David Letterman's Tribute to Johnny Carson 1

[DarkridesDisney]

You can tell Johnny wrote all of the monologue jokes... :-)

[J5MARLON]

I remember this show and I thought man Letterman is really funny and then when he said it was all Carson jokes I wish Recorded it.

[Powderwombat]

2:29 Dave is asking Johnny 'what were you thinking?'

[coolwafferman]

Dave looks like Harry Smith the former co host on "The Early Show" here... lol

[abehammy]

Why doesn't Dave use the same part in the beginning of the intro where it goes from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building? In the current intro it goes from the Statue of Liberty to generic, cgi-animated buildings.

[GrassValleyGreg]

It seems everyone wanted Dave to be the Tonight Show host except NBC. And then they fucked it all up again 15 years later.

[overether]

Sad if these were Carson jokes... I think Letterman is waaay funnier on his own.

[snoozer998]

@overether I agree. I didn't say anything because then I'd turn into public enemy #1. Anyway, yeah these were pretty weak.

[ineedausernamenow999]

to everybody that says that dave should have gotten the tonight show, it's true. johnny wanted it but nbc was scared of this young kid and his antics. if you don't think johnny wanted him in his chair then ask yourself why he wrote dave a whole monolog when he knew he was going to be passing soon.

[bWildcat1]

@snoop0851 That's the 30th anniversary of his debut on tv as a comedian.

[bWildcat1]

@snoop0851 Yeah it won't be that hard, he just has to get through Feb. 1 of next year.

[earl973]

Dave and Stern rule.....Leno sucks dog ass

[southsidesman]

How sweet of Dave... to go out and bomb for Johnny one last time.

"Attention K-Mart shoppers! - Is this thing on?!!"

[declanappleseed]

No offence but I find David Letterman kinda annoying. But i kinda prefered Johnny Carson better.

[apvogel]

I read somewhere that Carson told NBC to hire Dave and not Leno.

[mjbab73]

@apvogel Yes, it was well known Johnny wanted Dave to take over The Tonight Show. Unfortunately it was NBC's call and not Johnny's.

[match34]

Johnny Carson wrote a Paris Hilton joke... I really don't know what to make of that.

[springloadedchicken]

oooh geee letterman!  you son of a beach! LMFAO! awwwww you dog! :D

[vincedc55]

Johnny was the best, Letterman ruled for years, but late night belongs to Jimmy Kimmel now.

[kydink1]

love that theme song, and dave wasnt bad either.

[thislittlerose]

Nine people didn't like this? Good. That means Dave is making a difference. Jerks.

[JimmySand9]

Man, Carson was sharp and "with-it" right to the end.

[Gagagrr]

Is this before or after Carson's death?

[leandar]

This was the first show of Dave's after Johnny died.

[VeryFineWhine]

I remember when this first aired. I was SOOO annoyed that Letterman started w/jokes & not a tribute to Carson I turned it off. When I flipped back later and found out those were Carson's jokes and he had been sending them to him, I kicked myself more than I can say.

It's always made me wonder how many of Letterman's jokes came from Carson? We still had his brillience on the air, to some degree, & just didn't know it. Ironic how the BEST EVER had NO ego, yet Leno is all ego. Says alot.

[Dosmosable]

@VeryFineWhine whenever he did/does the golf swing ut was one of carsons jokes

[VeryFineWhine]

@Dosmosable WOW thanks! I'm not doubting you at all, but how did you find that out? Sure wish I knew it YEARS ago. I vaguely recall those swings, but he always made so many Carson referrences I didn't think twice about them.

I wish someone on Letterman's staff (or a hard core fan) would put together a clip/s of all of them. I'm SO curious to know how often he did this.

Thanks so much for the info. How in the world didn't I recognize the "22 rupee increase" as Carson's. It's SOO him!

[mjbab73]

There've been many articles written about Johnny sending Dave jokes...It didn't come out 'till after Johnny passed. Google it...Letterman golf swing.

[hwoods01]

hmmmm... didnt know that. but makes sense!! thanks!

[timeforbed]

I actually remembered that some of those jokes had already been told. I was confused, but I wasn't going to stop watching!

[dltodd1966]

From what I know, Carson never appeared on Leno's show, though he wrote jokes for Letterman and appeared on his show. He considered Letterman the rightful successor on the tonight show and apparently cared little for Leno though Leno stood in for Johnny for years before he got the show.

