Update 1-25-05

Hi,

Strictly Carson.

An intro, from Jerry Bittman: I just heard about the death of Johnny Carson. We were all very fortunate to have been able to watch the King of Late Night. I know he brought so much laughter to so many people. There will never be another like him.
   Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Joan Rivers, Jerry Seinfeld, Garry Shandling -- these are just a few of the people who credit Carson with giving them their big break. My cousin Buddy Hackett was also a frequent guest on the show.
   Carson never forgot his roots. He grew up in Norfolk, Nebraska, and he donated so much money to the town, even as recently as in the past year. I taped the final two episodes of his show in 1992. The next-to-last show with Robin Williams and Bette Midler was great. I'm going to watch it right now.
   And God, I have two words for you -- "Heeeeeeeeeere's Johnny!"

Next, forwarded by Jerry from The Omaha World-Herald and written by Kim Roberts-Gudeman and Bob Glissman:  To Nebraskans and Iowans, Johnny Carson was more than the affable former host of "The Tonight Show." The Iowa-born, Nebraska-raised comedian also was a philanthropist, friend, and favorite native son. Midlanders won't soon forget the quick-witted TV personality who left behind a legacy marked by generosity and humor. "Johnny Carson was a first-class act," Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman said Sunday. "He never forgot his ties to Nebraska, and his generosity has created a lasting legacy in our state."
   "He was generous. He was very gracious," said Betty Bohac, director of Elkhorn Valley Museum & Research Center in Norfolk, Nebraska. Carson spent much of his childhood in Norfolk. "He really epitomized the community. He was so down to earth." The museum has a permanent display of Carson memorabilia, including Emmy Awards and framed magazine covers. Bohac said the museum, which normally closes at 4 PM on Wednesdays, will remain open until 9 PM this Wednesday for people to come and remember Carson. The museum will waive its entry fee that evening. "He was very proud of Nebraska and Norfolk," she said.
   Across the state, numerous buildings bearing Carson's name testify to his devotion to Nebraska. In Norfolk, a $2.27 million gift funded a cancer radiation center -- named after his parents -- and a $600,000 check helped pay for Norfolk Public Schools' Johnny Carson Theater. Carson also gave $1 million to Northeast Community College and $500,000 to the Norfolk Library Foundation, among others.
   At the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Carson has given millions of dollars to fund an annual student scholarship and to benefit performing arts education. In November, he donated $5.3 million, in part to renovate the Temple Building, where Carson honed his craft as a college student. "It reflects the love he had for the university and, in particular, the experiences he had in that building," said Jack Oliva, dean of the Hixson-Lied College of the Fine and Performing Arts at UNL. "He never forgot the university and never forgot what the university meant to him."
   Carson also donated money to several Iowa towns where his family briefly lived, including a skate park in Corning, an indoor recreation center in Clarinda, an arts center in Red Oak, and a library project in Avoca. In 1988, when he was in Norfolk for the dedication of the Carson Regional Radiation Center, Carson explained his generosity: "I have always felt that if you're lucky enough in this life to accumulate enough funds to live better than you have any right to, then you have a moral obligation to pay back to the community, or to the country or to the place that brought you up."
   Carson showed a different kind of generosity to comedian and Omaha native Pat Hazell, who performed on "The Tonight Show" in 1989. The TV host invited Hazell, who shares a love of magic, to his dressing room to chat before the show. "I didn't realize until later that it wasn't standard for everyone," said Hazell, who became enamored with Carson's comic style as a youth. "I'm sure at least part of it was because of the Nebraska ties."
   Carson was born John William Carson in Corning on October 23, 1925, to Homer "Kit" and Ruth Carson. His father was a manager for Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company and moved his family to the Iowa towns of Clarinda, Red Oak, and Avoca before settling in Norfolk in 1933. His mother Ruth was a homemaker. Carson paid tribute to Norfolk when he returned to film the 1982 NBC special, "Johnny Goes Home."
   As a youngster, Carson showed a passion for magic. He ordered a magic kit at age 12, and soon "The Great Carsoni" was born. He began performing two years later at local Elks, Moose, and Redmen Lodges. Omahan Walter Graham said Carson used to come to magic club meetings when he worked in Omaha. "He was a good magician," Graham said. "He could do sleight of hand, card manipulations... He was pretty well-rounded in that kind of stuff." Graham added, "He was a very low-key type guy. A nice fella and full of fun."
   After graduating from high school, Carson served as a Navy ensign during World War II. He enrolled at the University of Nebraska after his tour and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and speech in 1949. He later worked at WOW-TV and WOW radio in Omaha.
   He left Nebraska during the 1950s to host a series of TV shows, including "Carson's Cellar," "Earn Your Vacation" and "Who Do You Trust?" before filling in for Jack Paar on "The Tonight Show" in 1958. Richard "Pete" Petrashek, a retired WOWT news photographer who worked with Carson at WOW-TV, said Carson was the one who dubbed him Pete. At one time, Petrashek said, there were five men named Richard at the station, all of whom went by the nickname "Dick." Carson got tired of it, Petrashek said, and he declared, "From now on, you're Pete Petrashek."
   Bohac, the Norfolk museum director, said Carson would live on. "We're proud of him that he did make good in Hollywood. But we also have a good deal of respect for him because he did not forget his hometown."

