RIP, Johnny Carson

[tzikeh]

If I had had my coffee yet this morning, I'd have more brain power to talk in depth about just why he was the very, very best at what he did, and how the exceptional mix of wit and gentility he exemplified has died with him.

Goodnight, Johnny.

Comments

[greywingnut.livejournal.com]

Fitting that I should first hear this sad, sad news from you.

IIRC, just before he retired from The Tonight Show we had a discussion about how much we'd miss him. I said something about how he'd improved since he'd announced his plans to retire. You pointed out that this was just my perception, that he'd been consistently brilliant, and that I had simply realized what we'd be losing. And you were absolutely right.

Godspeed, Johnny.

[dana-kujan.livejournal.com]

I'm stunned. I'm behind not only on my daily caffeine intake, but my news-browsing as well, so your entry came as quite a shock.

I can only echo your sentiments.

Oh no!

[kimberlyfdr.livejournal.com]

You said it best. Goodnight, Johnny.

[luminosity]

Mr. Late Night Television. The others can only aspire to that indescribable mix of near-acerbity, humor, wit and the knowledge of when and where to allow his guests to shine. I stopped watching late night talk shows regularly when he retired and never went back. Sigh.

[tanacawyr.livejournal.com]

Good heavens. Wow.

Still, a good, productive life and a reasonable death. He definitely made out ahead.

[kirbyfest.livejournal.com]

In an odd way, he's the face I still expect to see whenever I turn on a late night talk show.

[jackiekjono.livejournal.com]

Also, a pigmy marmoset once peed on his head. I remember giggling about that months afterward - usually in class and my teacher thought I was giggling at her.

Johnny got me into a lot of trouble when I was a kid.

[ardent-muses.livejournal.com]

I think maybe it was that he didn't have that whole, sly "we're laughing at ourselves here" thing that David Letterman does so well. (And I love Letterman, except when he's mean to people.)

Carson seemed to respect his guests and his audience. Once in a while, he'd turn and raise an eyebrow at the audience, but not very often. He didn't get most of his laughs that way. Not a lot of that around anymore.

Anyway, sad day.