[proken58]

Leno did his entire show the day following Carson's death all about Johnny. Instead of a monologue, he opened with a 5 minute tribue. He said he didn't know Johnny well, but said what he thought Johnny mean to TV.. Leno's first guest was Ed McMahon. Then he had Don Rickles and Bob Newhart who told funny stories and showed clips.. Then Drew Carry came on and had the best line of the night. He told Leno "You know, when die, we're not gonna do this for you". It cracked Leno up.

[Pontus80]

Did Jay do any kind of tribute when Johnny died?

[AviationPhotogBNA]

I believe he did, but it wasn't enough to garner a whole lot of media attention. Remember, it was Jay's show so that's really all he cared about was him anyways. He wasn't going to give a ton of love to a man (Carson) who didn't really like him (Leno) to begin with. He only did what he did to satisfy NBC Corporate and that's it.

[Slides2006]

He did. He read from a teleprompter.

[AviationPhotogBNA]

All I want is to see Conan interviewed by Letterman sometime after the Non-Compete Clause is up in September. Considering how crappy NBC treated both men, it would be a damn fine show! Letterman was Carson's choice to take over the "Tonight Show". NBC thought otherwise.

[FlamingoKicker]

Thank God Carson didn't pick his replacement. He wanted Joan (uggh, my face is tight) Rivers (before she stabbed him in the back, in his opinion anyway)

[15HDTv]

@FlamingoKicker  he did pick his replacement....it was Letterman

[Mozzer232]

Absolutely agree! And you can tell that Conan was heavilly influenced by Dave. He was a great heir to Dave's whackyness on Late Night for many many years. And like Dave he was also screwed by NBC's love affair of Leno. It will be great television!!!

[graylikethecolor]

Jakeyjuke, you're wrong.

go read the wiki page on David Letterman. There are interviews where Carson believed that The Tonight Show belonged to Letterman after he was done.

[Jakeyjuke]

If you think about it, Dave couldn't have been the host of the tonight show. That was Johnny's thing and it always will be his legacy. I think if you would ask Johnny about it he would have said that Dave starting a legacy on a different show was right. Dave and Johnny will always be remembered and they each have their own legacies.

[Mozzer232]

Actually Johnny lobbied very hard for Dave to take over the show. Johnny felt embarressed when he didn't get the show, because he all but promised it to Dave. Johnny pretty much divorced himself from NBC upon retirement, and made his last TV apperance on Dave's CBS show.

[DrDroXX]

Also, Dave called Johnny to get his advice, and Johnny told him to walk, and go to CBS. Telling him it's what he would've done had he been treated the way NBC treated Dave.

[flugel76]

Because if it was in an HBO movie based off an unauthorized book based on heresay, it MUST be true :P.

[foxpawz]

u'd be surprised how true these things are. and Dave has talked about a few things on his show that actually ring very true to the movie. i just finished watching it after many years and ... just reinforces my love for Dave and Conando !

[inrwizards]

@Mozzer232 just a couple of characters off from a shameless copy and paste from wiki

[rumpole33]

@J: wrong. carson liked dave far better than leno. he didnt like leno.

[yuga1984]

LAMO- any cab driver can tell "that's a 22 rupee increase" I'm Indian. That reminded me of Russel Peter "go play that taxi game"

[seledge]

Geat tribute show, loved watching it more than once, but I really, really miss the part 7 where Doc and Tommy played Johnny's favorite song- Here comes that Rainy Day Any way we'll ever hear it again?? Please???

[bill174174]

His suits never fit. It's called comedy.

[dmjdmj]

Actually, that's called bad tailoring :)

[exitwest]

false

[vorjay]

oh comedy...so that why I don't find him funny.

[badtown88]

Letterman's suits never quite fit do they?

[lgerecht1]

holy shit your right.

[tgodd]

wow the audience applauding every joke is annoying

[kennydle]

leno is late night king right? i mean i look at the view rating and leno left letterman in the dust. am i right?

[wq198mnr]

not really.. he got more but i don't think he beat letterman that bad.. but the legend carson always favored dave over jay..

[AdamStabelli777]

Dave should have replaced Johnny. He was the one. Not Leno.

[IkeDiamonds]

@AdamStabelli777 ABSOLUTELY

[DavidYakima]

@AdamStabelli777  David was his choice!!!!!

[nickmordo]

@AdamStabelli777 they both suck

[Andresouza23]

I have to find it, but I'll certainly post it!!!

[RavenMichaels]

Theirs no reason Dave shouldnt have gotten the Tonight Show in the 90s...

