Summary
Americans lost a friend and a national institution this weekend, when Johnny Carson died of emphysema at the age of 79. For 30 years, Mr. Carson sent the nation to bed with civility, grace and a good dose of pretension-deflation. His humor was self-deprecating, playful and gentle to the human spirit.
Mr. Carson's brand of humor was a throwback to the comedy of the first half of the 20th century. He got his start as a teen-age magician and ventriloquist, and characters like "Carnac the Magnificent" and "Aunt Blabby" showed it vividly. So did the menagerie of ferrets, lions and other animal guests that brought circus gags to late-night comedy.See the full content of this document
Extract
Good Night, Johnny
Mr. Carson's rise to fame was meteoric, and was indicative of the age. He started in radio and earned ...
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