Johnny Carson's last TV appearance
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2024
- I had to upload this because the other one on CZcams had the comments disabled and I had to say that Johnny will be missed and is by far my favorite celebrity of all time. CLASS ACT!! His leaving The Tonight Show was truly the end of an era...his passing made obviously dashed any hopes of any further appearances, and in no small way, I'll never be able to laugh that hard or be entertained that much as when he was the host of The Tonight Show.
I am privileged to say that I was Johnny's mailman, when he lived on PCH in Malibu,,early 80's......He was the nicest of all my celebrity customers...Always came to the door in his plaid swim trunks with a smile on his face....He was happy to show me his new 84' Vette he just bought..
Oh wow! You should make a video and tell us about all the celebrities you've met!
That’s awesome.
Mr Malibu that is very neat. How lucky you are to have such a cherished memory.
@@DR-mq1vnagreed. Can you do that?
I give Johnny a lot of credit. After he retired, he stayed completely out of the spotlight other than this one appearance. I think that makes him even more honorable
I'm sure Johnny carried that moment with him until his final breath. I have to hand it to that audience. A spontaneous explosion of love. Spectacular!
Breath is the key word....... Carson just could not kick the Smoking, and it got him with lung cancer and Emphysema......., sad. He was/is the All Time G.O.A.T of that facet of entertainment.....
He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. The audience said it all. The GOAT.
nah man he had laryngitis so his throat was messed up but he's still tha goat
The Greatest Of All Time, indeed. 🙂
I remember when Dave called up Johnny for permission to revive an old Tonight Show game called "Stump The Band." That was where Johnny would pick random members of the studio audience who'd then try to stump Ed, Doc, and the rest of the band with little known songs. If successful, they won gift certificates to local restaurants. Anyway, Dave initially asked Johnny how the weather was out in California. Johnny replied (and I quote): "Oh, it's wonderful. The mudslides have put out the forest fires." And, Dave yelled to Paul: " _He's still got it_ !"
..and filling in for Johnny tonight is...
ABSOLUTELY/ He was the KING of late night.
Johnny ain't no goat. Or sheep. Coyote, maybe
I love how Letterman so cooly sits in his interviewee's chair, just like "this is the proper order of things". Even in his own house, his respect for Johnny Carson shows.
The man was his idol.
That's probably the most amazing "final appearance" I've ever seen. What a heartfelt moment for Johnny, Dave, the studio audience, and late night TV viewers. Legendary.
This is the legend of david letterman
Carson hardly saying a word added to the experience, and when he leaves the desk the audience deflates. Very emotional moment in late night.
I know this comment is three years old but I wound up here because I wish I had grown up being able to watch Johnny. Leno was great too and I miss him incredibly too, but nobody could touch Johnny. And the fact that he didn’t even say anything and got that applause was so special.
15 years and still watching this, nothing can come close to the response when Johnny walked out and sat down..He been gone now for 18 years and is still remembered as the greatest late night host.
@@rnise1961You mean Johnny
Not many people can get a standing ovation just by walking on stage, he didn't even have to say a word. Everybody loved Johnny...
He was an entertainer for everyone. He didn't pick sides and go down that hole, like ALL the bums do these days. He kept that stuff to himself when he was working.
Right winger projecting, Carson despised conservative populism.
@@johnmoeller8654 True, but I was talking about him on his show. He made political jokes but they were generally light and not terribly mean spirited.
Carson when he did political humor gave it equally to both Democrats and Republicans....which with the Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, Noah crowd it's appalling how bad their bias are(and any time someone calls them on it they are like "Hey this is comedy...lighten up").
Shows they Carson's greatness and the respect that he got the crowd already in somewhat a frenzy kick it up a notch twice.
Except his wife, who he beat the shit out of, when he was drunk.
1:45 Letterman knew what he had to do. Sit in the guest chair, smile at Johnny, and take it all in. An iconic talk show moment.
I think he was hoping Johnny would say something, but the way it played out worked to perfection.
This is what's great about the internet. We have our memories on lock.
YESSSSS thats for sure
great quote
Yep!
things I thought I would never see again, until I saw them again
What did we ever do before You Tube? It's great for fans of classic TV especially.
I love how Mr. Carson just touches the desk, just like any car lover would do when sitting down in a car he drove for more than 30 years, as if trying to perceive sensations from the past. What a nice segment.
What a nice analogy.
Except that this wasn't his studio. His was given over to Jay Leno.