[lisamj]

@RavenMichaels amen. Leno is unworthy. Dave was always the assumed next in line.....RIP Carson. what a dear man. i miss Carson's show. the only thing close is Letterman's schtick. RIP Carson.

[bernlin2000]

@RavenMichaels Yeah there is: because NBC's leadership is made up of a bunch of tools

[bernlin2000]

@RavenMichaels Yeah there is: because NBC's leadership is made up of a bunch of tools

[swiggy58a]

@RavenMichaels Strongly disagree. 2 reasons Leno got the gig. A) He's a much better interviewer. More "human"; connects with people. B) Leno is much funnier than Letterman. Writes much of his own material rather than relying on writers; and it is REAL humor. Not that college-boy cutesy crap that Letterman still relies on at almost 60 years fo age. Leno is better than Letterman. So is Craig Ferguson.

[AWrulez]

@swiggy58a Leno a better interviewer than Letterman.... wowwwwwwww

Letterman not real humor.... people from Kimmel to Judd Apatow to Bill Simmons to Norm Macdonald call Dave the most important and revolutionary figure in comedy in the past few decades, but you probably wouldn't know anything about that

[abehammy]

@swiggy58a Lol are you kidding me? Leno has the most writers employed by any talk show host!

[matthmatthmatth]

@RavenMichaels "there is" NOT THEIRS you dumb ASS BITCH FUCKER STUPID MORON!!!!

[RavenMichaels]

@matthmatthmatth ...k.

[matthmatthmatth]

@RavenMichaels You're a fucking moron. Get the FUCK off my internet

[MonkeyZorr]

@matthmatthmatth

Troll

[matthmatthmatth]

@MonkeyZorr Monkey Cum Guzzler.

[MonkeyZorr]

@matthmatthmatth

Troll

[MonkeyZorr]

@matthmatthmatth

Troll

[Andresouza23]

I think I have the 7th part!!

[michaelbeckham]

upload it!

[rkc5150]

Who remembers when Dave would randomly appear on The Tonight Show? Those were classic bits !!!!

[dazmondo69]

anyone else catch dave glance up to the heavens at 2:30? almost like internally he was saying this is for u my friend. awesome.

man i miss carson.

[NeoJobe]

Actually, he was saying, "sometimes even your jokes don't work." or maybe "would they laugh harder if they knew the joke was yours?"

[kubkins]

yeah, thats a great moment

[maroonoasis]

double breasted suit, was this in the 90's?

[ljthefro]

This episode aired January 31, 2005.

Dave almost always wore double breasted suits on The Late Show, from the beginning in 1993. He has been wearing traditional cut suits more often lately.

[chefage]

david almost cried in the opening.check the first cpl jokes

[somewhatlongdong]

didn't we all?

[Funnyorforgetit]

Letterman and Carson are the Kings!

[HardyRStudios]

EXACTLY. David should have been the host of the tonight show after Johnny. Because after Carson; a.k.a the greatest late night host of all time, is always Letterman being the 2nd greatest late night host of all time. Johnny knew what he was talking about for wanting David be the new host for the tonight show.

[newman20072008]

2 days ago it was 4 years ago JOHNNY died R.I.P

[EightCharlieFox]

RIP Johnny

[Nosmos]

The start of the Paris Hilton bashing by Letterman, love it!!

[JerrySpringerisCool]

saddest day in comedy=[

[t2darlantan2]

thanks for this these late show people haev alot of respect.

[309692879]

There's talk around CBS that Jim Carrey is going to have Dave's show after 2010!

[GenericClothesline]

Oh my God. Jim Carrey fucking sucks.

[theSameRetroWindsor]

I dont see that happening.

[RestiveBob]

I must be the only person here to agree. I've always been stunned that ass-clown ever got famous.

[tunapup12]

That was hilarious. How is it known that the jokes were Carson's?

[DTSavaria]

Dave says it later in the show. It takes place about five minutes into part two of this video.

[gatekeeper999]

IS this the episode where Johnny Carson passed away that same week?

[DTSavaria]

Yes, Johnny Carson passed away on January 23, 2005. This episode aired on January 31.

[jdbaes]

What a great tribute this show was.......Here`s That rainy day was an incredible monument to Johnny`s greatness..........AND IT`S AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE that it`s been removed by the "Bourne Corporation" Why ? Who loses by having this great song posted ? DTSavaria posts all 7 clips from the show, and the Bourne Corporation removes the best part..............WHY ?

[fromthesidelines]

Peter Lassally is Craig Ferguson's executive producer on "THE LATE LATE SHOW"; that's how valuable Johnny Carson's advice was to Dave {"I'd recommend Peter very highly", he must have said to Letterman}.

