Posted on 01/27/2005 8:42:29 PM PST by Lancey Howard
Considering the fact that his parents lived into there 90's, not ever.
His brother said that Johnny started blaming and hating the smokes at the end.
His brother (as Carson himself) all think he could have made or exceeded his parents lifespan, if he hadn't smoked.
I'm not exactley unbiased, I'm still a happy smoker.
BTTT
Leno didn't fire his agent, at least not right away. She was with him during his first year or two at The Tonight Show. She was nuts alright, and had one of the most tragic stories I have ever read. She died long ago and I'm not sure if Jay ever actually fired her. Un-friggin-believable story.... I would have gone nuts, too.
Her name was Helen something. If you have the time and inclination, you can probably find her story somewhere on the internet, but be prepared to get depressed.
My dad, who smoked heavily for about 40 years, died at age 69 of lung cancer.
His sister, also a heavy smoker, died at age 64 of lung cancer.
His brother, who quit smoking in his 50's made it to 74 after two heart attacks and two bouts with lung cancer, the final one took him out.
Their mom, never a smoker, lived to 87. Their dad lived well into his early 80's.
Do you want to tell me that smoking extended their lives?
Smokers can continue to live in a state of denial until the time they die, but I'll tell you this, dying from lung cancer or emphasema is not something you want to see anyone you love go through. When my dad died he weighed less than 90lbs. He was 6'2 and when healthy, weighed about 220. Cancer doesn't kill you quickly, it kills you slowly and painfully.
If you are trying to justify your smoking to yourself, I'd suggest you consider thinking about what your long, slow, agonizing death will do to those around you.
It was pretty telling when Carson didn't mention Leno at all during his final show, and refused to ever appear on the show again. I heard that all the tonight show staff was fired, even the set workers, due to a fear that they were loyal to Carson.
I thought he quit smoking before he retired.
I know. It's so sad. )-:
Leno didn't really have much choice but to fire her, she was endangering his career, also, Jack Welsh himself, was a huge huge Carson fan, Leno was not going to the Chairman of GE to ever dump Carson for him.
Somethings going to kill you, I would feel lucky if I make it to 82.
Yes, Carson was clearly disturbed by the way he was treated in the end. He gave the network 30 years, at times generating more then 15% of its revenues, only to be thrown out with the trash. And to top it off - being replaced by Leno - the comic for morons. Leno has attracted an audience so dumb that he has to repeat the punch line of every joke two or three times. Farewell Johnny - you were the one and only.
His brother said nothing that even implied that Carson had quit.
She even tried to have guests not appear on Letterman. She was Leno's manager for years, and he stuck with her out of loyalty for a while, but after her underhanded tactics came to light, he cut her loose. Claims he knew nothing about her shenanigans.
I doubt that, it was always just a rumor.
Jack Welsh loved Johnny Carson, and was a huge fan of him.
I think they may have even played golf together, there was no chance, none, that Welsh was going to screw over Carson.
I remember that Graybeard58.
I was surprised Ed McMahon went on Leno's show. I guess he did it out of respect for Johnny. The day Carson retired, I stopped watching the Tonight Show. Carson was so cool and confident, Leno practically begs for laughs. They all stink compared to Carson.
Carson's show wasn't tired, All the talent was gone.
Thanks for that link! Great read.
As a kid I watched Koufax pitch many times on TV. I was a pitcher and he was one of my boyhood idols.
Yeah, I knew that Koufax retired because of his chronically arthritic elbow, but how many other athletes would have walked away like he did? Answer: virtually nobody. That's why I cited Koufax as a classic example of "retiring with class". I stand by that.
Regards,
LH
My Father died at 56 and my Mom at 72.
So he had a few years shaved off his expected 95-year-life-span. He had a fabulous life and he probably enjoyed the heck out of the smokes. And think of all the time that existed before he was born, then think of all the time that will exist after his death. Whether he lived 60 years or 120 years really doesn't matter. Life is just a blip in the vastness of eternity. One may as well enjoy it.
We've all already been dead for an eternity when you consider that eternity is just as far in the rearview as it is in the future.
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