The genius of Johnny Carson ...

Most members were likely not around to watch Johnny Carson when he was a staple of American television, but there are many reasons why he continues to be held in the highest regard as a talk show host. His ability to interact with a wide variety of guests with humor, intelligence, and sensitivity was unmatched, and is, of course, a sharp contrast to what is typically found today.

This particular clip is of Carson spending a good deal of time with a 97 year-old farmer from Illinois. Beyond its obvious charm, the interaction illustrates just how brilliant Carson was at setting the stage so that even a vulnerable guest who had never before been in front of a camera (or audience) could shine.

Enjoy!

Carson was the best, period. What’s amazing though, was his ability to compartmentalize his public and private personas.

https://historybyday.com/human-stories/all-the-dark-secrets-from-the-johnny-carson-show/

Just an FYI on a similar tangent; it was 40yrs ago yesterday (I believe, plus or minus a day) that David Letterman made his late night debut. Carson was great, no doubt, but Letterman could carry his own as well.

I'd say that Letterman was outstanding in his own way, and I liked his snarky humor, but he was never able to display the kind of nuances seen in the above video. It seemed to me that Letterman was always calculating the opening for his next punchline, while Carson could seamless converse with a person off the street, and effortlessly infuse some humor when good openings arose.

I started watching Johnny Carson back in the 60's and followed him until his retirement in 1994. His goal was to provide some late night humor and entertainment before people went to bed. The political humor was pretty gentle, unlike you see today. I remember him doing his Ronald Reagan sketches, "Well......".

Carson was a very complex individual, he was painfully shy with small groups of people yet he could stand in front of camera that was beaming his show all across America. If you want to get a real insight into Johnny's life one needs to read "Johnny Carson" by Henry Bushkin. Henry "Bombastic" Bushkin was Carson's personal lawyer, confidante, business partner and fixer for decades, he was closer to Carson than any other person. He knew what made Johnny tick. His book came out in 2013 and is highly entertaining and informative, and although they eventually had a falling out (over money) it is not a snarky book at all. The Johnny Carson you saw on tv was not the Johnny Carson in real life. But Johnny was a great entertainer, people felt comfortable with him, he was like an old friend.

For me it was when Buddy Rich guested, and he did frequently. House drummer, Ed Shaughnessy, was a terrific player and he and Buddy sparred rhythmically occasionally. But Carson was an excellent drummer, as well. Not to the level of Ed or Buddy (still considered the greatest, ever), but Johnny knew his way around a kit.

The “Tomahawk Throwing” segment is a classic for all time …