Thanks Johnny

If you’ll forgive a personal note, far from the technology issues I usually cover here, I’d like to point you to Steve Martin’s letter to Johnny Carson, printed in the Op-Ed pages of the New York Times (which requires registration to see it). I watched David Letterman’s tribute to Johnny last night, which to me seemed much more authentic than Leno’s, probably because it was clear that Johnny felt Dave was his true heir. Given that Carson was still writing jokes for Letterman until just a short while ago, and that Letterman had such a strong link with Carson, Letterman’s tribute clearly came from the heart, while Leno’s seemed more of an obligatory acknowledgment – something he famously neglected to do when he took over the show.

Having watched Letterman last night, and finding Martin’s letter this morning, I felt compelled to write something down. Carson took over the Tonight show when I was four years old, so he was there for not only my childhood and adolescence, but for a good bit of early adulthood. It was a big deal when I could finally stay up and watch it as a kid. And as I got older and began to appreciate (some would say be obsessed with) the art of stand-up comedy, I saw Marin, Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, and many of the other comedians I grew to love on that show for the first time. I can still recite bits I heard on the Tonight show 20 years ago or more.

Carson's passing affected me in ways I didn't expect. As Martin says in his letter, I get the sense that one of the best of several generations is gone. When you look at what passes for entertainment today in comparison to clips of the Tonight show, when you see the class with which Carson carried himself, you can't help but notice a distinct lack of class and wisdom. Carson's timing wasn't just comedic. He, as Martin says, entertained us wisely, and so we trusted him in an interesting and unique way. For one, I note Johnny's passing with sadness and appreciation, and just wanted to say so publicly. Thanks for the indulgence.