Hi, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab...
I know Carson retired from the public eye some time ago, and he did a really remarkable vanishing act in the process, but I always harbored the suspicion that some smart filmmaker was going to coax him in front of the camera at some point. I mean... he was Johnny Carson. The guy had ungodly comic timing, and a presence that was so specific... he would have been gold if you could have convinced him to play a supporting role in something. And you know Hollywood would have fallen all over itself to pay tribute to him if that had happened.
It’s strange... he never appeared in a film (except as himself), but his influence over all of entertainment was profound. Think of how many comedians’ careers he launched. Think of how his show was the center of late-night hip for so long, and how a great appearance on that show could send the public scrambling to watch a TV show or see a movie. And through it all, Carson’s public persona was self-effacing, casually assured, and unflappable. He never once seemed to be phoning it in. I grew up watching this guy work, and even now, I subconsciously compare any new talk show host to him, the gold standard.
Carson’s the kind of personality where there are dozens and dozens of great stories about quips he made on the air, and there’s even a sort of mythology that’s sprung up where people swear they heard comments that never happened. I remember reading in a book the story about Zsa Zsa Gabor making an appearance on the show with a large white Persian in her lap. She asked Johnny at one point, “Johnny, do you want to pet my pussy?” And he responded, “Sure, if you’ll move the damn cat.” Great joke... but since then, I’ve heard that it’s false. The important thing is that it sounds like Carson, who always had a crack, who was lightning-fast when someone gave him a great set-up.
There is no question that he was one of the giants of the broadcasting world, and it’s a sad day for everyone whose lives he touched, professionally or otherwise. I’ll always remember him the way he was in the heyday of the show, when they could drink and smoke on the air, as the host of the best party on TV. I’m sure that wherever he is now, things are finally getting started with his arrival. AICN sends its deepest condolences to his friends, family, and fans around the world.
Johnny Carson was 79 years old.
"Moriarty" out.
