William F. Buckley on the The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson

[@randybailin4902]

Carson never interrupted his guests. He'd ask a question and stay out of the way. He'd only interject to help the conversatio along. He was the absolute master.

[@cptpepper7731]

Can anyone imagine an author and intellectualist being a guest on Jimmy Fallon's show for a serious discussion? How culture has declined.

[@lodestarsprayer5660]

Excellent point! I love the intelligent discourse! We could all learn so much from these types of interactions! I miss this greatly. It is absolutely tragic to see where we are now. I feel it will get much worse!

[@jadezee6316]

intellectual...

[@romanticwarrior97]

At least Fallon wouldn't have to use his fake laugh as much.

[@lodestarsprayer5660]

@@romanticwarrior97 All late night shows/hosts on networks are a waist of time now! 2 hr podcast is the only way to have guests communicate with intelligence.

[@romanticwarrior97]

@@lodestarsprayer5660 Yeah, I agree they're all crap now. The only problem with the podcasts is you have to devote a lot of time. I liked back in the day tuning in to late-night for a few laughs before turning in. Carson did a joke about the left, a joke about the right then moved on. Now it's all douche bag hosts with their parties politicos preaching. No thanks.

[@grahamcombs4752]

William F. Buckley's first language was Spanish. His father ran Buckley Oil in Mexico when Buckley was a child. English was his second language. Not too many people know that because he was something of an Irish-Catholic Anglophile. I met him once when he was filming a special edition of FIRING LINE. He had to catch a plane and was under a time limit and yet he re-shot a segment as if he had all the time in the world. Never lost his cool, except with Gore Vidal.

[@colinm7314]

English was actually his third (!) language. French was his second language

[@Alex_Plante]

He also lost his cool with Noam Chomsky

[@knowmusicman157]

Yes Gore Vidal! "Listen here you kweer, if you call me a Nazi one more time, I'll sock you in the geedee dern nose, and you'll stay plastered!"

[@knowmusicman157]

His first language was stuttering his name. Wuh Wuh William F. Buh Buh Buckley June-Yah!

[@MrJoefizzy]

@@Alex_Plante the comment with Chomsky was a joke as it alluded to the Vidal incident which had only happened 2 weeks before, that's why they both laughed as well as the audience.

[@tommyl3207]

Buckley was a National Treasure. In a way, so was Carson. That he would have a man like Buckley on his show, when he didn't necessarily agree with him on every issue. When you look at the little boys who populate late night TV, Carson's stock goes thru the roof.

[@W.Edwardovich]

If only the late night talk shows of today had intelligent conversations like this.

[@rdelrosso2001]

Stephen Colbert does - he just had the Ukrainian Foreign Minister on about 2 weeks ago.

[@jeffrey6618]

Never watch the liberal trash of today on talk shows

[@allysondoerfler2435]

That would require hosts with an IQ above room temp.

[@knowmusicman157]

@@rdelrosso2001 Colbert an intellectual? Maybe in a psycho hospital.

[@joseaamorosalicea6783]

@@rdelrosso2001 LOL

[@tdunph4250]

Johnny could interview anyone, didn't matter who. Mr Carson was that great!!

[@chrisparker8557]

Check out his interview with Ayn Rand

[@lololomo5484]

Cavett HAD to take the intellectual angles. There was almost nothing left on the bone after Carson was always served first.

[@randybailin4902]

"The Russian leaders don't specialize in explaining things to the Russian people."

[@craigpatchett3508]

Many, many years ago Buckley used to come into the Radio Shack store I worked at in CT from time to time. Super-nice guy, friendly and surprisingly down-to-earth.

[@tonywalton1052]

I worked at sizzler he always came in for a beer

[@dirkdigler5332]

I worked at the adult bookstore and he was a perv.

[@22lyric]

Nice memory!

[@jasonbeard4713]

That is amazing. Buckley in a Radio Shack location? That would have shocked me.

[@whatthe4423]

Nice to hear that about a celebrity.

[@nikmills]

In the Liberal New York Bubble I grew up in, Buckley was the big villain. Decades later after that bubble popped I see that he really was so right on.

