I imagine those born before 1980, had watched The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in some fashion.
If you tuned in to Carson, you would surely laugh – a lot.
Ed McMahon’s “Heeere’s Johnny!” intro became a cultural icon, even influencing Jack Nicholson’s performance in The Shining.
His show was also a breeding ground for young comics.
On October 1, 1962, Johnny Carson takes over from Jack Paar as host of the late-night talk program The Tonight Show. Carson went on to host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson for three decades, becoming one of the biggest figures in entertainment in the 20th century.
Joan Rivers – Debuted 1965; became a Carson favorite and frequent guest host.
Jerry Seinfeld – First appearance 1981; helped lead to his later sitcom success.
Jay Leno – Debuted 1977; later succeeded Carson as Tonight Show host.
David Letterman – Debuted 1978; went on to host Late Night and then Late Show.
Ellen DeGeneres – First Tonight Show in 1986; Carson famously invited her over to the couch, a huge endorsement.
Drew Carey – Early 1990s; Carson’s approval helped launch his sitcom career.
Jeff Foxworthy – 1991; introduced his “You might be a redneck” material.
Jim Carrey
Robin Williams
Richard Pryor
George Carlin
Rodney Dangerfield
Don Rickles
Bob Newhart
Bill Cosby (frequent guest in the 1960s)
Roseanne Barr
Garry Shandling
Tim Allen
Bill Maher
Richard Lewis
Legendary Comic Actors/Entertainers
Steve Martin
Chevy Chase
Lily Tomlin
Billy Crystal
Whoopi Goldberg
Eddie Murphy
Open thread away…