Well Johnny had many different desks over the years. This was just a different desk. He would have made it work, if he decided to host again
The moment he sat down, he OWNED the desk.
Johnny took air out of the room when he entered. He was the man!
Yes!!
He was a star, simply the best. Dave would say exactly that.
The desk?? Hell, he owned the STUDIO!!!
Right, he owned any studio he was in. That's charisma.
this was johnny and dave's way of sticking it to NBC in a classic way, no one but no one could have gotten johnny to just show up like that without an enormous amount of respect, i love just watching this…. i miss him very much
100%. I don't even understand why NBC didn't value Carson's opinion or offer him the opportunity to choose his successor. I mean, he was the KING of Late Night.
Because in the end it was NBC's show.....not Carson's.
The show was successful before JC -he added to that. But in the end the network exercised its control. And from has been rumored he angered the NBC brass a long time back because of the 3 day work week.
And BTW Joan Rivers was supposed to be his successor but she ticked Johnny over getting the show on FOX and not telling.JC-he BANNED from the show because of that.
@Poklando You are delusional if you think that Jay Leno was better at anything than Johnny Carson. Leno was horrible.
@@zenstain well......one thing Leno holds over Carson and Letterman is that he's a better standup comic than those two....but to be fair, Letterman was primarily a writer who dabbled in stand up and Carson was never a stand up comic and also had comedic writing chops even before his days as Tonight Show host.
I think it was Jimmie Walker who put it perfectly.....Letterman respected Leno's fearlessness in performing in front of an audience and Jay respected Dave's writing ability and joke craftsmanship.
All of that being said, Jay's team of writers (with Jay as head writer) wrote the most obvious jokes for his monologues. It was the low-hanging fruit of comedic talent, the Nickelback of comedy writing if you will. Carson's writers were much better with funnier material.
Also, and this is Jay's most glaring fault.....Out of the three mentioned here, Jay Leno is by far THE WORST interviewer of the three. Most of the time, Jay can't even look at his guests in the face as he's interviewing them. He's constantly looking at the cue cards containing the questions to be asked. Many times, guests have felt awkward as there's no real connection being made by Leno to them to facilitate a semi-decent interviewer. This was also pointed out by none other than Peter Lasally, who's worked with all three guys in their careers.
Carson was the best interviewer of the three, in spades. Carson had an innate ability to connect with not only the guest and have engaging conversations, but he also connected with the audience and the home audience. Letterman also achieved this in his own unique way (self-deprecating style) as the years went on. This startling contrast between Leno and Carson / Letterman gave the impression that Jay was/is a joke-telling robot devoid of emotion and connection and that isn't that far off the mark.
Yes, Leno had the ratings and the title of "highest-rated late night show" for many years. You also have to realize that Jay didn't come into this as a complete unknown like say, a Conan O' Brien.....Jay was the permanent guest host for Johnny for the previous five years before Carson's retirement. You can have the ratings, but substance and class is something you can't buy or manufacture and Carson and Letterman had both of those attributes in abundance.
@@navblue20 IIRC correctly, the show was technically Carson's until he quit and the rights reverted back to NBC. It was part of a deal to keep him on in the late 70's. I think he or his agent asked for it in response to NBC wiping so much of his earlier shows, not expecting that NBC would actually give the show to him. That's why clips are on CZcams and back on the air. His nephew still runs Carson Tonight and they license clips for TV and movies.
Carson can never be replaced. The BEST of all time, period!
Robert Pick n
The very best of all time!
Johnny Carson reruns are on every night 7 days a week from 10:30 to 11:30 Saturday and Sunday 10:30 till 12 better than any other night show they have Channel 9. 2
To be honest the best ever. Talk shows are a dead medium. Every thing is internet based and no one really gives a shit about tv anymore.
Amen
How cool is it that he walked out, sat down, didn't say a single word and still had the audience on its feet? The man truly was a legend.
How poetic that Johnny's last appearance on TV was behind a desk where he belonged.
Nobody, but nobody, but nobody can ever replace the great Johnny Carson! R.I.P. Johnny Carson. You were the absolute best of them all!
Actually several people have.......🤡
@@jx-dama9611Not really
I can't count how many times I've watched this video, but I still get goosebumps every time the audience roars when they first spot Johnny and when they go nuts when he sits in the host's chair. So great.