[@kevinmuzerMetalMind64]

William Saffire and the reporter from Chicago Times/Tribune(Mike) 2 of the democratic heroes back then. I was a Firing Line guy myself.

[@kevinmuzerMetalMind64]

Mike Royco?

[@tomripsin730]

I often disagreed with Mr. Buckley's opinions, but he supported them with cogent, well reasoned argumentation. In sharp contrast to some of today's "conservatives", who seem to offer only broad, market researched attacks on their opponents, and grade school level insults. What's most discouraging, is that many of their supporters seem to prefer that.

[@nikmills]

​@@tomripsin730 : I remember talk of the "dumbing down" of America in the 1980's. It's succeeded very well.

[@rrickarr]

He was also correct about the coming and syncophancy toward a figure - Donald Trump!

[@frankwallen5178]

I visited him at his home in Sharon Connecticut back when I was a “Youth for Goldwater in the early Sixties, very gracious, intelligent and humble.

[@jaybee9269]

I don’t know if I totally buy the humble part. I miss him, though.

[@darrylwiggins4799]

I never agreed with Buckley,but I loved his intelligence and his tone of voice.Also,I watched Firing Line,just to hear him speak.

[@juliosanchez95]

The problem with this example is that WFB is not very intelligent. What he says is very simplistic and he usually fails horribly in debate. Don't be fooled by the accent and the manner in which he speaks.

[@darrylwiggins4799]

@@juliosanchez95 I agreed to a certain point.Buckley was very intelligent.The problem I had with him,even as a teen,was that he had and held onto a specific viewpoint that he never wavered from even in the face of obvious change that was happening in this country at that time.What I'm saying is that for all his smarts he disappointed me.His beliefs trumped his logic.

[@artfasil]

are you a commie ?

[@notavailable4596]

​@@juliosanchez95Wow how many times did you post this same repetitive comment?

[@darrylwiggins4799]

@@notavailable4596 um....Never.

[@DCJerseygrl]

God how I absolutely LOVE William F. Buckley Jr.

[@lekmirn.hintern8132]

This has to be the only time, in the 68-year history of The Tonight Show, where anyone used the words "interstices" and "refractory".

[@brucekuehn4031]

How about “superordinate” or “hubristic”? There are probably more, but these jumped out at me the 2nd time through. Oh, and Johnny uses the word “modicum” which you don’t hear much on TV anymore either.

[@lekmirn.hintern8132]

@@brucekuehn4031 Yup.

[@andreaschneider6202]

It reminds me of a good friend who is known for his vocabulary. For instance, he has used the words "irascible" & "desiccated" (though not during the same day😉). All the best from NY.

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

It will have been pre-planned, sensing that some people are massively over- impressed by arcane words and would not notice the mediocrity of his thinking.

[@lekmirn.hintern8132]

@@lucianopavarotti2843 Funny, a lot of people feel that way about your singing.

[@kevinhealey6540]

I wrote to him once and he wrote back to me.

[@jasonbeard4713]

What did he write?

[@zapazap]

@@jasonbeard4713 I'm guessing a letter. :)

[@kevinhealey6540]

@@jasonbeard4713 I suggested he run in the presidential election in 1976 and he wrote back, "Thanks but my schedule is full." He ran once for Mayor of NYC and was asked what would be the first thing he would do should he win the election and he said, "Demand a recount."

[@jasonbeard4713]

@@kevinhealey6540 Thank you. His sense of humor was amazing.

[@brucetowell3432]

@@kevinhealey6540 Clever thanks!;-)

[@jorgedezamakona746]

Sheer pleasure to hear someone like him with such a command of the English language. I remember him in an interview either Carson or Cavet in which express his worry, that America was becoming like a banana republic. Wonder what he would say about the state of affairs today in which we do resemble a huge banana republic without the bananas.

[@mogadon7]

SAVING THE QUEEN. Im watching this the week she died.

[@knowmusicman157]

Be careful with the word "banana!". Our people of color will be triggered. And perhaps soon you will be cancelled!

