Johnny Carson

It was 35 years ago this September that Joe Biden’s first of three presidential campaigns was embroiled in a plagiarism scandal, one that would torpedo the bid in controversy. While journalists and late night hosts in 2022 don’t seem interested in mocking now-President Biden, it’s worth remembering that Johnny Carson had no problem joking about the Democrat in 1987. 

Barbara Walters had an affinity for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. From gushing over his “charisma” to repeating communist talking points, the ABC journalist couldn’t help herself. It was 36 years ago this November that Walters bragged about Christmas cards from Castro. Appearing on the Tonight Show, she told host Johnny Carson: “I get a Christmas card every year from Fidel Castro. It comes in…

While scanning YouTube videos, I came across an appearance by Ronald Reagan on The Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson. The year was 1975 and Reagan was "between jobs," having left office as governor of California, where he served for eight years, but not yet president. He would challenge Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination in 1976, barely losing at the nominating convention, but setting…

Continuing to operate at full speed well past the 1:00 a.m. Eastern hour on Tuesday (10:00 p.m. Pacific), MSNBC’s Hardball host Chris Matthews attempted to analyze Donald Trump’s victory speech after winning the Nevada caucuses by comparing his interaction with supporters to the late Johnny Carson’s relationship with Tonight Show viewers.

Les Moonves, chairman and chief executive officer of the CBS Corporation, responded to criticism that the network was replacing David Letterman, a liberal comedian and longtime host of the weeknight Late Show program, with Stephen Colbert, another liberal comic and host of The Colbert Report, who is likely to continue making fun of conservatives and Republicans when he leaves his Comedy Channel…

UPDATE AT END OF POST: Morgan tweets this to his followers. Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey took a humorous swipe at CNN’s Piers Morgan on CBS’s Late Show Friday. While impersonating the late Johnny Carson at the request of host David Letterman, Spacey said of Morgan, “I wouldn't mind him being deported” (video follows with transcript and commentary):