Johnny Carson

[Kitty]

Yes! I've seen this episode. He was really funny.
When you see a personality like that who really made it big, so many years later you just think of them almost as imaginary entities. For that reason, I always like to put into perspective how old they were at the time.
In this instance, can you believe he was ONLY twenty one years old here?
Idk, to me the information that they were so young in these performances blows my mind.

[donnie]

Yes, he was really a prodigy. I think he got his start as a comedian early on in grade school.

[Kitty]

And heeeere's Johnny! A very young Johnny Carson in the mid 60s.

[Kitty]

Here's a belated St. Patrick's day themed bit where Johnny and Ed sit and drink green beer while reading off Irish toasts. Scroll to about 5:50 to watch. I thought it was pretty funny! Also, I'd heard about green beer, but this is the first time I'm actually seeing it.

https://youtu.be/k0MvxKgLp1o

[Kitty]

I was watching an episode of Dick Cavett with Dennis Miller from 1991, and they spoke briefly about Johnny Carson. Dennis was saying that he was watching him the other night and that a part of Johnny's monologue wasn't going too well and he could see that he was slightly nervous. He was saying that Johnny had been doing this for 30 years now and still gets nervous, though he makes it look so seamless. It made me think of the many times where I wondered if, when Johnny's bits don't seem to go so well, if it is just part of the act. He really DOES make it so seamless, and he doesn't crumble. He laughs with the audience and gives that same look that Benny always did, and so many other comedians, I expect. You know, that corner of the eye look that said "Who wrote this *beep*?" He was such a professional that he'd get a laugh even by making fun of the jokes that weren't working.

[donnie]

He was such a professional that he'd get a laugh even by making fun of the jokes that weren't working.

Yes, he was really good at that self-deprecating humor and used it pretty often. There were occasions when even that didn't work (when there was a really tough audience), but it usually did.

If the monologue went poorly enough, sometimes he would break into a tap dance to Tea for Two. Did you ever see him do that?

[Kitty]

If the monologue went poorly enough, sometimes he would break into a tap dance to Tea for Two. Did you ever see him do that?

I have! It's like he gives up, tap dances, then goes to commercial. The audience always goes nuts when he does that. I've seen him give up when the joke segments he does behind the desk don't go over well. He'll cut it short, go to commercial, and introduce the guest early.

[Kitty]

I just wanted to report that Ed said his first car was a 1933 Studebaker Commander. He said it was a chauffeur car, too, with a window and a phone to communicate to the back.

[donnie]

I just wanted to report that Ed said his first car was a 1933 Studebaker Commander. He said it was a chauffeur car, too, with a window and a phone to communicate to the back.

Pretty snazzy wheels—but there's not much of a back in this one to communicate to.

[Kitty]

I can only imagine the 'ah-OOO-guh!' the horn might make.