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

He commands only fakery. Invented accent, horribly clumsy and mangled expression.

[@knowmusicman157]

@@lucianopavarotti2843 How dare you hurl insults and innuendo at the great Johnny Carson!

[@bradhuskers]

@@lucianopavarotti2843 Actually? Your comments reveal a low IQ, coupled with serious psychological problems. A self-loathing soy boy.

[@marcdonato9322]

this is absolutely delightful to watch. I'm almost 62 and this is the type of man I looked up to.

[@kevinbaker6168]

I enjoyed listening to William F. Buckley. Very intelligent and articulate man. While I did not always agree with his point of view, I respected it.

[@lewisc215]

You respect hurting people?

[@edithpiaf9250]

Yes...when we could still respect the views of people with whom we did not agree...seems like a thousand years ago.

[@whatthe4423]

@@edithpiaf9250 - Quite right. Just today I posted something and the response I got was laced with profanity, cut-downs, put-downs.

[@edithpiaf9250]

@@whatthe4423 Intellect is Dead; Long Live Emotion!

[@DonCohen2649]

Buckley was a bloody bore.

[@michellebabicz2143]

Buckley was in a class by himself. Not current host could keep up with the man. Intellect, reason & wit. He is sorely missed.

[@juliosanchez95]

The problem with this example is that WFB is not very intelligent. What he says is very simplistic and he usually fails horribly in debate. Don't be fooled by the accent and the manner in which he speaks.

[@aldosigmann419]

@@juliosanchez95 Don’t feel bad if you don’t get it scooter - it usually eludes the bottom 10th percentile.

[@kiwitrails1304]

​@@juliosanchez95 Having just recently read a great deal of Buckley's non-fiction(Speeches and Essays, mainly) I can safely affirm he was indeed an intelligent man, just maybe not a widely-read one. You could definitely tell when he researched and when he didn't./What he knew from what he didn't know.

[@fload46d]

What a smart man. And Johnny wasn't stupid either.

[@jeffcharest2118]

screaming eagle ?

[@r3b3lvegan89]

That’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever read typed out in my entire life. Congrats genius

[@jpsned]

I remember coming across a roundtable discussion on TV a long time ago. It featured Buckley as well as several other intellectuals. I thought, this is incredible--the amount of intelligence in that room all at once! I think I automatically got smarter just from watching that for a few minutes.

[@kevinmuzerMetalMind64]

His voice and delivery...Unmistakable

[@danmartens8855]

I considered it a great compliment when my friends at work gave me a William F. Buckley Quote of the Day Calendar for Christmas. They told me I was the only person in the office who could possibly understand his vocabulary. I guess they felt that I was something of a sesquipedalian, which I suppose is better than being an ultracrepidarian.

[@RyanCoomer]

damn nerds everywhere

[@catbriggs8362]

😁😁😁

[@cedmo7857]

whatever, dork

[@michaeldoyle6702]

Gore Vidal often appeared on The Tonight Show as well. In old age, Buckley was civil, while his arch enemy became a drunken and miserable bugger.

[@fifty9forty3]

His arch enemy was a flaming, egotistical, atheist liberal. The type that won't be content until all of his enemies and intellectual challengers were dead. Truman Capote was another of his "enemies".

[@keithcampbell7820]

Wouldn’t it be great to see what he had to say of our current situation.

[@harvardkarbodie]

I have no doubt he would be a Never Trumper. He would have some very choice things to say about Trump.

[@catbriggs8362]

I think even the brilliant Buckley would be rendered speechless...

[@russelldawkins9094]

@cat Briggs that would be a pleasant experience.

[@roughhabit9085]

No I’m glad he’s gone . He doesn’t belong in these decadent times. His philosophy was to always vote for the most viable right wing candidate. Unlike the vulgar crowd, he didn’t cast his vote on appearances.

[@firewizzard86]

​@harvardkarbodie I think he would say Trump is the only hope left for America.

