MSNBC reporting that Johnny Carson has died

Bob the Gunslinger · Post by **Bob the Gunslinger** » 2005-01-24 03:35pm

Durandal wrote:
Drooling Iguana wrote:
Durandal wrote:The man was the king of late night, period. Letterman and Leno couldn't hold a candle to what he did over his 30 year run. It's too bad he became a recluse, but at least he came out to do a Simpsons episode about ten years back.
At least it looks like he'll finally have a worthy successor when Conan O'Brien takes over the Tonight Show in a few years.
Conan's okay, but he's not in the same league as Carson.

I don't know. I watched Carson for years, but I never laughed like I do when I watch O'Brien.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2005-01-24 03:39pm

Damn... Goodbye Jonny and God bless.

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2005-01-24 04:57pm

www.randi.org

He was a big time smoker.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2005-01-24 11:20pm

Elfdart wrote:I hope they show the Tomohawk Clip. That cracks me up every time I see it.

"Welcome to Frontier Bris."

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2005-01-24 11:28pm

I remember when he and Jack Webb spoofed Dragnet with the "Copper Clappers" skit. Funniest Goddamn thing I ever saw. Obviously, I didn't see it when it first aired, but I saw a tape of it years later. It's funniest if you know Dragnet, and I was a huge Dragnet fan at the time.

Post by **Dalton** » 2005-01-24 11:37pm

Man...I never saw much of Johnny, but what I did see I enjoyed immensely. The sheer amount of people he influenced is absolutely staggering.

*salutes*

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2005-01-24 11:51pm

I recall the skit where he played President Reagan and he and an aide were re-doing the famous Abbott-and-Costello "Who's On First" routine —slightly adapted, of course...

"You say Chinese premier Hu Chung Wu is calling? I'll put the president on... Mr. President, Hu is on the phone."

"Well I don't know, Jim, maybe you can tell me who is on the phone."

"Yes, sir."

"You mean that Arafat guy?"

"No, sir."

"Why are you doing this to me, Jim?"

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2005-01-25 03:12am

You know, Carson's humor was very physical as well as spontaneous. He would jump around, break set pieces, get into slap fights with Ed McMahon, perform magic tricks, expose faith healers with James Randi, and he even barged into neighboring studio sets during taping.

What do we get now? Jay fucking Leno. He tells a few stupid one-liners during the opening of the show and, for the rest of it, he’s not funny at all. No gags, no spontaneous wit, no physical comedy… bah. Thank god for Conan O Brien...

Superman · Post by **Superman** » 2005-01-25 03:15am

Oh, one more thing... Jay Leno has the worst fucking band on TV.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2005-01-25 06:50am

Carson (To Robert Kennedy, just after his brother was elected and he was appointed attorney General): So, how does it feel to have a famous brother?

Kennedy: I don't know, you'll have to ask the president.

King of creating the spontaneously funny comment. His show was full of em....

I cried. Who else cried?

Well...admittedly....I'm underalot of emotional strain so a fly could have shat on my car and I probably would have cried.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2005-01-25 12:54pm

Patrick Degan wrote:
Elfdart wrote:I hope they show the Tomohawk Clip. That cracks me up every time I see it.
"Welcome to Frontier Bris."

I had to wait all weekend to get in touch with my Mom and find out who that was. I remember he was a singer and she had some of his records. It was Ed Ames.

I also remember years ago when Buddy Hackett was on HBO and finally told the joke that he told Johnny during a commercial break. The one that left Carson laughing so hard he couldn't even talk in the next segment. They just came back from break and he couldn't stop.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2005-01-25 03:15pm

Don't leave us hanging, what's the joke?

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2005-01-25 04:18pm

CaptainChewbacca wrote:Don't leave us hanging, what's the joke?

Hell, it's only one of the most famous unintentional bits of comedy in television history. Actor Ed Ames was co-starring in the 1965 television series Daniel Boone (with Fess Parker) then, and on Carson's show he was set up to give a tomohawk-throwing demonstration with an outline of a cowboy as the target. Ames makes his toss and the hatchet buries itself right in the target's crotch area. Whole studio breaks up for about five minutes which is fueled by Carson's announcing "Welcome to Frontier Bris." Nobody can get themselves back under control except for Johnny, who turnes to Ames and says "I didn't even know you were Jewish." They had to go to commercial after that. It was the longest moment of burst of laughter in Tonight Show history.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2005-01-25 09:38pm

It's hard to tell the joke Buddy Hackett told because you kinda have to see it, but here goes:

A guy walks into the doctor's office and says "I've got a problem." He pulls out his whang and the doctor sees it's all bent and twisted. "Looks painful", says the doc. "What happened?" The man says "I don't know, it's been like this for years and keeps getting worse." The doctor says, "I've got bad news, it's possible to straighten it out with an operation, but there's a risk. The patient doesn't want the risk and says no.

A year later he comes back to the doctor and says "I'm cured!" He pulls it out and it's back to normal -straight as an arrow. "How?" asked the MD. "Well, every time I pee, I tap or shake off the last few drops so as not to spill on my pants." The doctor asked "Well everbody does that -what did you do before?"

[

MANIACAL LOOK ON BUDDY'S FACE AS HE MAKES A TWO-HANDED TWISTING MOTION AS THOUGH HE WAS TRYING TO WRING THE LAST DROP OUT OF A RAG!

]

The_Last_Rebel · Post by **The_Last_Rebel** » 2005-01-26 12:11am

He was the best there ever will be

[ Twisted Evil MANIACAL LOOK ON BUDDY'S FACE AS HE MAKES A TWO-HANDED TWISTING MOTION AS THOUGH HE WAS TRYING TO WRING THE LAST DROP OUT OF A RAG! Twisted Evil

LMAO!
Yup, that'll do it!