re: Johnny Carson’s Last Show Was 32 Years Ago Tonight

quote:

---

To put it in perspective - he became the U.S. cultural nexus beginning during the JFK administration when WWII vets were still relatively young (many still in their 30s) and maintained that until a time the older millennials can actually remember, the early 90s, so not necessarily impactful on 4 full generations, call it 3 1/2.

---

When I was in college I worked at a men's clothing store. The couple that owned the store were in their mid 70's. The husband and I talked every day about what happened on Carson the night before. He loved it and so did I.

I watched it every night from the mid 70's when I was in high school until I graduate from college. All of that time I watched it, and Letterman, on a 12" black & white TV. One reason was because we didn't have cable. I wasn't a nightly viewer after I graduated college, moved off on my on, and got cable, but it was still good when I did watch it.

quote:

---

Carson was kind of odd in that he wasn't a very friendly or social person off the set. But as soon as those curtains opened up and the flood lights turned on he was so witty, outgoing and charismatic.

---

this was the basis of Jerry Lewis’s performance as late night host Jerry Langford in The King of Comedy

quote:

---

I can remember when Carson took over the Tonight Show from Jack Paar who turned over the reins to Carson in 62

---

one of my fave MTV toppers ever: I was flexing about how I hadn't watched late night since Letterman went to CBS, & some guy replied that he hasn't watched since Jack Paar quit