I was kind of kidding about Kojak, but now Carson? That’s right up there with Jim Henson.

I cried when Jim Henson died. It was like this sweet little innocent piece of my childhood got taken away from me.

I didn’t cry, but Johnny Carson had almost the same kind of influence.

I never really liked Jay Leno - it’s been long forgotten that Jon Stewart was Carson’s long time guest host. Leno was a safe choice - Stewart or Letterman would have been a better one.

To say that Jay Leno has failed to fill the - admittedly quite large - shoes that preceeded him is an understatement. I used to beg to stay up and watch Carson, snuggled under an afghan that my mother knit sitting on the couch, I’d doze off and then promptly snap my - admittedly quite large - head back up to attention. No mom, I’m not falling asleep. How long until Johnny is on? These nights invariably ended with mom carrying me up to my bed and tucking me in, tired but happy.

The monologue was his throne: only Letterman has matched his ability to work the material. Most guys, when a joke fails, go flat; they just retreat, and on to the next line. Letterman wraps himself in irony, Carson in honesty. Jokes win and jokes lose - that’s just the nature of the game.

Has there been a more memorable late night character than Carnac? At least once every 6 months I find myself doing an imitation, read the answers, tear the envelope, the blow to open it (always the blow) and the reveal of the perfect question. It was beautiful in its simplicity, and its simplicity made it beautiful.

Occasional skits aside, Carson was the straight man with the guffawing side kick. He retired gracefully, rather than being put out to pasture. I’ve never forgotten that last night with Robin Williams and Bette Midler. I can’t stand Bette Midler, but on that night her love shone through.

The curtain is closed. I’m crying now, but just a little. It’s too hard not to smile.

Posted by skooter at 7:58 PM This entry is filed under Friends.
This entry is tagged: Comedy, Obituaries, Television