Talk:Johnny Carson

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Archives

Through 2007

Logic degree?

The current entry says that Carson left college after a year to join the Navy. This web page claims that he obtained a 1949 bachelor's degree in logic from the University of Nebraska: http://www.wisegeek.com/who-is-johnny-carson.htm The claim that he had a degree in logic was also made by one of the interviewees in a PBS documentary on late night television that spent most of its time on Carson ("Pioneers of Television"). Did the Univ. of Nebraska offer bachelor's degrees in logic in 1949, and did Carson earn one? Lippard (talk) 03:23, 23 July 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Wayne newton comment

so my addtion was killed, how and where can newton's comments go? 15.251.201.72 21:30, 3 December 2007 (UTC)justin[reply]

I agree. These comments shed a lot of light on Carson...they need to go somwhere. Slick Black Cadillac (talk) 04:33, 7 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

I've tried again, I think I put it in a better place and found the transcript, give me a shot ok? justin —Preceding unsigned comment added by 15.251.201.73 (talk) 19:31, 21 February 2008 (UTC)[reply]

oh, I really feel as if this article should have a good photograph of Johnny :) (38.98.168.187 (talk) 03:40, 9 May 2008 (UTC))[reply]

Haberdasher?

On Haberdasher, they list Carson as a haberdasher. Is this correct? If so, it should briefly state when he did this, thanks. --Rajah (talk) 04:46, 27 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Chain smoker and quitting?

The article says he was a chain smoker and that, as I recall, he would smoke at his desk during the show, but I also recall he quit smoking a few years (I don't know exactly when) before retiring, indeed he at least once SAID he had quit and as far as I saw he no longer smoked on the show. Surely this much is verifiable (even if it's unknown whether he remained quit after retirement), and if so I think it should be added. Benbradley (talk) 01:06, 11 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Beautiful Downtown Burbank"

Did Johnny Carson also joke about "beautiful downtown Burbank"? That was a line from Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in. Does anybody have a reference for Johnny Carson's use of it? Or did somebody write that line from memory and get it wrong? —MiguelMunoz (talk) 01:37, 24 April 2009 (UTC)[reply]

I don't recall Carson ever doing that joke. The joke with the Tonight Show was they always said it was from Hollywood when it was from Burbank (at least until O'Brien's show which will actually be from Hollywood). 68.146.81.123 (talk) 17:09, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Okay, there's a reference now, quoting the Burbank mayor, but the mayor is going from her own memory and getting it wrong. We should remove it.—MiguelMunoz (talk) 03:06, 18 September 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Early life

Should be more on his early life including education and navy. The article on Ed McMahon is much more complete than the article on Carson!—Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.216.185.184 (talk) 20:18, 16 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Article needs a listing of his hosted TV shows

As the recent DVD releases (both Carson Estate-sponsored and otherwise) have indicated, Johnny hosted a number of different shows, often with the same Johnny Carson Show title: there was Carson's Cellar, a prime time Carson Show, a daytime Carson Show that was a panel-type discussion series, at least one other Johnny Carson Show, and some specials and the like. Although some of these are addressed in the text, it would be helpful to do a listing. 68.146.81.123 (talk) 17:08, 29 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Been adding references to the article. Are there other pages we could use? Ergito (talk) 16:26, 7 July 2009 (UTC) Still looking for more references. Ergito (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 22:26, 25 July 2009 (UTC).[reply]

Been working on the deaths and tributes section. Does it need more references? Ergito (talk) 22:54, 8 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Starting to add references to the early life section Ergito (talk) 23:39, 17 August 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Looking for references for the marriage section. Anyone know any books on the topic?Ergito (talk) 22:41, 10 October 2009 (UTC)[reply]

"Pet my pussy" joke

Jaye P. Morgan was the actress that uttered the line, not Zaa Zaa or anyone else. I definitely saw it. http://www.johnnycarson.com/carson/search.do?name=Jaye+P.+Morgan&x=40&y=14&=Search&singleDateMonth=Month&singleDateDay=Day&singleDateYear=Year&dateRangeBeginMonth=Month&dateRangeBeginDay=Day&dateRangeBeginYear=Year&dateRangeEndMonth=Month&dateRangeEndDay=Day&dateRangeEndYear=Year

The above links list the dates she appeared. Does anyone have access to the videos to research this issue?

