“Talent alone won’t make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time unless you are ready. Are you ready?.”
Johnny Carson
Introduction
Johnny Carson was probably the best chat show host that America ever produced. His Tonight Show ran from 1962-1992 and during that time he interviewed everyone who was everyone in showbusiness. His dry wit and relaxed interviewing style that often involved a cigarette and an alcoholic beverage let Don Rickles go into overdrive mode, Dean Martin go into his drunk act and Frank Sintra serenade the audience. This silver fox was a class act and an ordained member of the notorious Rat Pack. For thirty years Johnny ruled American television and inspired so many to walk in his footsteps. From black and white to colour, we saw Carson mature and shine. A refined act that made you feel that this was just a relaxed chat in your living room. He could get the best out of a frosty Bette Davis and sent Robin Williams into a comedic masterclass.
JC had a knack for getting the best of a guest. His probing was seemingly effortless and produced divine results. Stories from guests that you would never be privileged to hear outside his television studio. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon bounced off each others’ humour Paul Williams in full Planet of the Apes costume as Virgil, smoking a cigarette and being himself. A priceless moment and one hard to repeat. He even took up a microphone and started singing. Not bad going for someone who spent four hours in makeup and rushed straight from the set of Battle for the Planet of the Apes.
The Master
Carson’s trick was to never talk over a guest and always let his guest own their appearance. He had a sharp sense of humour and would often pay homage to and mimic his comedy heroes of Jack Benny, Groucho Marx and George Burns. Burns was a man who could still smoke fifteen cigars a day well into his ninth decade and viewed Al Jolson as the greatest entertainer. Yet Carson who had many of the same traits as Bob Hope and who interviewed the British-born star many times rated him as his least favourite guest. There was a coolness between their rivalry and Carson resented the fact that Bob could book himself on his show whenever he chose to self-promote himself. Hope was the one guest who came with a well-rehearsed script and wouldn’t engage in conversation. Unlike Hope, Carson was learned, learning to speak Swahili and Russian and even studied astronomy.
In later years, Hope’s eyesight failed and he wasn’t able to see Carson’s autocue. He had to remember his script and it was at times painful. Hope often answerd a different question to his notes. Carson once quipped “if I ever end up like that man, shoot me.” Yet ironically Carson retired before Hope. Madonna, Clint Eastwood, Audrey Hepburn, Peter Falk and Boy George. His guests ran hot and cold but Johnny never went above room temperature. He was an immaculate machine who never got flustered. A man who loved hosting parties and could claim JFK as one of his close friends. He brought Jim Henson and Mel Blanc where they performed the voices of Kermit the Frog and Bugs Bunny. You were always guaranteed a treat when Steve Martin was on and Chevy Chase was hilarious. Carson looked uncomfortable being polite and always dealt a sarcastic quip when he could. Irony ruled.
A heavy smoker in his prime, someone who smoked four packets of Pall Mall a day and often said they were killing him. He suffered a massive heart attack in 1999 and had to undergo a quadruple heart bypass as a result. He died in 2005 after a battle with emphysema.
