Decades after Carson left late night, his influence endures. Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno explain why

As I delve into this fascinating exploration of Johnny Carson’s life, I find myself awestruck by the complexity of a man who was both a beloved entertainer and an enigma off-screen. Having grown up watching the late-night comedy scene, I can attest to the indelible impact that Johnny Carson had on my generation and those before us.

During his prime, Johnny Carson’s humor was so influential that when he joked about a toilet paper shortage in 1973, people rushed to buy it in grocery stores nationwide – an event happening almost fifty years before the widespread panic buying of this essential bathroom item during pandemics. This is a testament to the immense impact Carson had on our culture as host of “The Tonight Show” from 1962 to 1992.

As I stepped into the limelight, taking over The Tonight Show from the legendary Johnny Carson, there wasn’t another soul quite like him who had such an impact on late-night television.

Jimmy Kimmel, a descendant in the realm of show business following in Carson’s footsteps, views him as the Abraham Lincoln of late-night television. His reputation is so significant that it could potentially earn a spot on the Mount Rushmore of comedy.

According to Kimmel, who has been hosting late-night shows for two decades now, many presidents often go unnoticed due to the frequent focus on Lincoln. Steve Allen is credited with originating this entire concept, while Letterman introduced an absurd element to it. However, in Kimmel’s opinion, it was Johnny (presumably referring to Johnny Carson) who made the most significant impact, as he became such a integral part of our everyday lives.

At the height of his career, Carson drew an average of 9 million viewers per night; Stephen Colbert currently heads a competitive group with approximately 3 million viewers. Even those who weren’t born when Carson was on TV recognize his impact. As Eric Andre, aged 41, explains, “He truly reigned supreme and controlled the airwaves.” After studying him closely, Andre launched his self-titled Adult Swim show in 2012.

32 years after Carson‘s final show, we present “Carson the Magnificent,” a biographical account delving into the life and impact of this iconic comedian. This long-awaited project was in development for so many years that its primary author, Bill Zehme, passed away before he could finish it.

According to Kimmel, “This project was like Bill’s lifelong quest, and I didn’t think he’d ever manage to complete it.” At some point, Kimmel allowed the journalist to reside at his home for several months so that Bill could concentrate on writing the book instead of conducting celebrity interviews to cover his rent expenses.

Zehme, who wrote for Rolling Stone and other major magazines, had authored books on Frank Sinatra and Andy Kaufman in addition to ghostwriting memoirs for Regis Philbin and Leno. A lifelong Carson fan, he conducted the final major interview with the “Tonight Show” host and originally planned to publish this book in 2007.

However, he persisted in digging deeper and deeper, as Kimmel explains, with the intention of probing beneath the usual enigmatic facade of Carson. Eventually, Zehme himself was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and spent the majority of his remaining years fighting this illness while also completing the book.

According to Mike Thomas, who completed the book following Zehme’s passing, despite living for nearly a decade after that, his health was never robust enough to fully return to his work again, as he expressed. Thomas had previously worked with Zehme on projects related to Sinatra, Leno, Philbin, and Kaufman before embarking on a career at the Chicago Sun-Times.

Zehme almost completed and refined roughly three-quarters of the book, while Thomas utilized Zehme’s research and writing to bring the project to its conclusion.

As a devoted admirer, I share an intriguing account: His daughter handed me the access to a storage unit she called ‘Carson Land.’ Inside, it was filled to the brim with binders, photos, documents, and even a large pink canceled check from Johnny to Doc Severinsen. Thomas explains that it was like digging through treasure, trying to discern what I needed to piece together the full story of Johnny.

The narrative about Johnny isn’t overly admiring nor excessively critical; instead, it presents him as a complex individual, acknowledging his complexity while highlighting his undeniable genius. Bill managed to delve deep into Johnny’s character more than most, yet there were aspects of him that remained enigmatic and hard to decipher.

Zehme beautifully portrays the grandeur of Carson, the ultimate entertainer, masterfully aware of his audience’s desires, recognizing where limits lay, and skillfully nudging those barriers just enough.

According to Leno, Johnny often told jokes that were somewhat borderline, but he was very skilled at understanding the limits of what mainstream America would find acceptable. He knew exactly when to test those boundaries.

Kimmel notes that Johnny appeared incredibly smooth and seemingly effortless during his performance, yet he suggests that there’s a great deal about Johnny that even those alive today might not know.

According to Zehme’s portrayal, Carson appeared as a deceptive public figure, much like a magician subtly hiding his tricks, due to his enduring fondness for magic. In contrast, behind closed doors, he was distant and uninvolved, proving to be an indifferent father, a heavy drinker, and a womanizer who occasionally became violent with his spouses when intoxicated.

At times, he’d find himself waking up the next morning to realize that some sort of damage had been inflicted upon the woman who was his sons’ mother. (Book passage paraphrased)

Leno mentions that he was consistently kind towards him, but he acknowledges that Johnny wasn’t a responsible drinker. When Johnny drank too much, he could become a bit unpleasant.

Kimmel comments that the biography doesn’t offer a very favorable picture of Johnny, but it’s truthful, and he believes this could be beneficial because often people create exaggerated images of individuals. People assume the person they see on TV is exactly who they are. Many believed they knew Johnny Carson, but in reality, we didn’t know him as well as we thought.

During Zehme’s conversation with Carson, the icon casually remarks that if today’s youth were asked about “The Ed Sullivan Show” – a program once hailed as “the biggest show in America” – 31 years after its conclusion, they would likely regard it as if it had never been. And indeed, why should they recall something so distant from their own experiences?

After Carson’s final broadcast, his spirit remains palpable, not only due to YouTube, where his legacy is carefully compiled through selected clips, but also in a more intangible, lingering sense.

“There’s enough clips of Johnny at his best that people can find whatever they want,” Leno says, although he notes that the jokes and flagrant sexism in many sketches feel dated.

The impact that Carson had on those who came after him is still immense. On a typical Monday, you might catch Jon Stewart momentarily adopting his tone; other admirers like Letterman and Conan O’Brien continue their work on television and podcasts, while the current generation of hosts – Kimmel, Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers – are old enough to have watched Carson during their childhood.

Speaking as a film critic, I must admit that Carson’s influence looms large over everyone associated with this project. However, I believe this book is primarily intended for baby boomers and Gen Xers who may have fond memories of his work. Yet, Thomas, one of the team members, harbors a hope that this book might serve as an introduction to Carson’s genius for a new generation, sparking their curiosity and appreciation for his timeless artistry.

Upon receiving his own show, Kimmel visited the Paley Center, formerly known as the Museum of Broadcasting, located in Beverly Hills, to observe Allen, Jack Paar, and Carson.

According to Kimmel, the most important lesson he gleaned was that he’d never reach Johnny’s level of skill or ability.

At his peak, Carson was undoubtedly the top star in the studio, as Kimmel remarks. “Perhaps Frank Sinatra might make an appearance and they were on par, but that’s about it. Let me assure you, if Taylor Swift appears on my show, I don’t feel like we’re on the same level.

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2024-11-05 14:34