Then, musician's Marc Shaiman's view of the next-to-last Johnny Carson show: As Bette Midler's musical director at the time, I co-wrote, arranged, and played for her on Johnny Carson’s penultimate show. When Bette asked me to help put together her performance, I was thrilled. The whole country was watching every night, as star after star made final appearances to thank him. So, Bette, Bruce Vilanch, and I immediately thought of writing new lyrics to the Judy Garland version of “You Made Me Love You,” which Judy sang as a worshipful fan. We wrote:
You made me watch you,
I didn't wanna do it,
Jack Paar had put me through it.
You made me watch you,
I love the jokes you're floggin',
When you are monologue-in'.
I watched your hair turn slowly
From dark to white,
And when I can't sleep
I count your wives at night.
   (That line got a huge reaction, especially from Mr. Carson. It was very odd to write something like that, knowing it was going to be sung to the person, and then watch him crack up.)
   The number was fantastic. Playing for Bette anytime is thrilling, but watching her bat out of the park like that was positively orgasmic. After that, I waited on the set where Bette would, after talking, sing the final ballad.
   When she first called, I tried to come up with the ultimate song, and "One For My Baby" seemed perfect. But when I told her, she pretty much said, “Eh.”
   When we rehearsed it, she was frightened of it, but at least sat with me and even started to toy with the final verse, making it more specific to Mr. Carson. Still, that day, Bette started second-guessing and asked the guys in the band what Carson’s favorite song was. In unison, they said “Here's That Rainy Day.”
   So after "You Made Me Love You," Bette asks Johnny what his favorite song is and starts singing “Here's That Rainy Day” a cappella. Then, Carson starts singing along, completely sincere and totally in tune, and I wait to see if the band’s piano player is gonna join in, since it's clear they're going to sing the whole song. When he doesn’t, I just jump in. They finish, then go to a commercial, and I'm sure they're about to tell me to cut "One For My Baby."
   But Bette takes her place. The entire staff of the show is huddled in the wings, watching her live and on the monitors. They are very emotional, as this is their final night, too. Johnny intros Bette and we start:
It's quarter to three,
There's no one in the place
Except you and me
   To say you could hear a pin drop would be understatement. As I listened to the clip being repeated today in tributes, I'm reminded that the moment was so tender I didn’t even try anything but the most simple accompaniment. Right before the final verse, the camera cuts to a new angle: Over Bette’s shoulder, we see Carson, mesmerized, his eyes locked with hers.
She sings:
For all of the laughs,
For the laughs, for the tears,
For the class that you showed,
Make it one for my baby,
And one more for the road,
The long ... long ... road.
   On the final measures, I did what any musical director would have done -- incorporated "The Tonight Show" theme. When we finished, the place went insane. Bette was so overcome that, after placing a lei around Johnny’s neck, she ran backstage so as not to be seen so overwhelmed. I was in a daze, the show’s staff was sobbing, but as we all “celebrated” backstage, Mr. Carson disappeared into the night.

