Maryland Remembers Johnny Carsonhttp://www.newsdesk.umd.edu/culture/release.cfm?ArticleID=1019
Johnny Carson is being remembered as someone who, in the words of President Bush, "had a profound influence on American life and entertainment." As the host of NBC's Tonight Show for three decades, he became a late-night fixture in millions of homes and helped launch many a career. Carson died January 23 after a long battle with emphysema. He was 79. Maryland's experts remember how Johnny Carson made us laugh, his impact on network television and our culture.
Prof. Larry Mintz Larry Mintz - associate professor and director, Art Gliner Center for Humor Studies, University of Maryland.Expertise - American popular culture and American humor with an emphasis on television, standup comedy, popular literature and theater.
Mintz Says - "There are two basic points to be made about Carson. The first one is that his persona was perfect for the slot he filled. He came across as a 'normal,' likable, pleasant, relaxed middle American with just enough touch of mischievousness, of dealing with everything in an amused, fun-loving way, to get us to pay attention, not to take him for granted. He seemed genuinely amused, to want to laugh, to enjoy fully what he was doing. His relaxed manner was perfect for late night. You don't want to get too excited around bed time...not watching tv anyway!
Nothing was so important on Carson's show that you couldn't turn it off if you were tired or needed to make sure you got enough sleep. Nothing was so exciting it disturbed your sleep or kept you from falling asleep if you wanted to. Yet pleasant laughter is perfect for that hour if you want to stay up for awhile. His was the perfect persona for his role.
The second point is that he was very, very good as a comedian. He was so easy in the role that many critics miss just how good he was. He was a master monologist, with Bob Hope timing and superb delivery. He was a good anecdotal comedian whether dealing with funny stuff from the days newspaper or dealing with his guests. He could do 'shtick' comedy either as the central figure or as a terrific supporting comic or straightman, as required, and he didn't mind others getting the laughs he helped set up.
The combination of his persona and his professional excellence made him one of the very best comedians we've had."
Credentials - director of the Art Gliner Humor Center; former editor of Humor: International Journal of Humor Research. Mintz has published a number of articles about humor and popular culture. He has written extensively about late night performers.
Web Page - http://amst.umd.edu/people/mintz.html
Prof. Gomery Douglas Gomery - professor, Philip Merrill College of Journalism; scholar-in-residence at the Library of American Broadcasting, University of Maryland.Expertise - economics and history of the mass media in America.
Gomery Says - "He was one of the greatest comics in TV's fifty year history. To think he was on for 60% of that period is amazing. He defined the talk show as it is today and made NBC a great deal of money. Yet he was a strange celebrity -- admittedly shy, never attending Hollywood parties, and staying retired. And the outpouring of affection - for someone who has not been seen for almost 13 years -- save on DVD -- is remarkable. It's the stuff of making legends for NBC, which is not doing so well at the moment."
Credentials - Gomery is the author of 10 books and more than 600 articles covering the economics and history of the mass media. He has written for publications including the Baltimore Sun, Village Voice and Woodrow Wilson Quarterly.
Web Page - http://www.journalism.umd.edu/faculty/dgomery
Researching Johnny Carson at Maryland
The Library of American Broadcasting at the University of Maryland has photographs, newspaper clipping files, books and other materials related to Johnny Carson, including NBC archival materials that cover Carson's career on The Tonight Show from 1962 to 1992.
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