TV Legend Johnny Carson Dies

[Kooperman]

Johnny Carson, the “Tonight Show” TV host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter, droll comedy and heartland charm for 30 years, has died, NBC News has learned. He was 79 years old.

“Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning,” his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, told The Associated Press. “He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service.”

For the complete story click here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6504289/

[DudeAsInCool]

Wow - that's a big loss r.i.p. Like Walter Cronkite, he was an icon that all Americans looked up to, particularly in the days when there were just 3 networks. His monologues kept us together in troubled times - he had that much of an impact. Here are some clips from his show:

http://www.johnnycarson.com/carson/enterta...owing/index.jsp

[Shawn]

r.i.p.

[KiwiCoromandel]

sad news.... r.i.p.

[Crazy Horse]

r.i.p.

Thanx for the memories Johnny. You will be missed.

[moodyblue]

r.i.p. Thanks for everything Johnny.....

[DudeAsInCool]

Larry King will be hosting a special this week dedicated to Johnny Carson

[Redneck4sure]

He was good at what he did 4sure. r.i.p.

[slum_goddess]

OH NO. :(

what moodyblue said, thanks for everything, johnny. (shit, shit, shit shit shit...)

[method77]

Bad news. He was famous worldwide

RIP Johny :(

[Wolfie]

r.i.p.

[slum_goddess]

what sticks in my mind most is when he had on a dude who made stained glass and JC commented 'the only stained glass Ed [McMann] ever sees is when he wakes up and looks through all last night's empties'

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

Letterman Pays Special Tribute to Carson

NEW YORK - David Letterman paid tribute to Johnny Carson on Monday by telling his jokes. On his first "Late Show" since Carson's death on Jan. 23, Letterman's opening monologue was comprised entirely of jokes that Carson had quietly sent to him over the past few months from retirement in California.

Letterman didn't tell the audience until after the monologue was over who wrote the jokes. His guest on Monday's show, former Carson producer Peter Lassally, had revealed a few days before Carson had died that the retired "Tonight" show host missed his nightly monologue and had written jokes for Letterman.

"I moved to Los Angeles from Indianapolis in 1975, and the reason I moved is because of Johnny Carson and the `Tonight' show," Letterman said. "And I'm not the only one. I would guess that maybe three generations of comedians moved to be where Johnny was because if you thought you were funny and you wanted to find out if you could hit major league pitching, you had to be on the `Tonight' show."

Read entire story here.

[slum_goddess]

guaranteed for laughing your ass off: tribute cartoons for johnny carson

[method77]

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - David Letterman's Monday night tribute to his mentor Johnny Carson was his highest-rated show in almost two years, according to preliminary data released by Nielsen Media Research.

CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" delivered a 6.0 household rating/15 share Monday night. The show featured Letterman's remarks -- and jokes secretly written for him by Carson before his Jan. 23 death -- and guests Peter Lassally, a longtime producer of NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" and Doc Severinsen, Carson's bandleader.

Letterman's tribute came a week later than "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" because Letterman's show wasn't in production last week. Usual late-night leader "Tonight Show" delivered a 4.9/12 on Monday. Last week, Leno chalked up near-record ratings with his Jan. 24 Carson tribute episode, which pulled in an 11.2/26 share.

-REUTERS-

I've seen Letterman a few times and he is pretty funny.

[DudeAsInCool]

I've seen Letterman a few times and he is pretty funny.

Letterman's the best of the bunch. I saw the show - it was a class tribute