Finally, Johnny Carson's last monologue, courtesy of NBC, and, again, forwarded by Jerry:
Around the studio, we are still on an emotional high from last night; we have not come down yet. I want to thank Robin Williams and Bette Midler for last night, for giving us an excellent show. They were absolutely sensational.
   The show tonight is our farewell show; it's going to be a little bit quieter. It's not going to be a performance show. One of the questions people have been asking me, especially this last month, is, "What's it like doing 'The Tonight Show,' and what does it mean to me?"
   Well, let me try to explain it. If I could magically, somehow, that tape you just saw, make it run backwards, I would like to do the whole thing over again. It's been a hell of a lot of fun. As an entertainer, it has been the great experience of my life, and I cannot imagine finding something in television after I leave tonight that would give me as much joy and pleasure, and such a sense of exhilaration, as this show has given me. It's just hard to explain.
   Now it's a farewell show. There's a certain sadness among the staff, a little melancholy. But look on the bright side: you won't have to read or hear one more story about my leaving this show. The press coverage has been absolutely tremendous, and we are very grateful. But my God, the Soviet Union's end did not get this kind of publicity. The press has been very decent and honest with me, and I thank them for that ... That's about it.
   The greatest accolade I think I received: G.E. named me "Employee of the Month." And God knows that was a dream come true.
I don't like saying goodbye. Farewells are a little awkward, and I really thought about this -- no joke: Wouldn't it be funny, instead of showing up tonight, putting on a rerun? NBC did not find that funny at all.
   Next question I get is what am I gonna do? Well, I have not really made any plans. But the events of this last week have helped me make a decision. I am going to join the cast of Murphy Brown, and become a surrogate father to that kid.
   During the run on the show, there have been seven United States Presidents, and thankfully for comedy there have been eight Vice Presidents of the United States. Now I know, I have made some jokes at the expense of Dan Quayle, but I really want to thank him tonight for making my final week so fruitful.
   Here is an interesting statistic that may stun you: We started the show October 2, 1962. The total population of the Earth was 3 billion, 100 million people. This summer, it's 5 billion, 500 million people, which is a net increase of 2 billion, 400 million people, which should give us some pause. A more amazing statistic is that half of those 2 billion, 400 million will soon have their own late-night TV show.
   Now, originally NBC came and said, "What we would like you to do in the final show is to make it a two-hour prime-time special with celebrities and a star-studded audience." And I said, "Well, I would prefer to end like we started -- rather quietly, in our same time slot, in front of our same shabby little set." It is rather shabby. We offered it to a homeless shelter and they said "No, thank you." I am taking the applause sign home -- putting it in the bedroom. And maybe once a week just turning it on.
   But we do have a V.P.I. audience -- V.P.I. audience? We could have had that, too. What I did was ask the members of the staff and the crew to invite their families, relatives and friends, and they did, with some other invited guests. My family is here tonight: my wife, Alex; my sons Chris and Cory; my brother Dick; my sister Katherine; and a sprinkling of nephews and nieces. And I realized that being an offspring of someone who is constantly in the public eye is not easy. So guys, I want you to know that I love you; I hope that your old man has not caused you too much discomfort. It would have been a perfect evening if their brother Rick would have been here with us, but I guess life does what it is supposed to do. And you accept it, and you go on.
   About tonight's show. This is not really a performance show. This is kind of a look-back retrospective. We are going to show you some moments in time. Some images of the many people -- and there have been some 23,000 people. We are going to show you a little excerpt of how the show is put together, so go get some more cheese dip and we'll be back in just a moment.

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Rich