Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson died today. I was born in 1961, so Carson and Ed McMahon WERE late night TV to me. I remember when the TV day started with an NBC show called "Today", and ended with NBC shows called "Tonight" and "Tomorrow". I remember seeing some sort of significance about the TV day starting in New York and ending in LA. I remember the urban legends (though we didn't call them urban legends then--we believed them to be true) about Johnny telling some hot babe with a cat "Sure I will but first move the cat"; or Arnold Palmer's wife talking about kissing his balls and Johnny replying "I bet that flutters his putter." I remember Ed seeming to do not much more than laugh, say "yes sir" and hawk Alpo and Budweiser(pretty good gig if you can get it). And, of course, I remember Johnny's final show.

Hearing about his death today, seeing the news when I checked the headlines on my internet-enabled phone while sitting in a Red Robin having lunch, I was genuinely sad.

We'll all miss you Johnny.