A frog in my throat and a tear in my eye. Reading about the
passing of the incomparable Johnny Carson -- sometimes
mistakenly said to be of Scorpio sun sign like I. Much as I
would have liked it, I couldn't claim that brotherhood with
him. He actually was a consummate Libra.
I grew up watching him, of course. Being a youngster
stumbling around an early career in broadcasting, he was a
master model of success for me. Moreover he was a
wonderful example as a man.
Warm, kind, gracious, generous and funny, but nobody's
fool. A thinker with grace. Penetrating wit -- but never
taking anything too seriously, least of all himself. Always
aware that basic human decency is what separates the good
guys from the bad.
As the nation's clowning "uncle", he got the American family
through some real rough spots in good humor -- not once
selling out to the cynicism that some of his successors use as
their stock in trade.
My cherished Grandmother first telegraphed Mr. Carson's
importance to me. One of my fondest memories is sharing
the dim glow of the TV screen with her, as Johnny kibitzed in
the night. Or the two of us having apple cake at her kitchen
table. Laughing about a funny line, discussing a new book or
interpreting what one of his guests said "last night."
A big fan of Jack Parr's, she took quickly to Johnny and
helped me realize he was a "window on the world" I should
pay attention to. Millions of us shared the view from "The
Tonight Show" set -- and the laughter -- most every night.
His "Carnac The Magnificent", turbaned psychic reader was
always uproariously funny. Little did I know that later in life,
as a professional psychic, there would be days I would feel
that life imitates art.
Johnny Carson.
Uniquely American and one of the really good things our
culture produced in the last half of the 20th Century.
May each of us strive to have just some of what he had in
abundance: class. Day after day after day.
Thanks for the lessons, Johnny. You did good.
Godspeed.
LINK: Museum Of Broadcast Communications •• Johnny
Carson Bio
6:48:39 AM
