Happy Birthday, Johnny Carson!

 

Johnny Carson has been in the news recently because somebody, I think maybe he was Johnny's lawyer, has written a book  about him. In it (from what I have read in reviews and comments in magazines and the newspaper) the author talks about how Johnny loved his wife to the point of obsessing about her. That's the one thing I remember....evidently Johnny tried to break into his ex-wife's house/apartment? Something *shocking* along those lines.

Johnny Carson was notoriously shy. He did not grant interviews as a rule; I can remember only once when he sat down for any interview of any length. That one was on SIXTY MINUTES in 1980 or so. His basic point was that if he talked about himself, he could alienate some of his audience. If he kept quiet, everyone would think he agreed with *them.* So he kept quiet.

Johnny Carson was notoriously talented. He had a skill of being able to listen and then ask interesting questions. Recently Turner Classic Movies ran a series of his interviews with such celebrities as Jonathan Winters, Tony Curtis, Susan Sarandon, and Kirk Douglas. They were a joy to watch, not so much for any gossip or Hollywood talk per se but because he talked to all of his guests as if they WERE his guests. He was (or seemed) interested in them, which made us interested in them. Plus, he had a wonderful sense of timing AND self-deprecation, two things you absolutely have to have to be a great comedian.

If you are interested in watching classic Johnny Carson moments, visit www.johnnycarson.com 

Johnny was born on October 23, 1925 in a small town in Iowa. He and his family then moved to Nebraska when he was eight. He died in 2005.

Happy Birthday, Johnny Carson! 

We miss you! 

  

 One of my favorite bits was when Johnny and Ed did their "Carnac the Magnificent" bit. 

Here's a quick sample...