[@yes2day100]

He was the seminal political influence of my life. I read all of his books, his columns, watched Firing Line, and read cover to cover the National Review, from the age of 15 years, on. No American conservative theoretician has impacted modern intellectual American culture like Bill Buckley did. Sadly, nowadays he would probably be thought to be too liberal for the MAGA conservatives because he was balanced and polite and civil to his opponents. I would vote MAGA before I would vote progressive, but it saddens me that intellectual conservatives are so ostracized by todays' 'conservatives.' One of his best friends was Kenneth Galbraith, a very liberal American. He was such a wonderful human being.

[@tommyhaynes9157]

It's odd that someone who can understand and appreciate Buckly would vote for a fascist movement

[@zapazap]

@@tommyhaynes9157 I see you peacock.

[@GunShark0]

@@tommyhaynes9157 🙄

[@notavailable4596]

​@@tommyhaynes9157You obviously don't understand what fascism actually is.

[@roughhabit9085]

@tommyhaynes9157 Do you haters have to infiltrate every single thread?

[@joshleal5219]

Carson was one of a kind... no one else can even pretend to be on his level

[@AFaceintheCrowd01]

No one else does.

[@GunShark0]

@@AFaceintheCrowd01 I disagree. I'm sure if you asked the clowns on TV today they'd have you believe that they are, in fact, better than Carson.

[@reybarreto7979]

Carson’s versatility never ceased to amaze me. He could amuse you with silly physical comedy as well as entertain you with the most intelligent conversations and here he shows he can keep up with the consummate intellectual William F. Buckley, Jr. When describing the difference between the United States and the Soviet Union, Buckley correctly pointed out that while Johnny Carson’s show had survived fifteen years in the free world, he would only last ten seconds in the communist world. Carson quickly replied “The same holds true for you!” (or words to that effect). I would add that so long as you can voice your opinions openly without having a Vladimir Putin silence you, so long as you can watch anything you want on KZbin, including a show where a guest openly criticizes communism and defends the United States as a country that fights for freedom, then ours is still a land of the free and it’s a freedom worth fighting for, even worth dying for. I would fight to the death for my right to keep watching The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson!

[@billmason2785]

William Buckley is unappreciated...raised in Mexico and brilliant.....

[@lewisc215]

He was a fraud

[@hansa9159]

@@lewisc215 What makes you say that?

[@lewisc215]

@@hansa9159 He enabled people like trump

[@sebastianguevara3615]

@@lewisc215 Your A Fraud!!!!!!! Trump Was A Great President And A Great Leader!!!!!!!

[@zachmartin1458]

@Lewis C Feel free to explain.

[@zriter59escritor33]

Sure miss the great Bill Buckley. American conservatism needs someone almost exactly like him today.

[@VideoAmericanStyle]

Buckley wouldn’t even recognize the grotesque, anti-intellectual caricature known as ‘conservatism’ today.

[@billhaywood3503]

If i were any further left I'd be in outer space--but I knew Bill and he was kind and gracious to me--who he must have regarded as some species of lunatic :)

[@Calrad]

@@VideoAmericanStyle good 👉 point.

[@stobbinsboy]

@@billhaywood3503 Interesting. I'm a moderate/centrist and I feel it necessary that both sides have their say but to do so with respect. He always struck me as immensely thoughtful and good natured. I also respect that he stayed his course however unpopular with humour and understatement. Today's pundits both left and right just seem to be so petulant and strident. How boring.

[@kxkxkxkx]

Max boot... Who is no longer a republican😂

[@September2004]

These two were born slightly a month apart. They both died due to emphysema from a smoking habit and were quite against smoking at that point.

[@catbriggs8362]

Unlike "normal" teen girls, I rabidly loved WFB. I was precocious in language. I found him fascinating. My other hero was Ralph Nadar. (And even stranger, I lived in a small town in Idaho.)

[@roughhabit6496]

Lol ideological opposites.

[@mercywilliams2698]

Loved reading Buckley’s personal memoir Miles Gone By..decades long friendships not limited by political beliefs. My late father enjoyed reading his spy novels.

[@georgewhitehead8185]

William F. Buckley is so brilliant, and so articulate...he is a joy to listen to.

[@lewisc215]

Get a brain.

