| Johnny Carson was a form of entertainment all | | | | commercial break and upon return Johnny would be |
| himself. When he retired and was replaced by Jay | | | | seated behind his desk. The rest of the show would |
| Leno, an era of television ended. When he died, an era | | | | focus mostly on bringing on the various guests. This |
| of mankind died with him. There was never anything | | | | was a chance for up and coming stars to shine. |
| like Johnny Carson before him and most likely there will | | | | Getting onto the show was almost a free ride to |
| never be another Johnny Carson again. | | | | success if you were good. Many great stars got their |
| Carson hosted "The Tonight Show" which had a long | | | | start on Carson's showcase. Who could forget the |
| line of hosts before him, including Steve Allen, Ernie | | | | first time that George Carlin first appeared on the |
| Kovacs and Jack Paar, the last regular host who | | | | show? |
| Carson ultimately replaced. After he died, Carson then | | | | After the guests would perform, they'd sit down with |
| went on to host the show for almost 30 years, a feat | | | | Carson and chat. Some of the guests, like Carlin and |
| that has been equalled by nobody else. | | | | Robin Williams, were outrageous and provided some |
| Carson's sidekick on the show was a guy by the | | | | of the most memorable moments on the show. |
| name of Ed McMahon. McMahon was really there just | | | | Carson was a master at interviewing people as he |
| to play off Carson and be his straight man. He didn't | | | | made them feel so at ease. |
| really have much talent, but he didn't have to. He | | | | But the show wasn't just about guests. Carson also |
| played his role perfectly and the two of them formed | | | | had his cast of characters whom he played on the |
| a chemistry that rivalled the great duos of all time. | | | | show, like Karnac the Magnificent. This is where |
| The premise of the show was very simple and pretty | | | | Carson would put on his little turban and pretend to be |
| much set in stone. At the beginning of each show | | | | able to guess what the contents of individual |
| McMahon would introduce who the guests would be | | | | envelopes were. Whenever McMahon would get to |
| for that evening after announcing the star of the show | | | | the last envelope he would announce this, bringing on |
| and then would come out with the now famous line, | | | | great cheers from the studio audience, as the jokes |
| "Here's Johnny!" Carson would then come out and do | | | | were really pretty bad. To these cheers, Carson would |
| a brief monologue. In his monologue he would basically | | | | make some kind of remark like, "May the fleas from a |
| cover the current events of the day, mostly picking on | | | | thousand camels infest your arm pits". The laughs |
| the sitting President of the United States. Most would | | | | were some of the greatest on television. |
| say that his monologue was the funniest part of the | | | | Carson filled our homes with some of the greatest TV |
| show. | | | | moments ever. And for that we will always be |
| After the monologue, the show would take a | | | | thankful. |