# The Goodnight Show: Johnny Carson dead at 79 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277 "2005-01-23T18:44:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/1 "2005-01-23T18:44:15Z")
Just clicked on CNN and heard a bulletin; don’t think there’s anything on the news sites yet. Well, he had a good, long, happy life, and a nice retirement. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/2 "2005-01-23T18:48:08Z")
Oh, man. One of my favorite celebrities. He was always in such amazing health. ---
**Author:** ![Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f0a364/32.png) [@Rube\_E.Tewesday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rube_E.Tewesday)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/3 "2005-01-23T18:51:26Z")
Here’s a link with a bit more. [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050123.wcarson0123/BNStory/Entertainment](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050123.wcarson0123/BNStory/Entertainment) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/4 "2005-01-23T18:51:29Z")
Not much in the way of details; he was a very private person (obssessively so), so I doubt there will be many details: > [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES (AP) – Johnny Carson, the “Tonight Show” TV host who served America a smooth nightcap of celebrity banter, droll comedy and heartland charm for 30 years, has died. He was 79. “Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning,” his nephew, Jeff Sotzing, told The Associated Press. “He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service.” Sotzing would not give further details, including the time of death or the location. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/5 "2005-01-23T18:52:53Z")
That really sucks. I don’t know why, but for some reason I had always just assumed he was going to be another George Burns, with a perfect mind quipping till at least 100 or so. It never even occured to me that he might die this young. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/6 "2005-01-23T19:07:04Z")
That’s a damn shame. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/7 "2005-01-23T19:14:25Z")
Johnny Carson, former host of NBC’s _Tonight Show_ has [died](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30475-2005Jan23.html) today at the age of 79. The cause, time, and place of death were not mentioned, but from details in the story about his family being at his bed when he died, he must have been ill before his death. Wow, I feel old. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/8 "2005-01-23T19:16:09Z")
Wow. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/9 "2005-01-23T19:16:17Z")
Just heard the news. ☹ My neice asked me, “Who’s that?” :sigh: Generations are passing. . . ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/10 "2005-01-23T19:16:42Z")
I loved the passion that he had for amateur astronomy, the interview with John Dobson is a major highlight of _The Tonight Show_ for me. Also, I grew up (early to late teens, anyways) watching him interview the greats of cinema, TV, music, what have you and I feel like he actually had conversations with those people. Not just a series of set ups for one liners. That man had a gift. I didn’t know him personally, tho, so I have nothing to add beyond his public persona. And I’ve been missing that for a while now already. “That’s some wild and whacky stuff.” ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/11 "2005-01-23T19:16:54Z")
☹ ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/12 "2005-01-23T19:18:19Z")
How quickly an era can pass: Just five years ago, Steve Allen, Jack Paar, and Johnny Carson were all with us. Now, they’re all gone. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/13 "2005-01-23T19:19:35Z")
Makes me feel old too. His apparent desire to stay out of the public eye over the last few years seems to be continued after his death, noting the story saying that there will be no memorial service. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mermaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@The\_Mermaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mermaid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/14 "2005-01-23T19:21:44Z")
Here’s that rainy day (J Burke, J Van Heusen) I should have saved Those leftover dreams Funny But here’s that rainy day Here’s that rainy day They told me about And i laughed at the thought That it might turn out this way Where is that worn out wish That i threw aside After it brought my love so near Funny how love becomes A cold rainy day Funny That rainy day is here It’s funny How love becomes A cold rainy day Funny That rainy day is here Bye Johnny, ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/15 "2005-01-23T19:35:04Z")
I can’t say I watched him much, but that which I saw was really something. He had such a connection with his audience, and it seemed a real love for what he was doing. He was a real talent and a blessing to what is often a wasteland of media. He will be greatly missed. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/16 "2005-01-23T19:37:22Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > I loved the passion that he had for amateur astronomy, the interview with John Dobson is a major highlight of _The Tonight Show_ for me. Carl Sagan mentioned being on the show and being amazed by him. He was used to the Dinah Shore/Regis Philbin type host who acted as if he were the greatest thing since peanut brittle while on-air but would then admit “I don’t understand science stuff… who do you think’s gonna get the Oscar?” or “So do you think there are really Martians?” and then act disappointed when he said no. When he was on Carson, he was amazed that Carson’s scientific and astronomical interest majorly went “UP” when they went to commercial and he would be asking him about specific oddities recently reported in the Crab nebula and other stuff that “Ma and Pa Middleamerica” never could have understood. It was totally his passion. It really does feel like I’ve lost an uncle I rarely saw but was really fond of. And just think of all the memories that went with him. (Although, he actually said that one of the weirdest things about having as much of your life on tape as he did was that he would see long sketches or interviews that he had absolutely no recollection of doing.) There will never be another. When he retired it was almost like the death of Alexander when the great empire shattered into fighting kingdoms and territories, and now there’ll be no return of the king (not that anybody really thought there would be after the first few years of his retirement). Heeyyyyyyyyyooooooooooooooooooooo, milord. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/17 "2005-01-23T19:43:42Z")
A) The Greatest Talk Show Host Ever /Open envelope Q) Who was Johnny Carson? //Carnac RIP Johnny. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/18 "2005-01-23T19:55:22Z")
The _National Enquirer_ ran a story a couple weeks ago about how Carson was suffering from emphysema, so I assume that was the principle cause of death. In the pictures accompanying the story, he actually looked like he was pregnant–apparently the lungs and chest swell up when you can’t breathe properly. The poor guy smoked himself to death, no doubt becoming addicted long before anybody knew how deadly it was. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/19 "2005-01-23T19:55:47Z")
I’m very saddened to hear this news. He brought so many laughs throughout my childhood. Some of his funniest moments were when the pre-written jokes didn’t work and he started ad-libbing. I watched every chance I could. I admired the way he stepped down and thought it was very classy. Never was the need to keep proving himself or stay in the spotlight. I do regret that we never got to see him after that final show, or that he never wrote a book of his experiences(that I’m aware of), but I respected that those were his wishes. Rest in Peace, Johnnie, and thank you for so many laughs and wonderful memories. ---
**Author:** ![Club\_33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Club\_33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Club_33)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2005, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277/20 "2005-01-23T19:57:48Z")
ahem…Johnny, not Johnnie. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-goodnight-show-johnny-carson-dead-at-79/286277.md?page=2)