Growing Up with Johnny Carson
Every generation or era eventually loses benchmark personalities who helped define that particular era. Johnny Carson was a benchmark personality for 30 years; a baby boomer staple who transcended generations. My grandma enjoyed Johnny when he did a daytime "game" show, "Who Do You Trust?" , which aired from 1956 to 1963. I remember that show when I was just a little tike (I'll be 53 in March). I didn't really get to see the Tonite Show very often until the late '60's when I was in high school and then in college in the early 70's. It became a must see show for my wife and me, if not for just the first half-hour, enough to catch the monologue and to see who the guests would be. Just like so many others, we saw, first hand, the hundreds of classic Tonite Shows that have been replayed so many times and that are being replayed, in part, at least in the tributes today.
An irreplaceable piece of pop culture died today, and as a budding old fart, allow me to say, they're not making pop culture like they used to.
Carson was stereotypical Mid-West Americana at its best. He made what he did look so easy. Frequent guests and guest hosts agreed that he actually listened to his guests and was completely focused on them as opposed to what he was going to ask next. He let the guests shine as brightly as possible and if they didn't, he kindly came to their aid to get them through it. Of course he had an ego. No one can be in that business without a great big one, but he was able to put it in the bottom drawer, according to Jack Klugman. Dr. Joyce Brothers, a frequent guest said that his jokes were always kind and he always made the guests look good. Stevie Wonder, who made two guest appearances, said Carson made you feel like you were coming home.
Carson interviewed or featured 22,000 guests on 6500 shows under 7 presidents over the course of 30 years. His last show was on May 22, 1992. One of his most endearing recurring characters was "Carnak the Magnificent" who would posit answers to questions before they were asked. Some classic examples were: "And the answer is, 'Hi Diddle Diddle'." And the question is: "How do you greet your 'Diddle Diddle' in the morning." And "Dippity Doo"....What forms on your Dippity each morning?"...and on and on.
Carson's appeal was that he was just 'plain folks', yet he was the king of late nite TV. The King is dead...long live the King!
An irreplaceable piece of pop culture died today, and as a budding old fart, allow me to say, they're not making pop culture like they used to.
Carson was stereotypical Mid-West Americana at its best. He made what he did look so easy. Frequent guests and guest hosts agreed that he actually listened to his guests and was completely focused on them as opposed to what he was going to ask next. He let the guests shine as brightly as possible and if they didn't, he kindly came to their aid to get them through it. Of course he had an ego. No one can be in that business without a great big one, but he was able to put it in the bottom drawer, according to Jack Klugman. Dr. Joyce Brothers, a frequent guest said that his jokes were always kind and he always made the guests look good. Stevie Wonder, who made two guest appearances, said Carson made you feel like you were coming home.
Carson interviewed or featured 22,000 guests on 6500 shows under 7 presidents over the course of 30 years. His last show was on May 22, 1992. One of his most endearing recurring characters was "Carnak the Magnificent" who would posit answers to questions before they were asked. Some classic examples were: "And the answer is, 'Hi Diddle Diddle'." And the question is: "How do you greet your 'Diddle Diddle' in the morning." And "Dippity Doo"....What forms on your Dippity each morning?"...and on and on.
Carson's appeal was that he was just 'plain folks', yet he was the king of late nite TV. The King is dead...long live the King!
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