Thanks Carnac!
Hey Kids,
I know it has been a while since my last post...I do apologize. What can I say...I just was laggin'!
Anyway, I woke up this morning to the TV blaring the reports that Icon Johnny Carson had passed. Flurries of thoughts went through my head, but most prevalent was my immense respect and adoration for the man.
I can remember being 9 or 10 and hiding behind the sofa...way after bedtime...to listen to the Tonight Show. I thought I was being sneaky gettin to watch what all the adults watched when we little ones hit the hay. Inevitably, I would laugh or chuckle during the monologue and get caught...back off to bed! Incredibly, my dad would turn the volume up on the TV so I could hear it from my room. As I lay there, my head would fill with dreams of being on the couch...next to Ed, Burt Reynolds, Farah Fawcett and the Amazing Kreskin...being interviewed by Johnny as being the only kid in the world who was allowed to "Listen" to the Tonight Show. Farah would give me a peck on the cheek, Ed gave me a can of Alpo...and after the show, Burt took me for a ride in that black Trans Am that he drove in Smokey and the Bandit. OK, so I had an active imagination.
It wasn't until I was 13 or 14 that I realized how amazing Johnny really was. He was NEVER rude...except in talking about one of his many ex wives. He was the most ingratiating Listener I have ever witnessed. From the little old lady who just turned 100 to the guy who was supposed to bring his trained parakeet on the show (unfortunately, the night before...in his hotel room, he rolled over in bed...only to flatten th parakeet like roadkill). Johnny listened. He didn't try to one up the guests. He didn't make everything a joke. But, when the opportunity arose...he would slip in a zinger, completely off the cuff...and we would roll.
Who could forget Drew Carey being asked over to the couch after his set? Or George Carlin doing the "Hippie Dippy Weatherman"? Or, that last night...Bette Midler..."one more for my baby"...camera pans...Johnny is in tears...instantly...so are we!
In my humble opinion...there are a handful of Icons that will be remembered as fondly as Johnny. Will Rogers, Bob Hope, and George Burns...you have just been sent your 4th Muskateer.
I know it has been a while since my last post...I do apologize. What can I say...I just was laggin'!
Anyway, I woke up this morning to the TV blaring the reports that Icon Johnny Carson had passed. Flurries of thoughts went through my head, but most prevalent was my immense respect and adoration for the man.
I can remember being 9 or 10 and hiding behind the sofa...way after bedtime...to listen to the Tonight Show. I thought I was being sneaky gettin to watch what all the adults watched when we little ones hit the hay. Inevitably, I would laugh or chuckle during the monologue and get caught...back off to bed! Incredibly, my dad would turn the volume up on the TV so I could hear it from my room. As I lay there, my head would fill with dreams of being on the couch...next to Ed, Burt Reynolds, Farah Fawcett and the Amazing Kreskin...being interviewed by Johnny as being the only kid in the world who was allowed to "Listen" to the Tonight Show. Farah would give me a peck on the cheek, Ed gave me a can of Alpo...and after the show, Burt took me for a ride in that black Trans Am that he drove in Smokey and the Bandit. OK, so I had an active imagination.
It wasn't until I was 13 or 14 that I realized how amazing Johnny really was. He was NEVER rude...except in talking about one of his many ex wives. He was the most ingratiating Listener I have ever witnessed. From the little old lady who just turned 100 to the guy who was supposed to bring his trained parakeet on the show (unfortunately, the night before...in his hotel room, he rolled over in bed...only to flatten th parakeet like roadkill). Johnny listened. He didn't try to one up the guests. He didn't make everything a joke. But, when the opportunity arose...he would slip in a zinger, completely off the cuff...and we would roll.
Who could forget Drew Carey being asked over to the couch after his set? Or George Carlin doing the "Hippie Dippy Weatherman"? Or, that last night...Bette Midler..."one more for my baby"...camera pans...Johnny is in tears...instantly...so are we!
In my humble opinion...there are a handful of Icons that will be remembered as fondly as Johnny. Will Rogers, Bob Hope, and George Burns...you have just been sent your 4th Muskateer.
posted by RJ - the Big Magic Fungi at 1:57 PM
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