Last night I watched the Tonight Show for the second time in a week. I have not watched it on a regular basis in a long time, there is no regular late night television for me.
When I was a young man I loved to set up and watch Johnny, Ed and Doc yuck it up. I really thought Doc was funny and even liked it when Ed was on Vacation so I could see more of Doc and Tommy over in the band. Nothing against Ed, he was great and helped Johnny be even funnier, I just liked Doc and Tommy.
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Carson was at his best when the show was an hour and a half. In those days his guest in included not only the celebrate crowd, but often common people with some unique thing to share. The people on were not always the hottest celebrities or hawking a book, movie, or new album. More time was spent with the quest. Ed set next to Johnny on the couch. After someones interview was over they did not leave, they just moved over on the coach and the conversation grew with the next quest.
Carson's humor was middle America. He was risque without being crude. His audience was not only teenagers like me, but my grandparents. Johnny was an equal opportunity comedian, he picked on the left, the right, and the center. I have no idea what Johnny's politics were. After the Death of Jack Benny Johnny moved a little bit towards taking on some of Jack's tight-wade skinflint persona with his jokes. Jack was a role model and inspiration for Johnny Carson.
Today it is harder for a comedian to be funny. We are constantly exposed to comedians on a multitude of channels, shows, TV series, movies, etc. Comedy is more fast based and the comedians really reach to be unique. Often they are crude, but still not funny. I am no prude, I enjoy Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy, but funny does not always have to be crude. When I watch reruns of early SNL what I thought was funny then often falls flat today, but watch on old Johnny Carson show and it is still funny.
When Carson retired I hoped Letterman would take his place. Letterman was edgey and kinda anti - - - well anti everything. He made fun of the mudane and our own stupid obsessions. I viewed Lino as too polished and kind of a suck up, both to his audience and his guest. Lino was always seeking to please. I read one review that compared him to Bob Hope, he'd tell a joke then turn to the audience as to say, well wasn't that funny. Maybe his style was too old school, I don't know. I just did not watch him much.
I also watched Arsenio Hall for a while and then I got bored and then he just disappeared, first from late night, then all together. I wonder what ever happened to Star. My girlfriend at the time would look at her and swear she was on drugs. If you want to know who Star is you'll just have to find a tape of the old Arsenio Hall Show.
A few years ago I began to watch Craig Ferguson on occasion. The Late Late Night is kind of Late for me. I found him funny, and I guy I liked to route for. He is an underdog, an ex boozer, and has failed marriages. You just want him to come back and have success in life. But a little Craig goes a long way. His self depreciating humor is funny, but sometimes too much. The interviews seem flat and sometimes he is crude, not funny.
Letterman began to get old fast. He is too cynical and mean. His targets seem to be more and more other people rather than himself. It is like he is sneering at us. It was not the Palin thing that got me turned off, but it was that kind of humor that did long before he insulted her.
All of these shows dumped the "Ed" role and let the band leader double as the foil and the band leader, except Craig, who I think talks to one of the back stage people. Every guest seems to be plugging something. They ought to pay me for listening to the infomercial. Much of the humor is very topical, but not enduring or funny in and of itself. The gags get old and I do not really feel like setting up to see any of them. Sometimes I might watch if up anyway and occasionally I guest might get me to watch, but late night was now bed time for me.
I had never watched Conan O'Brian before. For some reason I had avoided his show. Maybe I was afraid to get addicted to a show that comes on at 12:30 in the morning. When Conan first came on one reviewer referred to him as "Conan the Barbituate." If you don't get that it is because you were never a teenage boy reading Sword & Sorcery type novels and comics.
Well I have watched Conan twice now on The Tonight Show and I think he is very good. He may be the best late night guy since Carson. He is funny just being himself. His reactions are right on. He interviews his guest well and can make fun of them some, but that is not his point. He had a great time with William Shatner the other night. Making fun of him for not being able to do the Vulcan "Live Long and Prosper sign" and then teasing Shatner about all the plugs he was going to do for him. Johnny used to have the guys from the zoo up, well Conan brought on the guy from Animal Planet and it was almost like Johnny was joking around with him and the animals. The monologue is pretty good and pointed, but not mean. Conan was flirtatious with a guest but not too crude. Conan was making fun of himself and just being funny.
Conan has a side kick on stage with him too, Andy, but he does not get to set on the couch and is often off camera. They should put him on the couch. Only time well tell, but Conan might get me to put a TV in my bedroom again.
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