This is CLASSIC !!! we're blessed to have been in the best Era of Late Night TV ....📺 🎬...... The tonight show with Johnny Carson and Late Night, with David Letterman !!! .............
Johnny looked a little lost when his cigarette box and pencils weren't there.
@@robc.5745 I can still remember some of monologue jokes and skits from back in the 80's from the Tonight Show and Late Night with David Letterman......... RIP, Johnny Carson and Thank You and David Letterman (retired) for wonderful entertainment and being part of our lives !!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏!!!!
You can tell Letterman grew up adoring Carson. This was just as special for him.
Everything I’ve read and learned about these two and their friendship tells me that the plan was for them to chat with Johnny behind the desk for a minute or two, but Johnny did not want to take anything away from Letterman, his friend and essentially his student.
Class act.
Allegedly, Johnny was still under a non-compete contract, meaning that he legally couldn't have said anything on the show, or else NBC could have sued him for it. Dave knew this, so he and Johnny worked it out for Johnny to still appear and at least sit at the desk.
Whatever
@@cainster Carson was a free agent
@@gregwatson8219 He had a non-compete clause. NBC wouldn't let him off the hook that easily.
Wasn’t such a class act to Joan.
I love how Johnny sits down at the desk like he's coming back from a commercial break.
I remember when this first aired, my friends and I wanted more - we wanted a full-on Johnny interview. But this was perfect. Johnny didn't say anything because he didn't HAVE to. And Dave knew that. Man, this was great.
Johnny always wanted Dave to succeed him. He sent a lot of jokes to Dave that ended up in the "Late Show" monologue.
***** Because it ultimately wasn't Johnny's call. It was NBC's decision to make, and they thought Jay Leno would be a better option. Judging by the ratings, they were right. From the Hugh Grant interview forward, Leno consistently beat Letterman in the ratings after Letterman went to CBS.
***** I also don't think David Letterman was ever too keen on Stephen Colbert succeeding him. www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/04/david-letterman-late-show-stephen-colbert
+ComedyRoom10 Watch the TV movie "The Late Shift"...
Or better yet.... read the book. It is excellent.
It says Colbert was his 2nd choice after Stewart. Interesting fact is in The Daily Show Oral History book the only reason they were available to takeover for Dave was that Comedy Central didnt give them the years they wanted on their final contract. They wanted to at least go to 2017 and during negotiations both shows almost ended in 2012. So all the they synched up their contracts for Dave's departure is pure bullshit. It was luck.
I cried. And I'm not even American. And I was only just born when the show actually ended.
Can you feel the love in the audience ?
Marie Baudino Love is universal marie, Johnny was just something we will never see the likes of again. Also im very happy to see, People as young as us relish and admire the likes of johnny.
+Marie Baudino Oh I can certainly feel it alright. The audience reaction here is just something special. I have watched this video many times over, and I have tears in my eyes as well...Not everyone gets an ovation like that. Such was the connection between the great Johnny Carson, and his viewers.
Marie Bdo you are so very right! I feel the same way! Xo
Personally,I feel this is the peak of lettermans career also. Everybody needs a high point. Leno made it believable and letterman made us remember how to wipe our lips after pukeing.
Peak of Lettermans's career? Jesus honey calm down.
He grabbed the desk. Touched it. I'm sure the memories cam flooding back. But he was like "no, this is Letterman's" He passed the torch.
+MrPete8680 i think he left because the crowd were acting nuts and what he had to say was not that funny. FYI carson used to watch letterman at home and write jokes for him all the time
Spot on, sir.
Mr.Pete - Johnny should have stayed sitting for that whole show - and every other show too .....
Vincent Mancini I think that the temptation to come out of retirement would have been too great, had he started speaking on that set. Judging by the crowd's reaction, Johnny probably could have kept going for many years. The response of the crowd proved that Johnny was getting too old, or was no longer "hip."
It's also sad that no show since has used a big band, from the height of the swing era. That was a loss also.
MrPete8680 I felt the same way when he touched the desk.xo
I miss him so. During a troubled childhood I lay wrapped up on the couch late at night wishing he was my dad. He was man enough to tell bad jokes and make even them funny and kind enough to let even the worst of his guests shine. Classy guy in a very unclassy business.
one and a half SOLID minutes of applause from entrance to exit, that my friends is love.
Какой это год?
I remember losing my mind when this happened.
I lost mine LONG before, but still had enough left to thorougjly (Ed Sullivan...) enjoy this AWESOME cameo, but I wanted him to stay!!!!!!!
