Vanity: Bill Clinton on Johnny Carson's death

FOX News ^ | 01/23/2005 | Fox News

[Howlin]

Rickles said that Carson was probably looking down from heaven embarassed as hell at all the "tributes" going on. "Why are they making such a big fuss."

He's a priceless man. He still makes me laugh just like he use to. He gave Larry King a hard time tonight. The rerun would be worth watching.

[spodefly]

It's all about Bill.

[dougherty]

I don't even remember Clinton's appearance on Carson's show. I DO remember his appearance on Arsenio Hall where he played the saxophone.

[John Lenin]

[Swede Girl]

For Clinton, it is all about himself....what Carson did for him, etc. Clinton thought he was the cat's meow when he went on Carson. It is true that between the Dem Convention and the Carson show, Clinton had his first major national attention at that time. He and Hillary were plotting then for the big prize.

Due to the generational differences, so many of the new, young commentators I saw today cannot possibly remember or understand the Carson years, and they certainly cannot know all of the old-timers they are interviewing concerning Carson's death. Some of the interviews were awkward, I thought.

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

Bubba is trailer trash.

[BigSkyFreeper]

If people hadn't bought into his snake oil, he wouldn't have been a two term president.

[AggieCPA]

I agree about Rickles, but I have to add Buddy Hackett.

[MarineBrat]

>>I agree about Rickles, but I have to add Buddy Hackett.

Oh yeah, they were great together! There were just certain comics who fed off of each other well. For instance, whenever Don Knots and Tim Conway were together I always had a good time, though admittedly they were better when I was much younger. I won't say Carson, Rickles and Hackett were more .... er... sophisticated, though I guess they may have been, but they were funny in such a way that it took a more sophisticated audience to fully understand the humor. Normally I don't feel comfortable watching people insult each other, but when Rickles or Hackett were letting Johnny have it you could tell that they really loved each other, even through all of the flying hockey pucks!

So many of those people who were on the Johnny Carson loved Johnny as much as we did, and I think that was a very important part of the show.

Gee I miss him. I sure would like to get my hands on a copy of that celebrity roast of him.

[dfwgator]

Yep you are right, Clinton was a national joke, his biggest applause during that speech was when he said "And in conclusion..." The Tonight Show appearance did indeed save him.

[Polyxene]

I have often wondered what people will say when Bubba finally shuffles off his mortal coil -- what they REALLY think or what the MSM wants to hear. I know what freepers will be saying and doing over his grave, and it won't pass for roses!!

[valger]

Hi, I just wanted to say, after reading the above posts, is that proves just how great Johnny was, that only he could jump-start the career of someone like Clinton. Johnny was so much the opposite of a personality like Clinton, though, that I honestly don't think that he thought the interview with Bill Clinton would do so much for Bill's career. Johnny was very down to earth, and didn't like the accolades that people gave him. It's like, with Johnny, since he did so much for us in our lives (in our house growing up) that you want to thank him, and hope he's happy, but from what I hear, he wanted to just be private. I am hoping he didn't suffer too much with this disease he had, although I hear emphysema can be very difficult. It's so sad to think that if he didn't smoke, he would still be here. Ed McMahon was just saying how Johnny was a total health nut when it came to everything else, he just couldn't quit the smokes. What a shame...he should have had ten or twenty more years with his beautiful wife at least. I hope she is doing ok, I thank her for all the support she gave him, and for being such a wonderful wife, I am so grateful that he found happiness with her. We love you Johnny!!!