R.I.P Johnny Carson

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:26 pm

Wow. It's just such a shock...

Little details are being released about the cause of death, but he passed away Sunday morning. Entertainment has lost an icon.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld ... -headlines

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:29 pm

Wow, indeed. Sad.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:44 pm

I wonder how many of us were conceived with Johnny's voice going on the background on the TV? A huge loss, I miss him already.

Post by **DrSpooky** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:49 pm

Knowing my parents, I am nearly certain I was conceived before 9pm CST.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:51 pm

"I did not know that..."

No peer. Not Leno. Nor Letterman.

I did not know he was ill. A chunk of genuine Americana...a really, really big chunk, has just come to a fork in the road, and, sadly, taken the Schlossen Cut-off.

RIP, oh Carnack the Magnificent. May your detractors choke to death on a Yak Hairball...

Post by **DrSpooky** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 2:58 pm

I saw this story http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/1 ... index.html a few days ago which mentioned emphysema.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 3:12 pm

Was he smoking to the end, or had he quit. Emphysema is a horrible death. I lecture on disease to young, impressionable kids who of age to pick up the habit. I pass out to each student a snorkle mouthpiece and a noseclip (forces mouthbreathing only). They ventilate with these devices for a 60 seconds (timed), then I replace the snorkel mouthpiece with a standard drinking straw, and have them breath through it exclusively for 60 seconds. Then I remove the drinking straw and have them breath through a coffee stirrer with a very small orifice...a fraction of the drinking straw. Most cannot make it 60 seconds, as the work of breathing and the sensation of dyspnea is too great.

It scares 'em. Then they get the take home. Imagine struggling for each breath...every breath, like your were doing at the end of the experiment. They can't imagine it, and yet, it is the best way to demonstrate the end stages of emphysema. Every breath you take is a mini-marathon, and the consequences of failing to ventilate is a very painful suffocating death.

If you smoke, head to the respiratory care unit of your local hospital and visit a few end-stagers. Blue Bloaters, they are referred to by the RT's.
If you still smoke after that, then at the very least, you can accept the power of addiction that tobacco has over you.

selfmademug · Post by **selfmademug** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 6:05 pm

The thing I'm most grateful for from Johnny were his Reagan skits. They got me through the '80s.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 6:23 pm

I think the question my generation, including myself, will be asking is:

Well, was he funnier than Conan?

I find a 'yes' hard to believe.

*EDIT: no disrespect to his death, it is truly a big loss... I heard he once accounted for over 17% of NBC's total profits (I think it was profits, 17% of somethiiiiinggg), and he is the staple from which all modern late night hosts try to perform.

Post by **BlueChair** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:15 pm

Yes. He was funnier. And a hell of a lot more groundbreaking.

If it weren't for him, Conan would probably have sought out a similar career as his fellow Harvard graduates.

And that's not to say I don't like Conan, cause I do. Conan is my favourite current late night talk show host.

But this is a thread where we pay respect a legendary figure who has passed away. He was a genuinely nice guy who essentially made a career for thousands of people we revere today.

Shame on you for turning this into a penis-length comparison contest.

cosmos · Post by **cosmos** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:19 pm

Conan is funny, but he doesn't come close to Johnny Carson. Nobody does.

WHAR, someday down the line when you've outgrown those "pioneers of talk radio" Opie and Anthony, maybe you'll understand.

DrJ · Post by **DrJ** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:57 pm

Carson's funnier than Conan. Steve Allen's funnier than Conan. Heck, I'm funnier than Conan (on a good day).

Carson never hit the airwaves on this side of the Atlantic, but to see him back-to-back with Letterman when on holidays to the US as a teen was a real treat. Only just this weekend my brother was in town and we were watching the Carson stuff on the new Seinfeld DVD's, and he was such a smooth, confident and funny guy.

DrJ

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:26 pm

cosmos wrote:WHAR, someday down the line when you've outgrown those "pioneers of talk radio" Opie and Anthony, maybe you'll understand.

Are you trying to imply that O&A are not pioneers of talk radio with those parenthesis?

They are big Johnny Carson fans- and they are not related to this at all.

Name any other talk radio host that has gone number 1 in 25 major markets, dominated satellite radio, then SIMULTANEOUSLY broadcasted on commercial and satellite radio.

I know, you haven't heard them- but ignorance is never a helpful assistant.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:29 pm

*note/disclaimer: I'm not trying to start an argument. <3

cosmos · Post by **cosmos** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:42 pm

You're correct WHAR....I haven't heard O & A. It's ignorant of me to judge them if I haven't even heard them. Therefore, I will check them out.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:43 pm

Thankyou for PM'ing me. I feel like a real jerk for going off like that, now. I'm too used to it with how some board members are.

Post by **BlueChair** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:11 pm

Man, I love using my signature as an obnoxious ad!

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 10:12 pm

Not as much as I do.

The ONA Army is spreading the virus.

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:33 pm

WHAR, thanks for hijacking yet another thread with your inanities. I'm sure Johnny would have found something amusing in it.

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 11:39 pm

Hmm, I don't think I hijacked this thread at all. Pay all therespect to Johnny you want. It's quite alright.

ice nine · Post by **ice nine** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:29 am

Both Conan and David have an aggrevating tendancy, atleast to me, of mugging for the camera. Johnny seemed to play to the studio audience and not the TV audience.

All I can say is that heaven (if you believe in that sort of thing) is a funnier place tonight.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:35 am

BlueChair wrote: Shame on you for turning this into a penis-length comparison contest.

He tends to do that often

SoLikeCandy · Post by **SoLikeCandy** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:37 am

Are you trying to imply that O&A are not pioneers of talk radio with those parenthesis?

They're "quotes", not parentheses.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:43 am

oooh Candy Ass gettin' salty! NICE!

El Vez · Post by **El Vez** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 8:59 am

Johnny Carson was The Man and his Tonight Show program was a beloved family ritual. My parents and I would watch it together almost every single night until he passed the torch and he was never, ever less than wonderful. I will miss him greatly. A great man and a true class act.