I must admit that every time I see this clip it drives me crazy that we never heard what Johny had to say before he changed his mind....
I had read somewhere that Johnny was suffering from a mild case of laryngitis due to a cold and that his voice was extremely hoarse, that was one of the reasons he didn't say anything on the mic. Also, as the user above you pointed out, I think Johnny did get a little caught up in the moment and got emotional. I hope that there's a long-lost interview or something that Carson did in his retirement (1993-2005) that gets discovered as I would love to hear what he had to say about his career and how the whole NBC Leno/Letterman fiasco played out, not to mention his thoughts on the emergence of Conan as Dave's replacement at the 12:30 time slot. I think he would have had a lot to say
@@furnitureconsortium That’s my thinking, I believe with the enormous crowd response that it was so moving for him he might’ve gotten too emotional and broken up if he spoke.
@@furnitureconsortium I think the only time that Johnny ever spoke to any form of media after this appearance was an interview in 2002 to GQ magazine. Regarding Conan, look up Conan’s tribute to Johnny after his death and he sheds some light into their talks and relationship
I have read, perhaps here, that it was because Johnny was still under a "no compete clause" for his contract with NBC, and had he said anything on-air, he would have legally violated it. By doing it this way, he and Dave could still get Johnny on-camera, on-stage, and yet flaunt that clause in NBC's face.
As much as we all wished Johnny would have spoken there's something magical about him walking on stage, sitting down at the desk, and saying nothing. Very few can pull that off and Johnny did it with grace and class. What an icon.
What Johnny MIGHT have said WOULD have been golden. I can only speculate. I love this moment so much and it always brings me joy. I love the channel on Roku that plays his reruns 24/7. I'm 32 and would happily exchange access to all streaming platforms to see every single episode of his Tonight Show. It's so joyous, delightful, intellectual, and brilliant. What a gift to the world.
I knew that I was finally an adult when I moved into my first apartment and could watch Johnny every night! I loved that man!
I lost respect for Kimmel when he said Letterman was greater than Carson because Carson didn't innovate like Dave did. Johnny innovated the whole fucking format!
eddie lasowsky Exactly. Letterman told Carson, "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have a show. In fact, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have socks."
moongoose mcqueen
None of them developed the format
they are all just cheap imitations of Carson. Fallon, Kimmel,and O'Brian aren't even good imitations, just dumbed-down knock offs.
+todd krager Nothing against Johnny because he was brilliant. But I'd say Conan O'Brien has been extremely innovative. He has more of a niche/cult audience than the others because he's a little more "out there." He likes to delve into the weirder aspects of comedy. David Letterman was a great innovator too, especially during his NBC days with his campy, everyman stunts like "Bowling for Eggnog." Johnny always admired Dave. Jimmy Fallon has kind of reinvented the boring celebrity interview by getting the celebrities to DO stuff...which works well in the Internet age. Jimmy Kimmel has leveraged comedy to make bigger statements -- his "Mean Tweets" segment is a reminder to people not to act like jerks just because you're on the Internet. His Ken Burns-style documentaries are excellent as well. Stephen Colbert is still finding his voice now that he's not in character, but he still does a lot of great comedy. His work on Comedy Central was extremely original and struck a perfect satirical chord.
Daniel Dougan comparing jimmy kimmel to ken burns is like comparing michael moore to cecil b demille
The greatest 3 minutes of TV in history. Mr Carson, you are truly missed. RIP, Johnny.
Makes me tear up every time. We miss you Johnny!
me too
@@stevenfarley4738 Me three! Truly special!
Even Dave’s loyal audience knew who the real titan of late night was..and there will never be another one like him either…
I watched that live and fell out of bed screaming when Johnny walked out.
I bet, I would have too
After all these years, we still miss you Johnny
The late night hosts currently on the airwaves can't even compare to the GREAT JOHNNY CARSON!! No one even comes close to his talent, timing, professionalism, pure class & ability to remain a legend all these years later!! Truly a gift to the human race!
Totally not bias from glued on nostalgia goggles. Totally a grounded opinion
@bigbay1159 Totally total 😂 you can't type a sentence without being repetitive and Johnny wasn't repetitive for 30 years on live T.V. gtfo
Agree 100 percent - the current guys aren’t even funny
The difference between then and now was that Carson dinged everyone. You never knew his personal politics because it did not matter. He made fun of your guy tonight and the other guy tomorrow. Now nearly all of them - Fallon the exception because he too rarely really displays a political leaning one way or the other and only did what he did regarding Trump because his industry pummeled him for making Trump seem human and not the Hitler the rest of that side want to portray him - are so painfully and obviously of the left persuasion, that it makes their comedy shrill and one sided. Carson was for everyone and these guys are only for about half of us.
