Million Dollar Boy2005-02-19 22:28
Next "Johnny Carson"?
It's probably Regee Philburn, I think...
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Skyline!mpXsEz/vvo2005-02-20 7:15
The closest thing we have to Carson in this day and age is Letterman.
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les aptt2005-02-27 3:48
>>7
Agreed. Letterman dedicated an entire show to Carson, Leno 10 minutes. Both owe everything they have to him. Interesting.
To those who never got the chance to watch, if you ever run across one of those "Best of" tapes (from the infomercials) buy it. I found one at a second-hand store. It has a duet with Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. It don't get much better than that.