[@JasonXXXBond]

Spits Facts

[@Ken-iu2zp]

Chomsky showed in his debate with this guy that buckley is far from a critical thinker

[@kingsman428]

@@Ken-iu2zp Everyone has bad days turning in poor performances, Chomsky, Buckley Hitchens etc

[@Ken-iu2zp]

@@kingsman428 Chomsky is a scholar at MIT. Buckley host a show where people debate.....Case closed

[@knowmusicman157]

I appreciate Mr. Carson providing Bill with a new unsharpened pencil. Mr. Buckley always feels more comfortable when he has his wooden wand.

[@essessessesq]

good one!

[@WintersWar]

observant

[@brucetowell3432]

He's a former smoker...he and his wife made a bet on something and he lost the bet, so he had to quit....:-)

[@knowmusicman157]

@@brucetowell3432 He quit cigarettes but continued smoking cigars until he got emphysema and died from it.

[@brucetowell3432]

@@knowmusicman157 ok, never saw him smoke cigars on his show at all. Think emphysema got Carson as well.

[@toastecmo]

He filmed an episode of firing line in 1985 when I was attending Middlebury College, he interviewed the Dalai Lama. He was a gigantic intellect.

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

The Dalai Lama thinks he is a god as well as being an absolute monarch but is just a moronic and bigoted peasant, so the two had a lot in common i guess

[@whatthe4423]

I was amazed how he could go toe-to-roe with just about anybody on any subject. A regular walking encyclopedia. The other person was an expert who specialized in that subject yet Buckley knew as much as he did.

[@roughhabit9085]

@whatthe4423 Yes Dershowitz cripples other lawyers today , and yet Buckley used to go toe to toe with him for an hour!

[@jamesbowden4871]

At 0:40, I'm so glad to have finally stumbled upon an exmaple of Buckley speaking Spanish! He probably practised sesquipedalian loquacity in all his languages.

[@blackbluestudio6338]

Brilliant guy Buckley. Crazy, he sounds even whiter speaking espanol. I bet when he farts it’s a perfect pitch 420Hz.

[@lathamarea1437]

Always enjoyed listening to Mr. Buckley, his command of words is amazing..

[@BikerInAHat]

Wow, I've been looking for Buckley's appearance on the Tonight Show for years. Thanks for posting this!

[@billolsen4360]

And Carson did prescient inquiries, not like late night network TV talk shows today, where they'd likely ask Mr. Buckley his opinion of Kim Kardashian's cleavage.

[@timdailey2690]

Was this his only appearance?

[@BikerInAHat]

@@timdailey2690 I know he was on the show in 1966 as well, there may have been more. I had read Carson was really fascinated by him.

[@BennieWilll]

@@timdailey2690 This particular apperance you are watching aired Feb 12, 1980 during the election year. Buckley appeared many times on Tonight Show in 66, 70, 72, 80, 82, 85.

[@roughhabit9085]

12 times apparently. I wish we could see some other ones.

[@dengelke]

Stained Glass is a magnificent read of espionage imbued with Cold War politics and Buckley's style.

[@edithpiaf9250]

Yes, a great and heartbreaking book...that would never get published today.

[@JackWhite52]

Thank you so much for the upload. Been looking for them for ages. Still trying to find the others.

[@MrJonathanSmith]

Happy to hear it!

[@JohnQPublic345]

in 83' I went on a tour of NBC studio. I remember how small the entire stage and set was

[@Neal_Schier]

Interesting. How many people would have been in the audience? When you say the set was small, I think of it being about 50x20 as the band was there. Is that about right?

[@thefakenewsnetwork8072]

Long live freedom and democratic equality

[@davemiller4721]

In between the stylistic verbiage, Buckley always had his eye on the ball and understood international politics and knew that the Soviets (and the Chinese and any undemocratic society) were on the wrong side of history. I miss him terribly in these times.

[@gegaoli]

eye on the ball with respect to the narrative the elite would like you to believe.

[@davemiller4721]

@@gegaoli The subject matter is way too complex for even the off-hand comment I posted. But the quote attributed to Churchill that 'democracy is the worst form of government - except for all the others that have been tried' is applicable here. There are many forms of representative democracy, not limited to the winner-take-all or tyranny of the majority kinds.

