The Home of Steven Barnes
Author, Teacher, Screenwriter


Monday, January 24, 2005

Here's Johnny

Johnny Carson died.  I tried hard to think of some way to see what I knew of his life, so thta I could comment, and realized that the most important thing is that he simply did his job for thirty years, and then retired from public life.  He was in our living rooms, he made us laugh, he introduced countles new comics to America, he was genteel and intelligent and excellent at his work.  He seemed a good and decent man.  I grew up with Johnny, although I remember Steve Allen and Jack Paar.  Johnny was the man.  And he is gone.  I hope his last years were joyful, and filled with thoughts of a life well lived.  I hope he was surrounded by family and friends who loved him for who he was, and not just his public image.  I hope he was as excellent behind the curtain as before it.  I will miss him.

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