Steve Martin Tells Johnny Carson He Has to Leave on "The Tonight Show" — 1978

[Mrgreenheadphones]

why does it come out smoke from Johnny's mouth?

[Sweetiegirl18]

so he always had white hair?

[shoogdon]

He wants to get small after the show...

[cheeseboxify]

0:40 johnny carson blowing steam from his nose?

[RNBMusicNJ]

Wow, '78... I was a teenager - always stayed up to watch Carson, even years before that, back when TV signed off late at night. Fun to see, but a little sadness for the passage of time.

[dubified89]

@RNBMusicNJ I hear you

[TheTiglathpilesar]

I remember this one from back when it first aired. Funny then funny now.

[gore53]

It took two men to fill that slot... with plenty of room leftover. RIP JC

[bailinnumberguy]

Carson was the ultimate straight man. He knew that Martin was coming back and played it perfectly....

[kansaspacific]

You need to show the second part where Anthony Quinn does the same thing on the next segment. Johnny and Tony were in on it on the gag, but Steve had no idea what was going on.

[ga1999]

Eh.....Steve Martin always did well as the straight man....but as the comic, he was just hammy and corny.

[SuperMegaUberGenius]

happy valentines day belated for the ... um...which one is dead?

oh 2012

wow talk about this in space in the future johnny , quest, see ya

/watch?v=AI8NuFAETMQ

wally on the runway

[agusta1968]

I remember when this happened. Still funny.

[dazi4131]

haha, Martin was 33 here and all grey already

[neckleaper]

That was great.

[kroovyandcal]

I don't think a young boy should ever have to leave to be with Carl Reiner. That is not a good idea. It can bring tears to the eyes of a boy.

I don't think a young boy should ever have to leave to be with Rob Reiner, either. Not Elijah Wood, not any boy.

[zestydude87]

God i miss the original Tonight Show. Used to look forward to summer vacation after school so i could stay up late and watch Carson every night.

[crazyromanian1]

@zestydude87 Me too, Carson and a bowl of ice cream and I was in heaven during Summer break.

[jimgravesus]

I find it interesting that Johnny's Carson backdrop is a nature scene whereas most sets now have a view of a city.

[ianrsigel]

@jimgravesus He had many different backdrops that changed frequently including city scapes.

What I found (culturally) fascinating was that he was smoking during the show. Ashtray and lighter prominently shown on desk. I miss the 'old days' and at 58, I grew-up with Carson and miss him very much as well.

[TheChuck624]

Johnny smoking a cig as soon as the camera is off him. Classic.

[gigantes1966]

"Those were the days" is a cliche, but those really WERE the days. When sweet, silly, artful humor like this was both appreciated and functioning at a very high level through a few people like steve martin in his prime. The general tenor of humor today is too obnoxious and vulgur (although not without it's cutting edge practitioners) to allow for this kind of thing to be pulled off nearly as well.

[scm8487]

that was called edgy in 1978.

[2857amy]

omg....where are the Johnny Carsons and Steve Martins of today....we need them sorely. True entertainers....family oriented. God Bless them both.

[usergently]

Is that Lake Tahoe behind Johnny?.

[VICTOR28CHARLIE]

It’s a case of drinking too much of the “positive thoughts make reality” punch. Sorry, Oprah but thoughts alone won’t make your network successful, just like they won’t make you thin. (Recall Oprah had that The Secret idiot on her show who claimed that fat people are fat because of their negative thoughts. He’s now doing jail time for manslaughter in AZ)

[tatkopitwmf]

@Bhav ... uh, nobody takes away your freedom. There's this little thing called 'Voting'. As in, enough people wanted smoking banned from public places. So, in a democracy, the majority wins.  Get over it.

[WalterOfSpain]

@tatkopitwmf That's not really true. People often vote for certain reasons. The parties then vote on things like banning smoking. Often, the people are just complacent and go along with it. It's not that they voted for people for those specific reasons. I know of no one who voted for someone in order to get smoking banned. It just becomes a bandwagon process. First ban it here, then in parks, then on the street, then in apartments, etc. It's usually not a case of majority rule.

[toolkien]

@tatkopitwmf And if enough people vote for genocide of a minority? Majority rule, get over it.

[Bhav341]

@tatkopitwmf actually, that isn't the way it works, but since that is the way you think, look at it this way - this time it's smoking, next time it might be be fat people, or eating meat, or wearing orange on Tuesdays....when you think about it in your very simplistic way, it could be anything. And that is what I mean by losing your freedom - next time it might be something that YOU feel you should have a right to do.

[MsMercy2000]

@tatkopitwmf uhhhh.....WHAT??? Governments can and do take away the freedom of their people all the time. Turn off the Jerry Springer show and get your head out of your ass. If all it was about was the popular vote, the world would be a much different place. Probably the reason this country is so fucked up is because so many people think like you do. Please don't vote until you learn how it works.