[@gegaoli]

@@davemiller4721 My point is that it’s a waste of time and energy debating economic and political systems the elite set up to divide and control. Soon they will try to tear down to creat a new world system that will have total control as it’s objective. While you debate minutiae.

[@davemiller4721]

@@gegaoli while you may be correct, it's still fun to debate these topics - we're talking about world powers - and I see you're watching the video as well.

[@gegaoli]

@@davemiller4721 I will concede I still enjoy the art of debate and logical arguments…so I remember the old days fondly which is why I decided to watch this video.

[@mikelair9144]

Johnny always puts the guest first and set them up to look great! Servant leader vs self aggrandizers we see today

[@briandelaney9710]

I’m definitely left of center but I always loved listening to William F Buckley. In college , I braved the hordes of Young Republicans, to hear him. I especially agreed with his views of the Church and the chaos after Vatican Ii

[@yuntakukai1002]

Buckley was also left of center

[@briandelaney9710]

@@yuntakukai1002 what are you smoking ?? 😂

[@bradhuskers]

@Brian Delaney If you are left-wing, you've got serious problems. I've studied politics and history longer than you've been alive, and today's left-wing democrats are totalitarian, authoritarian and anti-liberty. They love weak minded voters like you who are duped and manipulated by bullshit propaganda.

[@michaellasumiso3462]

Simply the best

[@Cptkarma6]

It took me awhile to figure out that he had the “mid Atlantic accent” …. prep school elite…. but I thought he was a pretty cool guy overall & it was different times. R.I.P.

[@scottrussell2281]

Conservatives need another William Buckley. In all the years of watching firing line I don't remember seeing him get overly emotional about anything. He could be talking to the controversial of guests and remain calm and keep the dialogue going. There haven't been many like him. The world today could certainly use someone with his calm and composed demeanor.

[@Mi_Z]

He wasn't exactly calm and collected with Gore Vidal. He lost that debate.

[@sesaarinen]

And I want to point out the word "dialogue". That's what s lacking today on both sides, in the United States and abroad. It's a shame that it is so hard (not impossible however, except for the social media it seems) to have an intellectual, heated but respectful debate nowadays. It's like two people who happen to disagree on some aspects of life cannot respect each other, let alone be friends. Hopefully this will change and we're living the worst of the times for a civil conversation. Greetings from a great admirer of both Carson and Buckley, from Finland 🇫🇮🇺🇸

[@user-dk1nq3cn4e]

I love seeing William F Buckley! I guess he always holds a pen, pencil or something else. I just adore his opinions and hope to find out more about him.

[@jpsned]

What a voice!

[@theemptyatom]

"the most inarticulate man who ever gargled" epic lol

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

He qualifies for the top spot. Speaks in sludge.

[@GunShark0]

@@lucianopavarotti2843 I've always been interested to know how much trolls get paid. Do you get like free Ramen and stuff or just head pats for being a good boy?

[@lucianopavarotti2843]

@@GunShark0 Squillions and squillions. As for the patting, i think Buckley would have shared your fascination with it and been very excited at supplying you with some.

[@coloneljawoof6832]

He was a marvelous intellectual.

[@darylcumming7119]

An time capsule of an different time.

[@ConioPendeho]

I paused it at 0:44.. I gotta get mentality prepared for the 2 BIGS to start talking.. thank you Jon Smith!!

[@boggy7665]

The book "Who's On First" was published in 1980. Gives an approximate date for this.

[@itannoysme3348]

What he's saying is actually not especially complicated or esoteric. The way he says it makes it sound so.

[@zapazap]

Ti be, the way he speaks makes things sound not complicated and esoteric, but clear and articulate. That might be because he was reluctant to 'dumb things down' -- a practice which, in the whole, leaves the conversation more muddled than it began. Cheers! :)

[@bh9225]

Boy, how he would rip the current administration...

[@rawbacon]

February 12th 1980.

[@steplumpkin5432]

GREAT STUFF!!!!!!!

