What were you doing 25 years ago tonight at 11:30

[+ purplekow]

If you are of a certain age, you had turned on the tv and flipped the channel to NBC and you watched Johnny Carson say good night for the last time. It hardly seems possible that it has been 25 years.

Johnny Carson, the Prince of Nighttime. There was a time his monologue was required viewing.

[MassageDrew]

I missed that show because I was probably at some bar drinking pitchers long island ice tea while trying to dance with someone else's boyfriend

[+ purplekow]

I missed that show because I was probably at some bar drinking pitchers long island ice tea while trying to dance with someone else's boyfriend

You are obviously younger than those of us of a certain age.

[bostonman]

The final episode:

 

 

BUT - what many of us will also never forget is the penultimate night, with Johnny's actual final guests - Robin Williams and Bette Midler. Check in around the 7:00 mark on the video below to hear Bette and Johnny do an impromptu duet of "Here's That Rainy Day" (with Marc Shaiman - later to be known as the composer of Broadway's Hairspray - sneaking in on piano for the 2nd half.)

 

 

And...the end of that episode - Bette singing an unforgettable farewell to Johnny - "One For My Baby." (I still have vivid memories of being home watching this on the broadcast - and I'm so glad it's been preserved for the ages.)

 

[+ WilliamM]

There was a time his monologue was required viewing.

 

I do remember Jack Paar's last show as host of NBC's late night show in the early 1960s, but not Johnny Carson's with the exception of the very end. Never would guessed it was 25 years ago, @purplekow. Thanks.

 

Since I know now that Johnny's first show included Joan Crawford...it was a big change from Jack Paar. It is difficult to imagine Crawford and Paar in the same state, let alone the same TV show.

[bostonman]

For the record, I had just turned 28 - I had been watching the Tonight Show since my early teens - somehow my parents allowing me to stay up that late.

[+ Charlie]

I almost never watched late-nite tv, because if it was a weekday, I went to bed early to be up by 6am, and if it was a weekend, I was probably out whoring. I knew Johnny Carson only by reputation.

[+ MostlyLurking]

Youngsters! I stayed up late to watch Steve Allen, who did the late night thing before Jack Paar. How did I manage staying up that late? Maybe it was during summer break.

[bostonman]

I do remember Jack Paar's last show as host of NBC's late night show in the early 1960s, but not Johnny Carson's with the exception of the very end. Never would guessed it was 25 years ago, @purplekow. Thanks.

 

WilliamM - you might be amused by this - one of my early memories of the show was during the summer of 1978 - I was in the middle of rehearsals for a youth theatre production of Annie Get Your Gun - and I had heard that Merman was going to be on Carson that night. Fun coincidence! So when I got home from rehearsal that night - I settled back and waited for the show...and then got THIS --

 

 

I have to say I didn't know what to think...

[JBrian72]

I remember that night well. I was living on Pt. Dume, a stone's throw away from Johnny Carson's home. There were helicopters all over the place that night, circling his house. Understand that this was less than a month after the LA riots. Very surreal times.

[+ WilliamM]

 

I have to say I didn't know what to think

 

I was not as surprised because I saw "Gypsy" from the front row of the orchestra at the Imperial Theater in NYC in 1960. Merman was a decent actress but primarily a singer. I was very lucky to see her in such a complex musical role, especially so close to the stage.

 

Thank you very much for the video.

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Seems longer than 25 years. (Maybe because it felt like Leno's tenure - parts 1 & 2 - lasted an eternity.)

[bostonman]

I was not as surprised because I saw "Gypsy" from the front row of the orchestra at the Imperial Theater in NYC in 1960. Merman was a decent actress but primarily a singer.

 

I was actually referring to the shock of Merman having gone disco! Never expected that, lol.

[+ WilliamM]

I was actually referring to the shock of Merman having gone disco! Never expected that, lol.

 

I understood your comment. My point was after Broadway, Merman wanted to become mostly known as a singer. So if someone suggested disco, I am not surprised Merman would give it a try...she already knew the words to all the songs:)

[bostonman]

I understood your comment. My point was after Broadway, Merman wanted to become mostly known as a singer. So if someone suggested disco, I am not surprised Merman would give it a try...she already knew the words to all the songs:)

 

Though, the CD liner notes (yes, I blush to say I have the CD) tend to corroborate the rumor that she hated disco and didn't want to sing the songs over that kind of beat, or to sing them in a rock/pop vocal style - so they just recorded her first, singing the songs in the style she was used to - and the rest was all done with studio magic. I wouldn't be surprised by that...

[MikeBiDude]

I was helping LA clean up from riots

[+ purplekow]

La Merman must have been 70 in that video and yet she is moving her legs pretty well. I guess Cher is not the only 70 year who can shake that booty.

[+ purplekow]

At least this version of Alexander's Ragtime Band seems fairly traditional Merman with a loudy brass band for a loud brassy dame.

 

 

La Merman must have been 70 in that video and yet she is moving her legs pretty well. I guess Cher is not the only 70 year who can shake that booty.

[LoveNDino]

I was likely in bed with my straight friend. He always finds himself in my bed when he gets drunk, which was a lot.

[+ OliverSaks]

Sleeping in a crib in a diaper.

 

I was two.

[beachboy]

Sleeping in a crib in a diaper.

 

I was two.

Bless!

[BasketBaller]

I was 16, and watched with my family even though I hadn't often seen his show. My parents were big fans, though, and my brothers and I watched the last couple of shows with them.

[JBrian72]

I was helping LA clean up from riots

I was sitting at the snack bar at the old Sports Erection in WeHo on April 29, 1992 when the riots started. I'll never forget drinking my peanut butter banana smoothie and watching the fires start.