Talk Show Hosts Collection on Letterman, Part 3b of 7: Johnny Carson

[@clifforddriver9434]

What a tribute he gave to Johnny Carson. That's the kind of impact that you want to have on friends who are left behind. Loyalty means more than even family does. David Letterman, I appreciate you more than you will ever know. Thanks for acknowledging Johnny the way he deserved being recognized.

[@blairtinkle4563]

Been watching these. Comfort for me in a crazy time in America. Born in 1961, Johnny got me thru childhood, high school, university, life. No one did it better. He's family. Then Dave, after Johnny, no one better, and I'm sure Dave would be fine with that. Dave gives me comfort too. Gotta love Colbert now....these folks are humor, bedrock constant in tough times. Thanks for putting this together.

[@BTURNER1961]

No one has mentioned how gracious it was to have Tommy Newsom and Doc back with their orchestrat to play Johnny's favorite Rainy Day. They still know how to make those horns sing those bittersweet melodies. Perfect musical tribute from two of the finest musicians of their era.

[@GeneBurnett]

Dave and Johnny's friendship and respect for each other always makes me smile.

[@davidzwack1308]

I will never forget you Doc!

[@johnking5174]

At 14:00 this was a perfectly executed moment from Dave and his team. Making the audience think that Johnny wasn't really going to come on. We all knew how recluse Johnny was, especially by 1994. So the studio audience and those watching at home felt this was another poke at the viewer. Little did they know a minute later, history would be made, Johnny's last ever on screen TV appearance.

[@winonafrog]

💟

[@LucasKombo]

The way that the camera just settles in on Johnny at the desk and everything felt right for a moment.

[@Paul71H]

I love the interview with Peter Lassally. I remember seeing it when it first aired on TV, and I think I still have it on videotape somewhere. It was really wonderful to get Peter's insights into Johnny's life, especially his life after retirement.

[@KKAkuoku]

The camera pull back from 15:32 to 15:40 will never not warm my heart. It just evokes “coming home to where you truly belong”.

[@pauldg837]

Johnny really was the best, as shy as he was in his private life, in front of the camera he was such a gifted and natural entertainer.

[@moniemaker27]

Fascinating how most of these guys are extroverts when in front of cameras but introverts in real life

[@Alexander_Grant]

@@moniemaker27 It’s the character they play. I’m no Carson, but when I perform music, I turn into this a saxophonist who has no fear and will go all out during solos. In real life, I’m a horrible social mess, I’ve got the whole talking to one person at a time down, though it took me nearly 25 years for that, but I still get panic attacks talking with a group of people. Performing doesn’t bother me because I’m in complete control and everyone is up there to succeed and has the same goals, that’s not the same when you aren’t performing.

[@kruks]

​@@moniemaker27 Extroversion and introversion is a spectrum. The middle child theory turned out to only be true in the family; at work, with friends, and with their own kids they are their own person. The same is true of some of us on the stage; We're one person on stage, and another person off of it.

[@Bill_Woo]

Yes, Peter Lassally, you did do a fine job. Peter is 88 or 89 now. He didn't tell the Wikipedia weasels his birthday ;)

[@jennicatlalunagato1122]

Thx for the great memories, Mr. Giller! 💖

[@GregCurtin45]

Beautiful tribute - thanks for posting it.

[@plutosorbitoutthere]

Woohoo! This is going to be fun to see all the clips together without having to spend time looking for them.

[@martinfabiano9668]

What a class act 🎬 and sincere tribute David Letterman did for his friend and mentor Johnny Carson. There won't ever be the likes of these 2 gentlemen on the Late show.

[@MrGoogster]

Leave it to a brilliant documentarian like Don Giller to have the taste and overview to understand that Letterman’s Top 10 list following Carson’s walk-on (17:00) is of no value to the subject at hand. It’s the ovation and that’s the end of it. Letterman’s reverence for those who paved his way is extremely touching and inspiring, and Giller in this series of “Talk Show Hosts on Letterman” captures it expertly. Another great compendium from Giller.

[@Al8101]

Nicely done!!!

[@PerryWhyte]

I think all of us wanted Johnny to do the Top 10 list, including Dave.

[@winonafrog]

Same, but still such a good appearance 😅

[@gstockwell5315]

Nah, Johnny only did Johnny's shtick

[@ghmus7]

Thanks for this! What a great idea. I think the key to Johnnys sucess was his self effacement and shyness. He was interested in promoting others. Never promoted himself.

[@johnking5174]

At 14:55 I wonder how Leno and NBC felt seeing this. Their former biggest star and cash cow, now honoring Dave on CBS and not bothering to appear with their own Leno on NBC. Must have hit them hard a tiny bit, not for long of course, but it must have bite them on the ass a bit.

[@Rob_Kates]

Johnny was the gold standard.

[@joelwatson3999]

The Carson tribute show was probably David’s best show, with one exception-the post-9/11 show.

[@gavinbrando8255]

Brilliant Donny

[@EarthdogGFX]

Thnx Don .. i still get Sad when Johnny sits down at Dave's desk ... id take a 95 year old JC over any late night host today

[@joes9954]

The what if had the audience chilled out and let him speak before he changed his mind.

[@tony84.]

14:42, This is GOLD! 🙂

[@johnking5174]

The reason why Johnny never ever appeared on Leno's Tonight Show was down to how much respect he had for Dave, how much he wanted Dave to be his successor but NBC didn't chose him, also how NBC with the unasked help of Leno's manager Helen Kushnick forced Johnny to announce his retirement earlier than planned, she leaked false stories to newspapers about NBC forcing out Johnny. So Johnny had no respect or time for Leno or NBC, but had all the time in the world for Dave and his team.

[@xgum]

8:05 this rendition of "dude looks like a lady" has the best guitar tone this band ever produced

[@patriciamooney928]

I guess Dave had no one to say "Don't go back" But he has evolved his new show.

[@dorothygale1104]

Dave’s “new show” isn’t a new show, but rather, a departure on a completely different career doing something very different than comedy-based late night talk show hosting. Dave traveling to Ukraine in the midst of war to interview that country’s president is so very far removed from what Dave did in his NBC & CBS late night gigs. Johnny’s long-time attorney, business manger, friend Henry Bushkin recounts in his book about Carson that Johnny could have amassed a much greater fortune by pursuing production company opportunities and other off camera business pursuits but Johnny wasn’t the least bit interested in doing anything other than hosting the Tonight Show and then doing nothing in retirement. Carson not only never wanted to go back to reforming, but he literally didn’t want to do anything of a non-performing nature in retirement. Dave never went back to comedy-based late night hosting, but he didn’t retire to do nothing, but rather wanted to pursue a completely type of work that is the opposite of comedy-based entertaining. Dave’s HBO gig doesn’t at compete with his 33-year career in late night.

[@dianewinters8628]

There's the swimming pool, nobody believes me when I tell them Dave used to have one. I enjoyed Johnny's show but he never was as cool as Dave in my mind with his joke delivery and antics. My parents and grandparents felt the same way about Johnny.

[@Bill_Woo]

?

[@kennethmalecki7570]

When late night was great n way better than steven colbert

[@229BlackHat]

They’re both good, just many fundamental differences between the 2 for sure lol