@@joes9954 Nah they're not one-sided, they poke fun at Biden too. It's just that Trump does exponentially more stupid and unhinged things that the coverage seems one-sided. There's only so many times you can show Joe falling up the stairs but Trump drops fresh societal turds every day.
I remember watching the tonight show even as a little kid on Friday nights because we could stay up late. We were glued to the television. No matter who he had on he made it interesting, funny and just really great conversation. No one will ever be as good.
Remember this night. Totally unexpected and one of the rare times I actually screamed in delight and was not at a concert.
If I am not mistaken, Carson holds two records to this day: The longest studio audience laughter (the Tomahawk Throw) and this, the longest standing ovation without having to say anything. Amazing! And you can see he was honestly moved. Letterman was right: after that cataract of applause... What´s the point!
I was 14 years old in 1973 and asked permission from my mom to stay up late and watch the "11th Anniversary of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" on a school night in October 1973. It was great! I became a big Johnny Carson fan and watched his show as much as possible during my high school years and then right on through to his last show in May 1992. He was (and always will be) the best of the late night TV hosts.
That was such a classy thing to do. Like letterman said,"what's the point". How can you beat that. Classy. stuff.
Letterman is a class act!
@@LlyleHunter
Was. Was.
In his later years until just before he retired, and today, he’s a major liberal POS.
Although I always loved his mom segments; May she Rest In Peace.
I remember watching this live, and holding my breath hoping that Johnny Carson would come out. Johnny had done David's Late Night Show on NBC at least three times. Plus, he had done a remote cameo earlier this same week, and a phone-in sketch a few weeks after the CBS Late Show started in 1993. I remember jumping up and down and screaming when he came out--what a great moment in TV history. Carson and Letterman are easily the two greatest hosts in late-night history, King Carson for being the gatekeeper during a golden era for stand-up comics, and for refining the art of casual conversation on television, and his protege Letterman for breaking the glass and expanding the parameters of what late-night television could be. Letterman idolized Carson, but the feeling was mutual--Carson believed in Letterman from the moment David walked on the Tonight Show stage in 1978--by early 1979, Letterman had been offered a position as guest host, which he did over 50 times before getting the Late Night show (an opportunity Carson had helped create specifically for Letterman), and together they ruled late night television for an entire decade in the '80s and early '90s. That Carson only appeared on Letterman's show after retirement, and that he'd been sending in jokes to Letterman for several years, should come as absolutely no surprise to anyone.
Do you know the date of this appearance?
Thank you..
Johnny was never going to talk, he's not wearing a microphone like Dave is. Such a shame we never got to hear him though.
The microphone on the desk could have been live.
Bob Sewvello That was just a prop
JSYBen Read today that he had an acute vocal cord infection at the time of that appearance, so he could barely talk and didn't want to leave the audience with an unpleasant memory of his final intended appearance on TV.
Ilya Lips However, you can hear him talking to Dave at the end, which could be more audible if he's wearing a lapel.
I think the moment was more powerful because he didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He was the King. The fact he sat at the desk and showed up on Letterman's show on another network when he never did for Leno spoke volumes.
I was on The Tonight Show fives times. Johnny made my career as he did to hundreds of young entertainers. He unselfishly showcased performers in a positive light. Unlike the current judged talent contests like AGT.
Carson was all class.
You should make a video and tell us about your experiences on The Tonight Show and what it was like to meet Johnny Carson!
Just like the old days. God bless Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Paul Shaffer, and Larry "Bud" Melman (yeah, I know: Calvert De Forest.). You guys gave me endless days of laughter. I love you guys.
This was also a HUGE "eff you" to NBC. Johnny never went to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Without saying a word, he crowned Letterman as his heir.
the final boss of late night shows
From the second Johnny Carson came into view to the second he disappeared from sight was the most deafening applause I've ever heard on any show ever. It was so loud he couldn't get a word in.
The King of Late Night. There will never be another Johnny. The absolute gold standard.
Two greats of late night comedy standing together on-stage. That's a moment I'll never forget.
