Eugene David
...The One-Minute Pundit

Thursday, April 02, 2009




Several weeks ago WFMU posted a Johnny Carson "blooper" and I was ticked. Well, tonight I surfed through YouTube and found this Carnac routine -- from 1974 it says here -- and I must confess, stupid as the jokes are, I laughed. Note the comments: one says, "Carnac appearances were usually the only part of the show that I bothered to watch!", which rather implies it might be the only part of his repertoire that still stands up; and another says, "It's interesting how you can see Johnny's subtle annoyance with Ed." I'm sorry, Johnny did not like Ed. I guess when he thinks of Johnny Ed feels wistful.

And after finishing it I felt sad. Who remotely commands a fraction of his audience? And what audience is there for what's left of his comedy, however amusing? (It did not help my mood to watch what is allegedly Johnny's final TV appearance, on Letterman.) But I did laugh.

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