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WPCNR SCREEN GEMS. By John F. Bailey. January 23, 2004: “Live from New York, it’s The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson, with Johnny’s Special Guests, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Raquel Welch, George Burns, Bob Hope, and Skitch Henderson and the NBC Orchestra…and now, heeeeeeeeeeer’s Johnny!”
This was Ed McMahon’s nightly trademark introduction to Johnny Carson who was reported dead today at 79. “Johnny’s” blend of playful monologue, light conversation, and trademark skits featuring Karnak The Magnificent, among others ruled the late night ratings and created a format generating imitators galore. The forever young Carson replaced Jack Paar on the Tonight Show in 1962. Mr. Carson perfected the talk show invented by this reporter’s idol, Steve Allen. “Johnny” was naturally funny with a gift for adlib that brought down the nation from coast-to-coast nightly, but never got him in trouble to my recollection.
Carson sprang to his calling after a stint on “Who Do You Trust?” a quiz show aired in midafternoon in the early sixties. From the beginning, Carson created bits that became trademarks: like the signature Tonight theme written for him by Paul Anka that started the beginning of his show. This appealing instrumental became almost as famous as the Dragnet theme, and featured a riff that promised class, bounce and entertainment late into the night.
Anyone who heard that clarion call, “Ba-dum-ba-Da-Da!” just had to stay for Mr. Carson’s opening monologue, the highlight of the show.
In the monologue he’d always introduce his band leader, Skitch Henderson in the beginning then later Doc Severinsen. The band on the Carson show was an integral part of the Carson monologue, inventing the rim shot for a punch line, improvising melodies appropriate to whatever joke Carson told. He delivered the unexpected with the expected.
Carson had a gift for understated humor, the shocked deadpan that turned an innocent remark into hilarious double entendre. Carson was at ease with celebrities who were able to relax on the couch next to Mr. Carson’s desk with microphone. Every bit that the Lettermans, the Lenos, the O’Briens do today on their talk shows, Carson did better. His bits were all his and leaned on his terrific adlib ability which created hysterical moments.
Carson invented the bumper slide going to commercials, the personality in a slide gag, and always signed off his monologue with his clubless golf swing and the trademark musical riff, “Ba-dum-ba-Da-Da” from his theme.
In the 60s he appealed to college students for his topical humor that poked fun at politicians without the vicious edge of today. He appealed to women young and old for his looks and choir-boy-with-a -mischievous-streak demeanor. He appealed to men young and old because he was genuinely funny.
He handled sexy topics with a naughtiness that was playful, never vulgar. To say he was genial was to understate his gift for making a national television audience feel at ease with him, who loved his humor, his show and always watched the first fifteen minutes for Johnny’s commentaries on the day.
Carson invented the announcer as sidekick gimmick in the person of his longtime Marine pal, Ed McMahon, whose hearty laughter was always there even when Johnny’s jokes did not work. When a Carson line did not work, he often got his biggest laughs, by saying things like “This is a tough crowd,” or ….”O…..Kaaaaaaay,” or writing down something with his pencil. But that rarely happened. Carson’s monologues delivered short two-liners mostly, in the style of Henny Youngman, and Johnny could build on a theme.
The imitators Carson spawned never improved on his format, nor his ambience. With Carson, you felt you were part of a pleasant conversation, always light. Carson never discussed the troubling issues of the day. He made you feel good. He brought out the human side of celebrities, who no matter how famous, loved being on Johnny’s show because they were never embarrassed. He respected them and they had fun. They could be themselves.
Johnny never relied on sex and innuendo for his humor, but had a mischievous streak that often brought knowing guffaws from the audience. Their laughter would ellicit a disapproving wide eyed stare at the camera from the boyish host. His jokes were not mean, not dirty, and you would never hear Carson use the words talk show hosts sometimes employ today. He would appear prudish when Gina Lollibrigida’s decolletage was too deep, deliberately looking stage left, repeating that gag through an interview with a revealingly clad female guest.
Johnny got his biggest laughs when he would have visits from zoo keepers bringing in strange animals, whom Johnny would interview and mug it up with, such as alligators, exotic birds, chimpanzees, who would often commit hilarious indiscretions on camera.
Carson was stylish, teaching generations of young men how to dress with poise, and always keep your cool.
He made running a talk show seem like the greatest job in the world. It is.
The real star of The Tonight Show was Johnny Carson, and he was that star for 30 years from 1962-1992. As the Associated Press obituary notice notes, a Carson appearance made you a star if you were trying to get a break, and American viewers loved him. Doc Severinsen, the band leader, tells of how people always ask Doc about how Johnny is and how they miss him.
The show was at its best when Johnny was doing one of his bits, whether it be still photographs to suggest outrageous solutions, his Carnak imitation with the audience, where the audience would write things down, and Carnak would guess them by holding an evelope to his head. The Carnak character was based on mentalists who abounded in an earlier era. Carson also played (with slick-backed hair) a used car salesman, imitating car salesman who advertised heavily on West Coast stations, Aunt Blabby, Floyd Turbo and other zany personalities. This character morphed into spokespeople for various products. The bits were not always hilarious but they always amused.
Now the master has swung his imaginary golf swing to go to the final fade. Talk’s finest is gone.
An example of Carson’s adlib ability is in The New York Times extensive obituary of Johnny appearing Monday. Asked what would be his epitaph, Carson said, “I’ll be right back.”
The most boring part of his show were the guests, because you really tuned in Tonight for Johnny Carson.
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