[@kenbrohere]

No better person to fall asleep to than William F. Buckley.

[@theshutyourmouthguy1478]

Oh 100 percent

[@zanti4132]

That's why he came at the end of the show. His droning worked better than any bedtime story.

[@tonywalton1052]

I worked at and Arby's and he always came in for a roast beef sandwich and a glass of blue nun

[@wrobinson1702]

"interstices" great word. This level of discourse hasn't been seen on late night TV in many years, and I doubt it ever will again, which is sad.

[@mobulusmoby3864]

Wow! What a flashback!

[@Darylvb]

I love how Buckley grabbed a pencil off Johnny's desk.

[@fifty9forty3]

It was probably there for him as he often used pencils as a prop on his show.

[@WintersWar]

Finally, someone posted it. Thank You. Jon.

[@MrJonathanSmith]

Glad to do it

[@rawbacon]

@Fries Yes

[@BennieWilll]

Yes. I've been looking for this episode for a long time.

[@jamesdixon2338]

I love all the coughing in the audience because everyone has already smoked two packs of cigarettes.

[@zapazap]

Was it WFB's sim who wrote _Thank You For Smoking?_

[@coolboy5245]

@@zapazap No, it was his son

[@zapazap]

@@coolboy5245 sim/sin. T Dam these fat fingers on tiny buttons

[@paxiahern2383]

I can't fail to notice that Johnny never showed the book cover.

[@WintersWar]

The interview was cutoff. How do we know?

[@edf1584]

Buckley was brilliant

[@warrenpeece1726]

I recently saw an episode of Laugh In he had guested - he took questions from the (very liberal) cast and he was actually quite funny. They asked why he agreed to do the show he said that the producer had promised to fly him to LA in a plane with two right wings.

[@dwedge914]

This was very intriguing to watch. However, this could never be shown today.

[@marycostello4848]

This interview was done in 1980. Good to know for context.

[@wet-read]

I heard the mention of Carter, plus I know Johnny ditched that background sometime during either the late 70's or early 80's.

[@jeabennett9108]

He always gave the impression that he liked to hear himself talk. The acting roles he took when play into that stereotype.

[@pendorran]

What acting roles? Buckley never acted, so far as I'm aware.

[@ethan19942012]

It’d be really nice if you posted the rest of this interview….

[@kendallevans4079]

Where are the Buckley's, Vidal's, going to come from in the future? These were people of erudition solely for the sake of erudition....NOT money, which is the fascination of the current culture. Others: George Plimpton, Spalding Grey, Peter Ustinov, Norman Mailer...People that were interesting NOT just because they are rich

[@noelmuscutt2135]

How do you even start to list what this throwback interview on popular television tells us about our culture today?! In a matter of 30 or so years how is it possible that Western nations have fallen so far? 1. It would be unthinkable to even see someone like Buckley on a popular talk show like Kimmel or Fallon simply because his conservative views would not be allowed. Carson was not exactly conservative and, yet, he can sit here and have share his company. Imagine: being able to disagree with someone and still have a conversation without hating them or outright censoring them! 2. It is amazing to hear the public laugh and actually laugh when Buckley makes a joke. The audience may not be as intelligent as he is, but they are certainly intelligent enough to keep up with him. No general audience today would have the intelligence for this. We are all about the quick (and usually tasteless) gratification that delivers immediate but shallow gratification. 3. That there is actual conversation happening -- real 2-way conversation with real depth on real issues -- would be unthinkable today. It's crazy to watch this and realize that this is our planet only a few years ago.

[@indydude3367]

This insightful discussion could not even happen on a talk show these days.

[@FRANKIESIXTOES]

I agree, Buckley was a fascinating person and superb in debates. I always had to go to a dictionary at some point while listening to him.

[@harvardkarbodie]

It does regularly on the Colbert show.

[@bl3313]

I wish Joe Rogan could interview him.

