Johnny Carson dies at 79

[mmk]

a true legend has now left us. To think about how many entertainers would not be around if it was not for Johnny. When he reigned on late night, he did it with class and taste. He will be missed.

[tedbear]

[http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-012305carson-wr,0,5151198.story?coll=la-home-headlines]

 

 

 

:-(

[curious2000]

Very sad to hear about this. He was such a part of most of our lives growing up and knowing good ole johnny was always there late at night to make us laugh until he retired. It was like hearing that a dear friend or uncle that you knew had died. I had the same sadness when learning that Lucille Ball passed away. They were such t.v. legends- yet familiar- that it's hard to imagine them gone...;(

[OneFinger]

What a loss - I never tired of watching his reruns.

 

But, there is one clip that never gets shown on the "best of" shows. It was, perhaps, the only time Carson was sued in court and lost.

 

He was interviewing the wife of a famous golfer and asked if there was anything she did to give her husband good luck. She said, "Well, I kiss his balls." Carson responded, "Well, I bet that makes his putter stand out!"

 

The audience broke into hysterics. Unfortunately, the wife did not take kindly to the comments and sued in court.

 

Carson was someone who could think fast on his feet and retired when he was still in his prime.

[PacNW]

RE: The media

 

This is kind of a vague question, and I'm not sure I'm going to express it right to get any real answer.

 

In the last couple weeks, after a complete absence from it, Carson seemed to pop up periperally on my radar screen. Glossed-over headlines, a mention in some celebrity news, stuff like that. If I gave it any thought, I would have said that maybe he was preparing for a guest spot somewhere, or writing a book, or doing a big interview. Now today, he dies.

 

Were the stories I was only vaguely aware of "death watch" ones that I missed out on? Were they plants by people in the know to get his name back out there in preparation for his death? Was his death unexpected and these previous mentions just conincidental?

[Guest alanm]

I was at work the day Lucille Ball died, learned about her death from a banner at the local news stand -- the kind of banner they use when a war starts or ends. Today feels the same way.

 

As has been said many times, we feel like big television stars (Johnny and Lucy) are part of the family because TV is such an intimate medium. Lucy visited in the living room, Johnny in the bedroom.

[OneFinger]

RE: The media

 

This is exactly the same thing that has been going through my mind. I also noticed the increased visibility of his name and thought it was odd.

 

I think it probably was a way of "forewarning" of his death. I'm sure the progression of his disease was known among family and close friends. Perhaps word of his condition reached the news media and the stories were the result of promises made for exclusive notification of his death.

[happyguy2]

RE: The media

 

Do you remember whem Carson did the segment when he played the magician: the answer was Dipideedoo.

 

The question was: Was appears on you dippidee each morning?

 

Wonderful

 

hg

[Guest rohale]

I was suprised and saddened to watch the local news and find out that Johnny Carson died early this morning with his loved ones at his side. I feel sad for his family.

 

I was thinking Johnny was the third host of the Tonight Show. He followed on the footsteps of the late greats Steve Allen and Jack Paar. Both had success with the show, but Johnny superseded any level of success that his predessors ever achieved. In the process he became a piece of Americana and no one can touch or take away his achievements. Not bad for a guy who started his career as a magician and soon after that worked with the legendary Red Skelton. He survived the likes of Joan Rivers, Merv Griffin, Pat Sajek, Rick Dees, but ultimately it was Arsenio Hall who would change the face of late night television in early 1989. Johnny bowed out just at the right time in May 1992. I hope in the coming weeks or months that the NBC network pays tribute to this legendary performer.

 

It was sometime last week when I read in a publication that Johnny had been writing monologue jokes and had been sending them to the writers and producers of the " Late Show With David Letterman ". Mr Carson's publicist stated that Johnny would smile when Dave would use a joke of his. I think maybe in 1994, when Dave was doing his show from California for one week, when unexpectedly one night Johnny walked out on stage from behind the curtain and sat down in the chair that Dave was using and for a brief moment and then walked off. To watch this nice moment on television was something really special.

 

Johnny had personal tragedies in his life. His lost his son many years ago. I do remember when Ed McMahon's own son died a few years back, it was Johnny who was one of the first to call his old friend and tried to console him as much as he could. Now Johnny's gone.

 

A lot of entertainers in the last couple of hours have said some nice things about Johhny. I'm a bit disappointed that Jay Leno has not said anything at this stage publically about Johnny's passing and the impact that Johnny had on his own career. I think David Letterman probably summed it up the best when he said that Johnny was the original and the rest are cheap imitators and the world of entertainment will never see the likes of Johnny Carson ever again.

 

Rohale

[Guest ReturnOfS]

Johnny Carson is the perfect example of someone who lived a good full life. I can only hope that my life's journey goes as well as his did.