Marshwheeling
Member
Carson was very much a product of his time, but I preferred Steve Allen. Letterman is far and away the funniest, a satiric genius.
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Johnny Carson
- Thread starter S&W45Colt
- Start date
Straightshooter2
US Veteran
One of the funniest moments ever in TV history had to be Carson's reaction to Ed Ames throwing the tomahawk.
CW
CW
Late night talk shows ain't what they used to be. I'm not a Letterman fan, Leno seems like a nice guy but that's about it, Fallon and the redheaded guy are sketch comics. Maybe someone who is good with improv like Johnny was could do a nice job, like maybe a Ryan Stiles or Colin Mochrie. Johnny was a master.
jaykellogg
Absent Comrade
sipowicz
Member
Yes....along with Frank John and Dino...they left a huge hole.
Mcwsky09
Member
Carson was a natural - pretty much every one else is playing the part of a TV Show host.
I saw an interview with Harrison Ford where he talked about one of his first roles - a tiny part where he payed a bell hop paging someone for a message. He was only on screen for less than two minutes. Someone told him that he would never make it because watching that seen he thought, there goes a bell hop, whereas if Mickey Rourke had played the part he would have thought, now there goes a great actor. Ford's comment on that was that he thought the entire purpose of being an actor playing a part was to convince the audience that you actually were the person you are portraying and that the highest compliment the viewer might give is if they believe (in that scene) that he was in fact an real life bell hop.
As that relates to Johnny Carson, he was and shall forever be remembered as being THE late night TV show host. Whether it came naturally to him (which I suspect is the case) or if he had to work harder than anyone else to make it look entire natural makes no difference - no one would say look at that comedian trying to be an interviewer, whereas you can say that about nearly every one else.
Similarly - the first time I saw Willard Scott in my life was when I got to college and turned on the TV and the weather report was on - I immediately thought - who is this clown - it was only later that I learned that he was in fact a clown/comedian.
I saw an interview with Harrison Ford where he talked about one of his first roles - a tiny part where he payed a bell hop paging someone for a message. He was only on screen for less than two minutes. Someone told him that he would never make it because watching that seen he thought, there goes a bell hop, whereas if Mickey Rourke had played the part he would have thought, now there goes a great actor. Ford's comment on that was that he thought the entire purpose of being an actor playing a part was to convince the audience that you actually were the person you are portraying and that the highest compliment the viewer might give is if they believe (in that scene) that he was in fact an real life bell hop.
As that relates to Johnny Carson, he was and shall forever be remembered as being THE late night TV show host. Whether it came naturally to him (which I suspect is the case) or if he had to work harder than anyone else to make it look entire natural makes no difference - no one would say look at that comedian trying to be an interviewer, whereas you can say that about nearly every one else.
Similarly - the first time I saw Willard Scott in my life was when I got to college and turned on the TV and the weather report was on - I immediately thought - who is this clown - it was only later that I learned that he was in fact a clown/comedian.
Carson was unmatchable. I will never forget the skit he did in 1968 with a deadpan Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, the "Copper clapper caper." It's one of those things where you can't help but laugh out loud so hard that tears come to your eyes. And you can see it coming, too! Here's the link:
Jack Webb and Johnny Carson - YouTube
John
Jack Webb and Johnny Carson - YouTube
John
I can't say I miss Johnny very much now, because I fall asleep before 10:30.
The wildest one I ever saw was Rose Marie, Don Adams, and Don Rickles.
The wildest one I ever saw was Rose Marie, Don Adams, and Don Rickles.
2nd that. I've got both of their entire collections. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite of the two.
Frank was the personification of the word "presence" on the stage and records. He was also one of the two or three greatest voices of this century.
Dino was the personification of cool. His show was almost as classic as his voice and "Ain't that a kick in the Head," is as good as it gets. Call me simple, but his movies with John Wayne are some of my favorites.
the ringo kid
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The original Tonight Show host was Steve Allen. He always made me nervous. I was just a kid and my parents loved him so I watched it with them when they'd let me stay up.
When Steve left a nobody from nowhere named Jack Parr took over. It took me about 15 minutes to wish I had Steve back. Jack was a crybaby and had no humor and no personality. He was a world class wimp. The night he said the words "water closet" on the air and the network cut him off he quit with big tears in his eyes. He was pathetic.
Then we got Johnny Carson. He was a class act the like of which we are not likely to see again. I kind of got used to Jay Leno...a little bit. He had a few good features on his show but he isn't a patch compared to Carson.
Carson had the best guests and the best gags and the most humor and the most class.
Letterman is a dork. his humor is stupid (Will it float?) and As far as O'Brien if it wasn't for the stupid haircut he'd be totally forgetable and Kimmel IS totally forgetable. I may not be the best judge of anything but I do know what's funny and what's not and these guys are NOT.
I will always remember the last Carson show. One of his good friends, Bette Middler, sang a song to him, "Gimme One Drink For My Baby and One More For The Road...." The friendship and affection between those two was memorable
Kimmel is P*A*T*H*E*T*I*C at best. I admit I liked it when he and Adam Carolla did The Man SHow-but since Kimmel got a job on ABC--he's turned lunatic.
the ringo kid
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For someone as good as Carson--or near as good--how about Carol Burnett? I still love that fine Lady 
)
)shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
For someone as good as Carson--or near as good--how about Carol Burnett? I still love that fine Lady
That's funny, I thought about her while writing my Carson comment. Her and Bob Hope.
MH8675309
Member
Rodney Dangerfield was on the tonight show a few times and nobody complimented Rodney's humor the way Johnny did. He sat back and said very little and let Rodney work his magic. He was a good listener and new when to keep his mouth shut. Yeah I cried when he died,,
Rickles and Adams were best buddies, and ripped on each other like there was no tomorrow! And Rose Marie was about as quick as they come.
Funny no one has mentioned Ed McMahon yet. Carson was tops, no doubt about it, but some of his best moments involved Ed McMahon. They played off each other with such ease. Ed repeating what Carson when playing Carnac thought was in the envelope and the looks or comments from Carson afterward were priceless.
That being said and then there was this moment with an obviously intoxicated George Gobel, Dean Martin and Bob Hope.
http://worriersanonymous.org/Share/Pasttulsa.htm
Comparing Letterman to Carson is like comparing a BB gun to a Barrett 50 cal.
That being said and then there was this moment with an obviously intoxicated George Gobel, Dean Martin and Bob Hope.
http://worriersanonymous.org/Share/Pasttulsa.htm
Comparing Letterman to Carson is like comparing a BB gun to a Barrett 50 cal.
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shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
Very well put. And even more true of Leno.
the ringo kid
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They sure were the best. I also miss Jonathan Winters.
joeintexas
US Veteran
The man was indeed a master of his trade, Carson, Bob Hope, John Wayne....non replaceable!
DeathGrip
US Veteran
Here's Johnny.
How many times has that been repeated? Even in a movie with some big time actor.
Yep, Johnny left a void.
How many times has that been repeated? Even in a movie with some big time actor.
Yep, Johnny left a void.
