Late Night Legend, Carson, Dead at Age 79

Johnny Carson, NBC’s late night king for 3 decades passed Sunday due to complications to emphysema. According to the Associated Press, his family has specified that there will not be a memorial service for the actor/host described even by his peers as ‘original’.

Carson hosted NBC’s Tonight Show, wrote many of the bits and monologues performed on the show and easily became the envy of his competitors on the air. He retired from the late night scene in 1992 and gave his helm to Jay Leno, one of many comedians whose careers were launched by the Iowa native.

Carson will be missed, primarily by his peers who came out this morning praising his career and his personality. I believe David Letterman, a competitor for a time, but still a friend, put it best: “”All of us who came after are pretenders. We will not see the likes of him again”.

Agreed.