[@itsallinthehead]

We-and I’m honestly referring to all of us despite what we think our political or cultural allegiances are-are so desperate today for genuinely funny, thought-provoking, and sometimes even tiptoeing over the boundaries of good taste late-night talk shows like Carson had where adults actually behaved like adults. I accept online media’s all but rendered much of it obsolete and answers why late-night TV has transmogrified into these partisan niches, but there was once a time when we could all watch the same thing at the same time on a television set and laugh at the same things.

[@logicftw6756]

What strikes me most about this interview is the frank discussion regarding (then) President Carter’s political decisions. Can you imagine such a discussion on the late shows that are on nowadays? We are living in a time where the President’s judgment is beyond reproach within many mainstream media and entertainment outlets, largely due to his political affiliation. We’re left with an overwhelming amount of sycophants and mindless sheep as a result. Who needs objective truth when we have the almighty narrative?

[@billmason2785]

Buckley is unappreciated. Raised in Mexico East coast and England 👍 A brilliant mind

[@brianastle6954]

You are so right! What was once news and real journalism is now nothing more than the propaganda machine of the left. Pravda....

[@jeffrey6618]

Trump 2024

[@srothbardt]

I used to watch his show every week. What a shame that our current political climate is so uncivilized. I think Buckley would be very sad if he could see what things have turned into .

[@OnePost909]

True. I disagreed with most of his views but he was a man of principle, integrity, wit, and a feel for the importance of history. A sharp contrast to one-third of the Republican Party today.

[@lewisc215]

He would completely agree with psycho Trump

[@yes2day100]

@@OnePost909 and 100% of the Democrats today.

[@catbriggs8362]

I'm sure he can and is.

[@kevinmuzerMetalMind64]

William Buckley was Rush Limbaughs idol. And of course, Ronald Reagan as well. Conservative values in the 70s/80s.

[@buck9668]

Feb 12, 1980

[@captaintor7920]

What year is this?

[@batsy74]

Val Kilmer (Doc Holiday), ""I Know, Why Don't We Have a Spelling Contest?""

[@terrybono5995]

right off the top we will be right back with william 'S' buckley

[@cynthiaperry8377]

Check out the debate between the internationally known Mr. James Baldwin and Mr. Buckley. Mr. Baldwin received a standing ovation, which was well deserved.

[@stobbinsboy]

I saw that and Mr. Baldwin was a force of nature...very articulate and intelligent. I do believe he got the better of Mr Buckley.

[@spb7883]

Funny how relevant all of this remains, irrespective of one’s opinion of Buckley’s view.

[@douglasscovil3447]

love how intelligent and unflappable Buckley was, he is definitely missed. he was a tremendous debater.

[@jayslater7017]

Watch his debate with Chomsky. An interesting one for the “intelligent, unflappable, tremendous debater”.

[@GunShark0]

@@jayslater7017 I mean, if your opponent talked in nonsensical terms and went round in circles, you'd get a bit annoyed with them as well.

[@juliosanchez95]

The problem with this example is that WFB is not very intelligent. What he says is very simplistic and he usually fails horribly in debate. Don't be fooled by the accent and the manner in which he speaks.

[@robertlotzer7627]

What’s really sad is that intelligent dialogue is not only lacking on late nite tv but even on 24 hr news! There really is no place to hear this quality of discussion!

[@johnnyllooddte3415]

buckley great american hero

[@JohnQPublic345]

date on this?

[@paulakpacente]

I LOVED William F. Buckley!

[@JasonXXXBond]

Cool Vibe

[@iainsnashall9969]

Has anyone ever seen Buckley and DeGeneres in the same room? Thought not

[@idklol4197]

anyone know who was the babe?

[@TomBleecker]

It's interesting how quickly William Buckley grabbed his Linus blanket pencil from Johnny's desk. Years ago, I rarely missed any show that Buckley was on. He was truly a brilliant intellect.

[@MDOurMD]

They are all gone but Carter (as of this writing).

[@briankearns4771]

He would sound uber intelligent explaining how to make meatloaf.

[@user-mr7bz2wi4c]

So interesting to hear him speak Spanish, with a strong Mexican accent.

[@williamwalter4992]

The last American with a Middle Atlantic accent

[@leftyspade]

Good one, didn't realize until now.