[noodlesmealey]

@MsMercy2000 -hi, i vote for elvis. elvis place mats,elvis seat covers,elvis litter box,elvis toaster oven, elvesis toilet plunger, but definately the bush family album toilet paper.

[jwallbanger]

was steve martin ever young?

[RayChiTown]

@jwallbanger Yeah, just prematurely gray.  Other stars would dye their hair.

[toopoable]

I don't believe for a second Johnny didn't know this was going to happen. He played an easy-going guy on TV, but there are plenty of anecdotes through the years that demonstrate that one f*cked with the flow of Johnny's show at one's own peril. Pretending to be surprised is just part of selling Martin's joke, which I do believe Johnny would have been happy to do.

[deezynar]

I'd love to know what Carson said to Martin after they went to commercial break.

[sonybmi]

Great Interview God Bless Johnny and CBS for sharing this video with the world

BEST Interview EVER

[wingnutofcoolness]

@sonybmi Did You mean NBC?

[SiDancat1981]

Carson. A class act.

[kerkoky]

that dude was born with white hair

[beststuffonly]

Two all-time comedy greats improvise a wonderful moment. 

[valentine1530]

The talk shows used to be so much funnier than they are now.

[frogsoda]

Steve Martin is one of America's few Truly Original Comedians.

[utube2344]

@frogsoda hes Canadian lol fail

[frogsoda]

@utube2344 Crap you are right. I'm probably going to hear that a thousand times now.

I may have to remove that comment.

[Postie218]

@utube2344 He was born in Texas and grew up in California, where do you get fail ?

[MycroftStrange]

@utube2344

Steve Martin is not Canadian.

[MillerTheory]

who has grey hair in their 30s?

[AnthonyStormGardens]

@MillerTheory taylor hicks american idol lol

[daveni2]

I remember this, it was before they made johnny stop smoking during the show. late 70s or 1980

[RonnyUniverse]

@daveni2 I'm pretty sure that I saw Johnny on 60 minutes with Mike Wallace telling Mike that he, at the time, mid 80's I think, that he still held lit cigarettes but kept it under his desk

[cosmicforums]

Steve Martin was doing "The Man with two brains" during this interview.

[luxi378]

@cosmicforums - "Der Mann mit 2 Gehirnen" my favourite 80s comedy! steve martin is a great stand up comedian and great actor.

[BlackTux007]

@cosmicforums More like The Jerk.

[JosephHuntington]

Cigarette smoking is pure lunacy, but it signaled a freed society. Now we have less freedom but plenty of other types of lunacy.

[Bhav341]

@JosephHuntington that's right. So for all of you non smokers who think you "won" this battle, remember, they take away your freedom one liberty at a time.

[bunkman64]

@Bhav341 Amen, I believe it was Thomas Jefferson that said "Any governmant made big enough by the people to give them everything they want is also big enough to take everything they have."

[fingerbonecrusher]

Awesome to see the styles from '78, and seeing Johnny smoking on air kind of blows my mind!

[CAROLYNMARIE18]

People get programed a person is smart a group is not they are lead easy

[rustyshepperd]

back when late night talk shows were actually entertaining. I miss Carson.

[CAROLYNMARIE18]

ALL iM SAYIN IS SHOULDN'T A COMEDIAN MAKE YOU Laugh ?

[ItsBiwiPwice]

Grey hair at 33 years old. It'd be weird if he didn't have it.

[dirkadirkabro]

i think steve's brilliance is in his goofiness



[ltuomela]

never thought Steve martin was that funny..more goofy then funny..i dont get why he is so famous..its odd..lol..

[CAROLYNMARIE18]

yeah I really miss the real talent that used to be out there

[ItsBiwiPwice]

@CAROLYNMARIE18 There will always be "real talent". It's not like talent started in 1978. There was talent in the past and there will be talent in the future. Stop complaining about the past and focus on the present. Jesus.

[duskglow]

@CAROLYNMARIE18 The talent is there. No one cares about it, though, once they realized that no talent costs much less and gets about the same ratings. It says way more about the viewers than the producers.

[kmacdallas]

Johnny smoking on camera...that was then...the 70's

[CAROLYNMARIE18]

Improv Baby Improv though's were the Pro's

[djwinger2003]

@CAROLYNMARIE18 "though's" are you fucking serious? The more I see this shit on the internet, the more I lose faith in humanity!

[djwinger2003]

@CAROLYNMARIE18 I do agree with your comment though. The standard of talent on SNL in the 80's far outweighs the stuff that's being churned out these days.

