The Tonight Show
For thirty years as host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Johnny Carson (1925–2005) delivered topical monologues that lightly skewered those in power. “Carson’s comedic take on the events of the day,” critic Richard Zoglin judged, “has been the most reliable barometer of the public’s mood.” However, some viewers were at times offended by Carson’s topical humor, as the letter displayed here demonstrates. Carson provided late-night national exposure for leading comedians, including George Carlin (1937–2008) and Richard Pryor (1940–2005), shown here, and those hoping to break into the big time.
For thirty years as host of <em>The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson</em> (1962–1992), Johnny Carson (1925–2005) delivered topical monologues that lightly skewered those in power. “Carson’s comedic take on the events of the day,” critic Richard Zoglin judged, “has been the most reliable barometer of the public’s mood.” However, some viewers were at times offended by Carson’s topical humor, as the letter displayed here demonstrates. Carson provided late-night national exposure for leading comedians, including George Carlin (1937–2008) and Richard Pryor (1940–2005), <em>shown here</em>, and those hoping to break into the big time.