Johnny Carson spent thirty years in the living rooms of Americans on The Tonight Show, taking over the late-night program from Jack Paar in 1962 and handing it over to Jay Leno in 1992. Since that time, we haven't heard much from this private man. But just this week press reports revealed that Carson had been secretly writing jokes for David Letterman. Just four days after that story broke, we learn that Johnny Carson has died from emphysema. In an age when celebrities stage events for the paparazzi and pay publicity agents handsomely to generate tabloid press, Carson's retreat from the limelight was refreshing. Like Jim Brown and Greta Garbo, Carson's graceful bow left us wanting more rather than less. Johnny Carson, rest in peace.

I'm saddened to see the news of Carson's passing. While I only able to see the show in it's final few years, and still too young to get it, Carson always came across as a cool, quick, but a comforting figure to watch. And while NBC may have handed the helm to Leno, it's always been Letterman who Carson considered his true-heir. When we can't miss some celebrities because they won't go away, Carson's retirement was unique in this day and age. He was certainly missed in retirement, and he will be even more so now. Sorry to hear of his passing.

I always wince when someone void of much talent like, say, Curt Cobain dies the media dubs them the voice of a generation or a uniquely American voice. More so than just about anyone I can think of Carson was a vanguard in American popular culture. His show was the first and the standard in television-at any hour. He was funny and cutting edge but with the class and dignity of an earlier age.The sad part of his leaving the show was that great talent like Buddy Hackett and Bob Newhart, who went on the show to entertain not sell something, no longer had a place at the table. The sad part of his leaving us is the realization that he is irreplacable. RIP Johnny.

Leno and the Tonight Show had a pretty good tribute last night blending old with the new in Don Rickles/Bob Newhart, and Drew Carey (and Ed McMahon). The old clips were the best part, but they cut them too short, which is always a problem. KD Lang performed because Carson had her on a few times and he liked a whole lot. Despite dressing like Stephen Segal, she sang a nice song at the end. Rickles and Newhart took a while to warm up to the crowd, but it was great to see that they were allowed the time to do so, as they were given two segments. Playing funny man/straight man they were the best part of the show. One couldn't help be dissapointed watching that phony Leno yuck it up with these guys who he would never have on his show if it wasn't for the Carson's passing. Leno never liked Carson, and vice-versa, so seeing the Leno's tribute was thirteen years too late considering Leno never mentioned nor thanked Carson on his own inaugural show. All that made his opening monologue/essay all the more uncomfortable as the words were a great dedication, but delivered from the wrong man relying on cue cards. The weirdest homage to Carson came from Larry King's star panel the other night. All of Carson's old friend were assembled via sattelite or in-studio and they tripped up over the technology/audio delay while trading stories of Carson and themselves. Appearing on Larry King and elsewhere the two oddest guests have been Merv Griffin and Dick Cavitt. Wherever they appear, they have made it interesting. Cavitt accentuating the "dark" side of Carson, callig him a drunk and a mope in retirement and Griffin still competitively speaking of Carson as part adversary, part friend as he injected his own succeses paired against Carson's; he couldn't speak of Carson without talking about himself or his own show. Anyways,The best tribute I have seen so far has come from that journalistic sage Aaron Brown and his program NewsNight. Jeff Greenfield on NewsNight delivered the best commentary so far while summing up Carson's broadcast, comedic, and cultural relevance, saying he ordained the culture always being hip, but square enough so as to never be un-hip tomorrow or next year. Which is kinda why he never cam back because to attain legendary staus, you have to leave. You can and should read it here:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0501/24/asb.01.html

Also on that show was Curb Your Enthusiasm director David Steinberg who dropped the ball during the final Q&A. Journalistic sage Aaron Brown told of how the young staff and interns of NewsNight didn't understand what all the fuss over Carson was and didn't get why a big deal was being made over Johnny Carson, and Brown asked Steinberg what gives? Steinberg tripped a bit, and said somehting about comedians coming to Carson, but left out that all of young these staffers and writers Brown speaks about who soak up Leno or Letterman, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmell, or even John Stewart's Daily Show, even the day time and afternoon syndicated TV talk shows, they are watching these shows and all their varying degrees of comedic edge because of Carson. The most interesting tribute that hasn't happened is from Letterman who has issued statements from vacation, but has yet prepared or taped a show.

Favorite Carsonism: “It was so hot in L.A. today”…….how hot was it? “It was so hot that if you ordered at Burger King, they said – if you want it your way, make it yourself”.