For the very last time, "The King Of Late Night" was on his throne.
For a brief moment, we got The Late Show starring Johnny Carson on CBS.
It's really telling that Johnny never appeared on Jay's show, even though Johnny lived in the area and could have come anytime. Letterman's show was in New York. The one week Letterman did his show on the road in LA, Carson came in to appear on it. This was clearly their way of sticking it to NBC and Leno.
I liked Jay as a stand up comic, but he wasn't good at hosting a show.
@@Scott__C I agree, same with Fallon, talented stand up but hack host
I’m sorry but Jay Leno is amazing In my opinion he had a great run in the late night biz and he’s still relevant today doing jay Leno’s garage
@@ryan422423 Leno is a shill and a war criminal.
The audience were far too exuberant for too long.
Had they stopped the applause when Johnny indicated it was enough, he would've stayed for much longer and we could've enjoyed a conversation on top of that as well.
He had laryngitis I believe
One of the things (and there are many) about Johnny, was you knew he was always there. Back in the day, we only the three TV networks and maybe one are two local stations. Just before going bed or in bed. We'd run through the channels to see what was on TV. After that nightly exercise, someone would say, "oh, lets just watch Carson". For thirty years we had Johnny Carson. We took it for granted him being there, for whenever we wanted. To make us laugh, entertain and sometimes even educated us. Then one day, he went away and we realized what we had taken for granted. Because there was nothing like him and never would be. Not one thing, was taken for granted by the audience, nor Letterman this night. Everyone was thanking, the King of Late Night!
Kind of like Lou Gehrig to Yankee fans, aka the Iron Horse. Always there, then suddenly, gone forever.
This brings me to tears every time I see it! What a legend!
Johnny Carson was a total class act. Elegance is refusal. In today’s narcissistic world, no way would a legend show up and not speak; hell, they would probably expect the whole hour. But Carson smiles, waves and is gone. Just perfect.
A class act 100%
I WONDER WAS HE GOING TO TALK IF THE AUDIENCE WOULD JUST SHUT UP
This last TV appearance was on May 13, 1994. Johnny would later cite acute laryngitis as the reason for not saying anything on the occasion. He passed away on January 23, 2005, at the age of 79.
This was like if George Washington came back for one last time and just said Hamilton is the true successor.
i was 17 when johnny said goodbye...he will always be remembered in our hearts and minds...he was a very funny comedian...yes he is missed..may he rest in peace
Exactly 21 years ago today this aired, I miss Johnny desperately :(
Now 30
The damn roof nearly exploded when Dave's hero came out and sat in his chair. Good Lord!
Carson was the best because:
1. He never let his personal feelings about politics affect his material. All politicians and news items were fair game.
2. His humor was never forced. If a joke or bit was failing he either moved on or found a funny way to say it was bad.
3. He let his guests dominate the interviews. He had unique gift for knowing when to interject and when to stay quiet.
I still love to watch him every night at 10 on TV. 66.2
The reaction from the studio audiences had said it all.
This must have been a heartfelt moment for Johnny Carson.
A beautiful human.
He'll always be remembered.
Last night when Dave asked Stephen Colbert if he could sit at the desk, and Colbert didnt hesitate for a second. He let Dave have the desk, so they could take another selfie, it reminded me of this moment between Dave and Johnny. Its a shame technology today isnt what is was 30 years ago, because im sure Dave would have liked to get one more picture with Johnny in that moment.
An odd moment in the Colbert appearance was Dave thanking Stephen for that but adding that he, Dave, would've never let anyone do that. No one reacted to that but of course literally everyone but Dave was remembering when Dave did this with Johnny.
To give some context: This was the Friday show from a week of "Late Night" shows in Los Angeles. Each night Dave would introduce some celebrity bringing in the Top Ten card, and Melman would come out with the card. So Melman walking in was a running gag for the week, and by Friday not at all a surprise. That's what really made the appearance extra-surprising. Thanks for posting the clip.
I was only 4 when he retired. What a shame I didn't get to see him live but at least I get to revisit some great moments here on youtube.
I agree 100%. Watching the classics of the late 70's, nothing today even matches it. I love the one where Ed is kind of drunk. Classic
When he retired, I regretted every night that I hadn't watched him. Nobody came close. The rest were all clowns at the time, including Letterman; they all thought that THEY were the stars of the show. Only Johnny knew that people tuned in to see the guests, and he made sure that the audience got the wonderful discussion that they had come to see.
