Johnny Carson's last TV appearance

[seanmahon101]

screw Jay Leno. Conan Rules.

[MegaGum1]

once he was out there he KNEW that if he didnt say a word it would be even more perfect

[dvlaries]

What Garbo was to movies, Carson was to the title of variety show host. He was and is without peer, and we should not expect to see his like for several lifetimes.

[yost112ty]

The term "Legend" applies here. Johnny Carson will NEVER be equaled in late nite television. That's it.....it's been done to perfection.....no point in trying to top Carson. He was by a country mile the best there will ever be. The best EVER.....EVER....

[stupidiculous]

Huge pop for Johnny.

[RadioCarino]

Who could dislike this?

[GBev2K]

LARRY BUD MELMAN!!!

[bocajrthug106]

wutta hell is wrong with Paul??? No emotion....nothing like the current Paul!

[3434arc1]

For a huge chunk of Americans, roughly everybody from 40 to 80 years old, Johnny Carson will always stand alone and atop all talk show hosts. Just ask Letterman or Leno or virtually any of the dominant hosts who have followed in Carson's wake.

[DavidRosenthal74]

JOHNNY WAS THE BEST -- THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER JOHNNY CARSON. HE WAS REALLY ONE A KIND. HE WILL ALWAYS BE THE KING OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. HE IS STILL MISSED ALMOST 20 YEARS SINCE HIS LAST BROADCAST ON 5/22/92. ALSO... THIS IS SUCH A GREAT JOHNNY MOMENT. HE ONCE TOLD PETER LASSALLY THAT IF HE EVER RETIRED, NOT TO LET HIM RETURN TO LATE NIGHT... AND YOU CAN SEE HERE, HE KNEW ENOUGH NOT TO LET HIMSELF SIT BEHIND THAT DESK AND START UP AGAIN! HE WANTED TO GO OUT ON TOP AND IN STYLE.

[byamrcn]

To give some context: This was the Friday show from a week of "Late Night" shows in Los Angeles. Each night Dave would introduce some celebrity bringing in the Top Ten card, and Melman would come out with the card. So Melman walking in was a running gag for the week, and by Friday not at all a surprise. That's what really made the appearance extra-surprising. Thanks for posting the clip.

[RonnyUniverse]

To zyxquark they did not pressure Johnny. He showed up at the NBC's Press Club in 1991 where NBC shows there entire fall line up and told the reporters much to NBC's shagrin that this was his last year and that was for 1991/1992. Now CBS pushed out Walter Kronkite, & Dan Rather but Rather got what he deserved. He was the biggest phony ever. Shows up on lettermans show a week after 9/11 and starts crying trying to have a Kronkite moment.

[birdyman12345]

I cry everytime I see this clip also. Kenny from Queens NY

[ftlshome1]

@birdyman12345 wow i just watched this for first time in over a year and there is a tear in my eye, wow never get tired of the master

[zyxquark]

The dumbest thing nbc ever did was pressure carson to leave so they good get a younger demographic. unbelievably bad judgement.

[danfab4]

@zyxquark NO! Carson wanted to leave on his own. nbc did not pressure carson, he was too valuable!!

[henhao1972]

LOVE JOHNNY!

[tondorfkid09]

was this when dave had the late show or was still on nbc?

[boyinthedrain]

@tondorfkid09

CBS

[J5MARLON]

It was passed my bed time when this aired but I'm smiling now.

[hardlines4]

No one could EVER replace or compare to Johnny.... Today's shows SUCK!!!

[lucky44124]

the fucked up thing is Jay Leno is kinda getting close to 30 years and NO ONE cares or even remembers one moment.

[peacemonger1967]

20 years, Dave has been on for nearly 30@lucky44124

[edlasalle]

last of a true entertainment generation will be missed

[Aeolis7]

THIS IS EPIC!

[1Legendsrule]

I love how Johnny sent David some jokes for his monoluge after he retired. Such a class act. R.I.P Johnny.

[MrDonnaSue]

thank you for posting this, in high school I was in love with Johnny Carson and that love affair never ended. CLASS ACT are the perfect words I miss him so much

[duncan7599]

What the hell why did he walk off the set? Why didnt he give a speech?

[derekxnl]

@duncan7599 He had acute Laryngitis at the time.

[clancy388]

Johhny -You were the best talk show host! No one has filled your shoes yet!

[darrylhaynes]

he had a half black grand child by his son....pissed him off.

[SonoPortoricano]

And he didn't come back out? what happened? why he left all of a sudden like that?

[scallly64]

@SonoPortoricano I read an article that Johhny Carson had a bad case of laryngitis

[Lampshade51]

What a moment!

Listen to the audience when they realize that is really IS Carson this time. That's what you call "bringing the house down".

Seeing Carson with the CBS logo in the corner, I couldn't help but think what CBS wouldn't have done at one time to make that permanent.

I believe that this was his last time in front of a TV camera.

A great sendoff.

[misconi68]

I think you are correct. Johnny was in the spotlight so long an ovation was proper but I would have liked to seen him stay a little longer and talk.

[jake110118]

@misconi68 he had acute laryngitis at the time and found it very hard to speak, if the crowd had settled down he probably would have, not their fault though, they didn't know.

[68Misconi]

@jake110118 I did not know that. He was the king of night tv.

[UklaTheMokk]

the thing that kills me is that while i can understand the audience going nuts, i bet if they would have quieted down johnny would have stayed longer.

[CarMoves]

@UklaTheMokk -- the joke was you didn't expect him to come out -- he did and left.

Being a "guest" would have ruined the joke

[thedude19766]

hahahahahaha bud melman

[Imagown]

I see a little emotion coming from Johnny

[GreggleZz]

i think we all see it

[dougalmac54]

having been off the air for two years, and having the crowd go beserk like that-it had to put a lump in Johnny's throat. in his life Letterman wll never get an ovation like that, Leno either.

[strussman40]

Classic Dave! Watch and listen to what he has to say after Johnny exits. "GOOD STUFF!"

[kywildcats20]

That's Disgraceful.

[Mrgyn]

Kywildcats20:

You didn't even watch the video I bet. You saw the first part and came and commented, foaming from the mouth like the moron you are.

[dougalmac54]

really? why?