Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson: A Class Act
By Daniel G. Jennings
One of the few class acts in American entertainment, Johnny Carson, passed from the scene Sunday.
The Tonight Show host had a class, a dignity, a humility, a decency, an elegance and a basic humanity lacking in most performers that made him a giant among men. In a business known for ego and arrogance Johnny displayed true humility.
Perhaps Johnny’s greatest contribution was his willingness to step aside for other performers. He used his show as a spotlight for other performers. He was willing to let others take his coveted spot as host and share the spotlight with his sidekick Ed McMahon. Neither Jay Leno or Dave Letterman has used a guest host, Johnny had dozens of them. If Johnny hadn’t shared his spotlight Jay Leno would still be fixing Rolls Royce engines and Dave would be performing at state fairs in the Midwest. Jay, Dave, Conan and the rest would be well advised to let somebody else take their mike occasionally as Johnny did.
Johnny may have saved stand up comedy in America by letting his show be a spotlight for two generations of comics Don Rickles, Jerry Seinfield, Jay Leno, Dave Letterman, Joan Rivers, Ellen DeGeneris, Arsenio Hall are just a few of the comics who got national prominence on the Tonight Show.
Nor did Johnny live a larger than life existence in front of the paparazzi cameras. He had his problems to be sure but he lived quietly and rather simply away from the cameras. He didn’t attract attention, he didn’t have an entourage, he lived like an average guy or tried to.
Finally there was the way Johnny bowed out he did it simply and elegantly. In a business where aging egotists hog the spotlight so long they become embarrassing relics Johnny retired and stayed out of the spotlight. He didn’t make an arrogant comeback, he didn’t try to stay too long, he quietly bowed out and let a new generation takeover. That was Johnny, simple, humble, elegant and dignified.
He refused to let his legend go to his head, he refused to believe the publicity and instead lived as an average citizen. He refused to use his power to squelch the careers of younger performers and potential rivals. He refused to lord it over the network and to hog the airwaves until somebody carried him out the door in a body bag.
That was what made Johnny he really was a man of the people who never forgot his roots. He kept his dignity, his humility and his humanity even though he was in the spotlight for nearly forty years. Johnny could have deteriorated into an egotistical monster, instead he became a great man and remained one. His dignified exit was his finest moment.
Hopefully today’s entertainers will learn from Johnny and discover what made him great. Unfortunately they won’t and they’ll become ugly and little for not learning from a true entertainer and a great man.