Letterman Pays Special Tribute to Carson

AP via Earthlink ^ | January 31, 2005 | AP

[John W]

NEW YORK - David Letterman paid tribute to Johnny Carson on Monday by telling his jokes. On his first "Late Show" since Carson's death on Jan. 23, Letterman's opening monologue was comprised entirely of jokes that Carson had quietly sent to him over the past few months from retirement in California.

Letterman didn't tell the audience until after the monologue was over who wrote the jokes. His guest on Monday's show, former Carson producer Peter Lassally, had revealed a few days before Carson had died that the retired "Tonight" show host missed his nightly monologue and had written jokes for Letterman.

"I moved to Los Angeles from Indianapolis in 1975, and the reason I moved is because of Johnny Carson and the `Tonight' show," Letterman said. "And I'm not the only one. I would guess that maybe three generations of comedians moved to be where Johnny was because if you thought you were funny and you wanted to find out if you could hit major league pitching, you had to be on the `Tonight' show."

Letterman said his first "Tonight" appearance led to his first NBC show.

"Truthfully, no stretch of the imagination, I owe everything in my professional career, whatever success we've attained, to Johnny Carson, because he was nice enough to give me the opportunity, and throughout my career, was always very supportive."

The entire show was devoted to Carson, filled with reminiscences from Lassally and Letterman.

At the end, Carson's old bandleader Doc Severinsen and his band - including put-upon sax player Tommy Newsome - performed one of Carson's favorite songs, "Here's That Rainy Day."

When Carson retired in May 1992, it set up a battle between Letterman and Jay Leno over who would succeed him. NBC chose Leno - but the joke pipeline was an indication that Carson privately considered Letterman the better host.

Letterman's CBS show was in reruns last week, allowing Leno the jump on a late-night Carson tribute. Leno's highly rated show last week included former Carson sidekick Ed McMahon and comics Bob Newhart and Don Rickles.

Letterman said everybody who's doing a talk show, himself included, is secretly doing Carson's "Tonight" show.

"The reason we're all doing Johnny's `Tonight' is because you think, `Well, if I do Johnny's "Tonight" show, maybe I'll be a little like Johnny and people will like me more,'" he said. "But it sadly doesn't work that way. It's just, if you're not Johnny, you're wasting your time."

[DoughtyOne]

I liked Jay a lot more before he took on the Tonight Show. His treatment of Linda Tripp bordered on stalking as far as I was concerned. He was a lot cleaner before the tonight show. There was a lot more to respect about him back then.

[Pylon]

Because Carson was in our living room or bedroom almost every night for 30 years.

[BurbankKarl]

ping

[MJY1288]

Johnny Carson was to late night TV, as Elvis Presley was to Rock-n-Roll.

I will never forget when Carson had Zsha Zsha Gabor on his show and she had a Persian Cat on her lap, She asked Johnny Carson if he would like to pet her Pussy, Carson said "Sure!! If you'd get that damn cat out of the way"

[Dasaji]

What gives?

Carson was THE late night icon for 30 years. The Tonight Show was the first of its kind and I believe, Carson was the longest running host of *anything.*

I guess if you never experienced the Tonight Show and Carson's wit, class, grace, humor, etc. for more than just a year or so (I remember for as long as I can remember Carson's Tonight Show) I s'pose it might be hard to understand his legendary and unreplicable presence in television.

[Mr. K]

Johnny Carson was the one person who EVERY ONE Liked- this is stunning if you think about it- Rush Limbaugh pointed this out once and I agree with it.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

Urban legend

[philetus]

Carson finally appeared on Letterman's show well into its run. Upon arriving on stage, he unfolded a cardboard desk, saying he felt naked without it. The audience erupted. Carson, a master of timing, always knew how to get the biggest laugh.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/24/carson.appreciation/

[kylaka]

Carson was in our homes every day for 30 years. Can't say the same for the rest..... and just about everyone saw themselves in Carson, in many of the skits he did.

And, I'll throw this in as a personal observsation. Leno and Letterman for example, get a little highbrow at times, and they just can't help it. Carson was never intelectualy challenging. His jokes never went over anyones head.

[pittsburgh gop guy]

As for Jay making the OJ trial into a recurring joke (Dancing Itos), well, tasteless. Double-murder trial does not equal hilarious. I mean, what is funny about a dancing Judge Ito?

Jay has given me a couple of chuckles in the few times that I endured his monologue. But Letterman, in his prime, was much funnier.

[Cruising Speed]

Probably had to be there to understand it, Johnny never put on airs and people really identified with him. Also, he seemed most satisfied when his guest got a big laugh line--was just an all around great guy, in fact his license plate was "360 GUY".

[MJY1288]

I remember watching Johnny Carson with my father on his console TV that had an AM radio and a record player that had 4 speeds... 16, 32, 45 and 78, and he had dozens of Christmas Albums on 78's. The screen was black and white and depending upon how much tinfoil we had crimped around the "Rabbit Ears" would determine the quality of the reception :-)

Those were the days !!!

[FreedomCalls]

Leno and Letterman for example, get a little highbrow at times, and they just can't help it. Carson was never intelectualy challenging. His jokes never went over anyones head.

And might I add that both Leno and Letterman EVERY NIGHT lead off with jokes about what the President is doing. It gets tiresome after a while. Carson never focussed on the President so much like Leno and Letterman do. He still held the office in respect and didn't let his personal politics get in the way of entertainment. Jeez guys, joke about something else once in a while willya?

[onyx]

I know you TWO are TOO YOUNG
to have seen Johnny Carson's
shows...lol.. but if you liked
him, (I loved him) this Letterman
'show is a must see.

Dave will tell the jokes Johnny sent to him.

[MJY1288]

Is that right? I can't tell you how many times I have told that story. A buddy of mine told me about that episode, and that was at least 20 years ago.... :-(

[cyborg]

thanks for the head's up... I'll take a look.

[conservlib]

I don't remember this one, but I remember Dolly Parton on his show, and he is telling her in straight face that shallow people talk about her breasts, and stuff. Then he jumped up poking his face in her chest and said, but I will give a week salary just to see them!

[Verginius Rufus]

Yes, Hillary appeared on Letterman's show and answered a bunch of questions to show her knowledge of New York state (remember she was running as a carpetbagger)...it turned out she had been given the questions in advance. Then Letterman had a "gotcha" phone interview with Bush.

The first night that Jay Leno had the Tonight Show as "his" show, no longer a guest host, he said nothing about Johnny Carson, who had just been hosting the show for 30 years...no praise or acknowledgement. He got a lot of flak for that.

[Petronski]

I'm an old insomniac from way back. I remember Johnny Carson back to the late seventies (when the folks were asleep and I was not), when I was ten. I remember being disappointed when he cut back from 90 minutes to 60.


"Sis Boom Bahh"

"What's the sound made by an exploding sheep?"

[withteeth]

geez, it's starting to hit me now :(