[JerrySpringerisCool]

is that supposed to be like an insult to craig ferguson or something?

[NJHCRevEdge]

David Letterman, now that Johnny is gone, has become the new King of Late Night. Leno just sucks.

[StrongHeartSoldier]

AMEN

[Lampshade51]

Both Letterman and Leno did tributes to Carson.

While Leno did a good job, this Letterman tribute was, far and away, the better of the two. Letterman expressed his feelings in a very articulate and heartfelt way. Everything about the show was spot on. Superb job, Dave!

They never re-ran this show, BTW.

[gameshowguy2000]

I hope someone has the guts to put up Leno's tribute. Letterman's tribute was good, because, as he stated, he owes all the success that he and Paul and company to Carson.

[m0hadino]

He is funny but he is clearly Hart My God the Only time i have seen Dave so Emotional is when 9/11 happened.

[thatdrattedcat]

when did this air?

[DTSavaria]

January 31, 2005

[rootykazooty]

DT-Those clips are Manna from Heaven ~ Truely. I, also missed this show. I feel like I came to better-know an old friend. Thanks is *not* enough for the reminder of JC's brilliance. RED

[hifithepanda]

Like someone said, you can tell he's emotional if you know the background of this show. It's funny that, by some accounts, Letterman plays an asshole on TV but is really a nice guy IRL. Whereas, Leno acts like a nice guy on TV, but is really a jerk.

But sometimes Dave's true humanity shines through and this is one of those times.

[treywarren]

You can really see how hard it is for Dave to get through this. He's doing a really good job, but he's definitely close to choking up, especially during the first joke.

[sweetsweetdaddy]

I don't watch Letterman...I watch Jay Leno...but this is actually funny. I'll start tuning in every now and then.

[3ringsAIKMAN]

If that was the first Letterman show after Carson's death, then David Letterman and his staff "dropped the ball" as far as a Carson tribute is concerned. A quiet opening to the show would have been more appropriate instead of the usual musical intro. Then Letterman, (from either his stand-up spot or behind the desk), for the entire first segment, should have immediately began talking about Carson and what he meant to late-nite TV.

[joemess28]

With respect, I absolutely disagree. I doubt Carson would want that, and I think Dave's monologue, in which he recited 100% Carson jokes, is the exact type of tribute Carson would probably appreciate. Also, after an all johnny carson-written monologue, Dave spent 10 minutes discussing Johnny's influence on late night and Dave's life, only then to invite one of Johnny's best friends as well as Johnny's band leader on as his guests. I don't think anyone could have done better.

[markedabrah]

I think it was the perfect tribute. Have you seen part 2? He used all of Carson's jokes. Nothing could have been better. I remember watching it in real time back then and even when I was watching the opening monologue, I knew there was something different. When Dave explained letter that all the jokes were from Johnny, it was a truly touching moment.

[PC3900]

Letterman was on vacation and his show was in reruns the week after Carson died. By the time this show was taped, more than a week later, Leno and the other shows had done their somber tribute shows, and the surprise of Carson's death had faded. It was wise to do it this way.

[temuchineq]

FINALLY. Missed the episode and I've been looking for this for years. Grew up watching Johnny Carson AND Letterman. Leno sucks. Conan is marginal. Colbert and John Stewart are pretty funny but dont hold a candle to Johnny

[BigWilly53]

On TV right now I'd rank the current 'late night' guys.

1) Letterman

2) Stewart

3) Conan

4) Colbert (he has to prove himself out of character to be higher then Conan)

5) Ferguson

6) Leno

[3ringsAIKMAN]

....And NONE of them, NOT EVEN LETTERMAN come remotely close to the great JOHNNY CARSON.

[joemess28]

I agree, except that I would probably flip Stewart and Conan. REAL close call though.

[babakhamidi2000]

Agree mostly but just flip Leno and Letterman.

Also switch Stewart and Ferguson.

[AussieEvil]

I'd drop them all one place and put "test pattern" at #1.

[kjsellers]

Lot's of good TV coming out of Australia is there? I am sure you are quite the comedy and TV expert with all of your shows on Kangaroos and the outback and shit like that, but we don't really give a fuck what you think.

[MarkInHiFi]

THANK YOU! I've been looking for this forever.

[dwlightfoot]

Thank you for these videos! I didn't get to see this show and I miss Johnny.

[slap1328]

I would love to visit Dave TV, but the damn clips have not worked for a week.