They Used To Be Funny
It was on this date, October 1st, 62 years ago that Iowa native Johnny Carson began his 30-year run as host of NBC’s late night program, “The Tonight Show”…you already heard about that during our “Iowa Almanac” segment today.
But it’s a good time to see how much those programs have changed…and not for the better.
Drake University alum Steve Allen hosted the first version of the show, and it was full of comedy and music. By 1957, Jack Paar became the host, and the program got more into heavier topics—Paar went to Cuba to interview Fidel Castro for the show, and hosted both Nixon and Kennedy in the run up to the 1960 election…not for funny bits, but generally serious conversation.
Each host adapted the time slot to fit his strengths…as did Carson, with less of a “social issues” program as Paar did, and more of a comedy and music program, like Allen. And there were few competitors over time; some were moderately successful, but no one challenged Carson.
That was because he knew his job was to entertain, not be a political activist. Sure, the nightly monologue featured pointed jabs and jokes, but in an even-handed way. It was said that once a politician became nightly fodder for Carson’s jokes, his career was over.
But perhaps it was that Midwestern sensibility, but Carson knew when to stop. For example, when Rep. Wilbur Mills was caught frolicking in the Tidal Basin with a stripper named Fanne Foxe, it was the subject of nightly jokes—until Mills admitted he had an alcohol problem, at which point Carson immediately stopped the jokes.
Fast forward to 2024, and each of the three original major networks has at least one late night show; but their ratings are paltry compared to even Carson’s competitors from the past. Sure, there are more options…but also more viewers. And as each of the shows—hosted by Colbert, Fallon, and Kimmel—have gotten more one-sided in their political commentary, with hosts advocating for one party over another, their ratings have dwindled further. And so have profits…each now only produces four new shows a week, with Friday left to reruns from an ever-smaller original supply.
It used to be that we wanted entertainment to end our day, not more partisan wrangling and snarky mud-slinging—and that’s what Johnny gave us. Seems like that’s still what we want, and the relatively tiny and steadily dropping audiences for those shows makes the point. And that’s why we still miss Johnny, 32 years after he left the air.