Cant believe he was off of tv for his last 11 years. Amazing talent
He enjoyed his retirement.
It made me a little teary watching this. I remember Carson's show....they were the best of the best times. And there ain't no one else ever going to hit his level.
Dave made the right move and gave Johnny the desk. Class act move from Dave.
No person has ever measured up to Johnny Carson. He was the greatest at what he did.
I absolutely love Dave's love and devotion towards Mr. Carson.
Today May 22, 2022 marks the thirty year anniversary since Johnny left the Tonight Show. He's been gone as long now as he was there.
I remember the first show on October 1, 1962 like it was yesterday. He started out great and stayed great for 30 years. Best talk show host ever. Even tho Dave was on 2 years longer counting both shows on NBC and CBS. Letterman was great also but he knows who the King is.
Yes, Johnny was the King!
here is an _entertainer_ entertainer.
he knows. he just knows.
he didn't get greedy, get a bunch of hearty laughs in ADDITION to the minutes-long explosion of love and joy and surprise from the whole audience. he didn't get greedy. he knew. _"This is as good as it's going to get. Anything you try and add to this can't possibly stack up to that entrance. We've peaked beyond what was reasonable to expect, so why spoil it? I'm walking."_
it takes a very smart, very canny, very EXPERIENCED showbiz sensation to know that. to not fall on their pride (as we might; as many DO) and try to outshine a welcome like that with some jokes or whatever.
it's the reason he's The King. you can't teach that sort of thing. he knew he'd peaked, so why spoil that moment?
it's a beautiful thing to see. his last appearance on TV = 10/10. an amazing appearance. you won't top this. ever. spontaneous joy. amazing.
That had to be the longest standing ovation a guest has ever received on a late night show. He had to walk offstage just to get them to stop.
His final Late Night Show had even longer ovations.There is a video of it on YT.
looked like Johnny was getting choked up, soo he left before getting too emotional.
You would not think it could get any louder than when Johnny came out....and then Johnny sat down at the desk....my GOD.
Letterman letting Johnny take the desk was such a classy and touching thing to do...I am literally without words..thank you posting.
I still remember seeing this live and being completely surprised.
He was and still is the best daytime, afternoon, late night comedian EVER! I miss him & constantly think about the great moments on that show. When Stars really were talented. He was a class act!
Loved Carson. I had a cat back in the '80s into the '90s and when Carson would come on the cat would go nuts and he would come over and paw at the TV It was the best thing ever I wish I would have gotten that on film
There will never be another one as great as Johnny!
One of a kind....there will never be another Johnny Carson !!!
Here after Dave sat at Colbert's desk.
me too
I’ve never seen this before! It was just Great!! Johnny Carson was “The Man “ of Late Night Talk Show Hosts!!
Has to be one of the BEST television moments!
Giving up YOUR CHAIR to the KING? CLASS! R.I.P. Johnny AND goona' miss YOU, DAVE!
I like what Letterman says after Carson leaves.."what's the point?" What more is there to do after you've had the King Of Late Night on your show? How can you top that?
EXACTLY! LOL!
You are the tool
You know the word Superstar gets thrown around these days loosely without being deserved. I can say whole heartedly, Johnny Carson is a true blue Superstar!!!
Without a doubt,the undisputed King of Late Night,he represented the golden era of comedy.
Didn't say a damn thing. Didn't have to.
Like. A. BOSS!
As the wrestling business say, that was one HELL of a pop ;)
Couldn't agree more!
That's called a Road Warrior pop!
😂
Probably the most popular babyface in the entire entertainment business.
Veggie Gamer johnny was way over with all of us
Johnny Cash was a family friend, a step father and a " neighbor " to the nation and we all felt like he knew us and cared as a good neighbor would. . I miss him dearly.
Johnny Cash??? LOL!
yeah sorry, MY favorites are Johnny carson, johnny cash and John wayne and I typoed that
"Good work. Thank you, Good night!"
- Johnny Carson
There's only one real king of late night, and that was Johnny!
I still get choked up seeing this. Pure class from the both of them.
So loved. He was like a part of my family. In fact I saw more of Johnny than most of my family! Lol! There are those who put on his shoes, but they can't fill them.
The audience could have stood and applauded for 15 solid minutes and I would watch it all. Stopped clapping MY hands just long enough to type this.
Thank you Mokk for that.
Always leave them wanting more. RIP, Johnny