I'm sure I saw a video clip in 2009 as part of a late-night TV commercial for a Tonight Show DVD compilation. The lines as I remember them were more like this:

 (Actress) This is my pussy, would you like to pet my pussy?
 (Carson, immediately) Sure, just get rid of the cat!

Hope that helps.

Maiden Name?

What was the maiden name of Carson's first wife? Paul, in Saudi (talk) 09:57, 11 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Uri Geller

The section about Uri Geller's appearance on The Tonight Show is very poorly described and factually incorrect. Johnny Carson, in consultation with friend and fellow conjuror James Randi, designed a very careful series of simple experiments designed to test Geller's psychokinetic claims (bending spoons/keys, starting broken watches, divining water). The most important aspect of testing Geller's claims was to keep the test items (keys, spoons, film canisters, timepieces) away from Geller and his entourage until his actual segment was to begin, thereby foiling any attempt to tamper with the objects prior to the test. When confronted with the simple test(s) with untampered objects on live TV, Geller faltered and dissembled, giving many excuses as to why he could not successfully achieve that which he demonstrated on many prior occasions. Contrary to the post, Geller's failure to succeed did little to hurt his career. The post should at least be changed to reflect the actual circumstances surrounding the test, if not completely scrapped and rewritten. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Brprivate (talk • contribs) 18:45, 1 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Navy rank and timeline?

The following makes little sense.

He left college after one year to join the United States Navy, being commissioned an Ensign. He joined the U.S. Navy on June 8, 1943, as an apprentice seaman enrolled in the V-12 program, which trained Navy and Marine pilots.

If he was commissioned an Ensign how could he have joined as an Apprentice Seaman? Some clarification please. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 174.1.156.204 (talk) 12:28, 15 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Final Wife

I am seeing conflicting listing of Carson's last wife's name, seeing her as both Alexis and Alexandra. His obituary on CNN reads "Alexis:"

http://articles.cnn.com/2005-01-23/entertainment/carson.obit_1_tonight-show-guest-host-carson-s-cellar-television-hall?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ

Unfortunately I can't find anything on Carson's official site. It seems a nitpick, and Alexis might be a nickname -- just hate it when a detail like this is hard to pin down.Frank Mottley (talk) 23:58, 11 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Carson kidded that he had married three similarly named women to avoid "having to change the monogram on the towels."

I don't think Carson is the one who said this. Watch this youtube video of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts (go 3:50 in) and you'll see Bob Newhart actually saying the joke. It's a minor thing, but funny, and I think Newhart should get the credit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VrNURaMhnA Vyselink (talk) 02:14, 6 September 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Carson's faith, or lack of it

Has anyone read enough Carson bio material--sparce as it admittedly may be for an "intensely private" celebrity--to know his religious views? The fact that he was so tight with absolute atheist Sagan and his fellow non-believing wife Druyan, was an amateur astronomer (a discipline which has upwards of 95% nonbelievers, by many estimates), and also had a strong interest in physics (his college minor, and another field which has about 90% faithless folk), suggests to me that he likely did not buy the G-d hypothesis. Can anyone confirm this? (I wouldn't be surprised to learn he was nominally Protestant, given his Iowa and Nebraska background, but I'm interested in his actual beliefs, as opposed to any pro forma church membership that he never really followed through on.)

Brother Dick Carson, longtime director of Merv Griffin's daytime gabfest (as well as sometime Tonight director during late 60s and 70s), might have a lot of insight on this question as well as other ambiguities regarding the private Johnny, but I've never seen an interview with Dick even about his own career, much less his vastly-more-celebrated brother's. Anyone herein ever seen him queried on anything? Thanks in advance! [signed] FLORIDA BRYAN