[Bhav341]

@djwinger2003 I haven't watched SNL in years. I haven't found it funny since the late 70's

[jwallbanger]

@Bhav341 it goes up and down. they definitely seem to have dumbed it down too, gone lowbrow for better ratings. but it depends on who's writing and who's acting. i loved the eddie murphy bits, then the dana carvey/phil hartman years were pretty good. then the chris farley years, then the will farrell but many of those sketches were only funny because will was in them. now i do like kristin whig and some of the bits but it's you're right it's been very inconsistent since the Belushi era.

[ConnorRunsFree]

"uhuh. i can stay the whole show and a little bit longer" lol

[supersteviewonderful]

I saw this when it actually happened when I was 13 years old and thought it was the funniest thing I've ever seen. If I'm not mistaken, the setup was that the guest right before him and actually left because they had to be somewhere....

[tio1tony]

@supersteviewonderful It was Anthony Quinn...and he came back...

[RayNDeere]

Wow, Tommy Newsom working as sidekick for the night. That's a rare treat

[otef434]

what a great bit. Poor Johnny took it hook, line, and sinker.

[neilfri]

Not funny!

[Shindai]

"I can stay the whole show and a bit longer!" Aw, bless, dontcha just wanna hug him right then? lol

[Chris10KA]

carson isnt funny, he had some moments but he is not funny.

[renwest51]

Typical Steve Martin gag but when Anthony Quinn pulled the same thing 15 minutes later, it was hilarious!

[logancody05]

If you have not seen Steve Martin do his "Great Flydini" magic act on the Johnny Carson show, please do yourself a favor and go to it right now on YouTube.

[bamai59]

I may be old but I remember this one the night it aired. :)

[thecatatemyhomework]

Just a suggestion. We all know to click on the "like" button. It would be better if that box didn't hide Johnny's head in so many of your videos.

[usaeagle1776]

those were the days.

[stripes5150]

I hate steve martin....I've always had this urge to punch him in the mouth.

[mrbeantardis]

that's a nice suit

[cowscrazy]

Thats crazy.. That aired on the day I was born.

[Seston]

the movie was "The Jerk"

[grafonolafavorite]

Steve Martin is funny. But then I like shiny things but hate loud noises. So many catagories in the likes and dislikes column.

[emilyelizabethhughes]

HAHAH brilliant

[cshargeit]

that was kim kardashians wedding

[MrTomoti]

This looks HD.

[Gnillob802]

This was followed by guest Anthony Quinn (very serious actor). After the interview Carson told the audience that Quinn had to leave as well, Quinn and Martin exchange confused looks, Quinn exits and then returns doing the exact same thing Martin did.

[TheCindiLane]

@Gnillob802 HAHAHAHA! Are you serious? Tooo funny!

[Gnillob802]

@TheCindiLane Absolutely true.

[MrDoubtfulguest]

@TheCindiLane Yes, it's true; EVERY guest that night played off of Martin's gag. It WAS a long time ago, but I remember Quinn pulling Johnny to the side of the stage to "confidentially" explain the mix up, and that he did not in fact have to leave. Of course, these were my Grateful Dead days, but this vid is proof the whole thing isn't one of those acid flashbacks I've been promised all these years.

[EmperorTaebok]

Steve Martin is one of the most UN-funny people ever.

He's anti-funny.

If they gave out awards for not being funny, I'd nominate Steve.

[MrRobinsonTv]

@EmperorTaebok If they gave out awards for being an asshole with no sense of humor, I'd nominate you.

[EmperorTaebok]

@MrRobinsonTv I have a great sense of humour ... also have great taste.

Probably why I find Steve Martin so unfunny.

But you're an American, so I'm not surprised you find him hilarious.

You probably also like loud noises and shiny things.

[Sangrivane]

@EmperorTaebok Its that kind of intolerant ignorance that we need less of in the world. Just because you don't find funny what someone else thinks is funny means you are superior or inferior. Humor is a matter of opinion. Your favorite color might be different than mine but its meaningless. Educate yourself and then post. It works better that way.

[chuck3668831]

@EmperorTaebok I find your arrogance and stupidity hilarious!

[BigOldMrKnish]

who could pull this off today? none of these twats!

[rockgor]

Two minutes and 9 seconds? The video I saw lasted 15 seconds.

'Course it was a funny 15 seconds...

[Fluffy65]

Unplanned (on Johnny's part), completely original, and brilliant on Steve's part.

[Dan69WasTaken]

@Fluffy65 wow ur a faggot

[finn1920]

Johnny is freakin hot!

[chicoling1]

steve martin is too funny i liked that

[ViperRob42]

haha so random

[djuuwi]

Steve Martin was born with grey hair

[chicoling1]

@djuuwi i dont know if thats a joke or not

[azcat2]

@djuuwi Check out:

"Steve Martin 1968 on the Dateing Game"

[H2oFormula]

lol wut.....

[DakotaZ162]

Wonder if this was planned

[sergioakaliltroll20s]

@DakotaZ162 was it???