Johnny Carson: 1925-2005
It's the normal practice in the Realm™ to acknowledge it when a notable celebrity shuffles off this mortal coil, coupled with a few words of tribute.
Now, not every celebrity who passes gets this treatment, but if they impacted my life in any significant way, then they'll normally get a mention. Ben Affleck and/or Matt Damon, for example, will earn themselves a major (yawn) from me when their times doth come.
With all that said, today the Realm™ - indeed, the entire world, I would imagine - mourns the passing of a giant.
Rarely did I ever stay up to watch an entire 90 minutes - later reduced to an hour - of the Tonight Show on NBC. But I remember never going to bed until I'd seen that night's monologue delivered by its host, one John William Carson.
Johnny Carson was not the first talk-show host - nor, obviously, was he the last. But - and there's no "may very well have been" about it - he was the greatest ever. Carson died Sunday at age 79 from complications resulting from emphyzema.
Johnny Carson ruled the late-night television from his perch behind that desk on the Tonight Show set for 30 years. Over 22,000 individuals occupied the chair next to Johnny Carson's desk for those 10-minute (sometimes longer) chats. Several comics got their start and/or big break on the Tonight Show, including three of whom you may have heard - folks named Rivers, Leno & Letterman.
Carson gave us "Floyd R. Turbo, American"; "Art Fern"; "Aunt Blabby"; "Carnac the Magnificent" and the "Mighty Carson Art Players". He gave us memorable scenes like going eye-to-eye with the cute little monkey and Ed Ames' tomahawk-to-the-crotch moment, or any number of gestures during his many monologues - which sometimes got more laughs than the jokes themselves.
Carson made household names out of people like Ed McMahon, Doc Severinson, Tommy Newman, Joan Embry, Jim Fowler, David Brenner, John Davidson & Joey Bishop. And he gave us the infamous Tiny Tim-Miss Vicki wedding in 1969.
Letterman yesterday was quoted as saying, "We will not see the likes of him again." I dare say that Letterman barely scratches the surface of America's sentiment for John William Carson.
So long, Johnny. You were missed immensely the day you retired in May of 1992. You'll be missed even moreso now.
It's the normal practice in the Realm™ to acknowledge it when a notable celebrity shuffles off this mortal coil, coupled with a few words of tribute.
Now, not every celebrity who passes gets this treatment, but if they impacted my life in any significant way, then they'll normally get a mention. Ben Affleck and/or Matt Damon, for example, will earn themselves a major (yawn) from me when their times doth come.
With all that said, today the Realm™ - indeed, the entire world, I would imagine - mourns the passing of a giant.
Rarely did I ever stay up to watch an entire 90 minutes - later reduced to an hour - of the Tonight Show on NBC. But I remember never going to bed until I'd seen that night's monologue delivered by its host, one John William Carson.
Johnny Carson was not the first talk-show host - nor, obviously, was he the last. But - and there's no "may very well have been" about it - he was the greatest ever. Carson died Sunday at age 79 from complications resulting from emphyzema.
Johnny Carson ruled the late-night television from his perch behind that desk on the Tonight Show set for 30 years. Over 22,000 individuals occupied the chair next to Johnny Carson's desk for those 10-minute (sometimes longer) chats. Several comics got their start and/or big break on the Tonight Show, including three of whom you may have heard - folks named Rivers, Leno & Letterman.
Carson gave us "Floyd R. Turbo, American"; "Art Fern"; "Aunt Blabby"; "Carnac the Magnificent" and the "Mighty Carson Art Players". He gave us memorable scenes like going eye-to-eye with the cute little monkey and Ed Ames' tomahawk-to-the-crotch moment, or any number of gestures during his many monologues - which sometimes got more laughs than the jokes themselves.
Carson made household names out of people like Ed McMahon, Doc Severinson, Tommy Newman, Joan Embry, Jim Fowler, David Brenner, John Davidson & Joey Bishop. And he gave us the infamous Tiny Tim-Miss Vicki wedding in 1969.
Letterman yesterday was quoted as saying, "We will not see the likes of him again." I dare say that Letterman barely scratches the surface of America's sentiment for John William Carson.
So long, Johnny. You were missed immensely the day you retired in May of 1992. You'll be missed even moreso now.
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