Letterman performs Carson's last monologue
 

I didn't get a chance to see the show, but apparently David Letterman last night did a monologue that Johnny Carson wrote just before he died.

Only after he sat down did he tell the audience that it was written by Carson.

I've always thought Letterman was better than Leno, and I'm glad that Carson considered Dave his true heir.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...tterman_carson

As soon as the jokes started last night, I looked at my wife and said, "Carson wrote those jokes." They really were speaking from the grave, and there is no way Leno could have delivered those jokes correctly.

I thought Dave's tribute show was much more classy than Jay's, and I felt like Jay was still somehow competing with Johnny during his tribute last week. Ed McMahon looked stiff and uncomfortable with Jay, while Peter Lassaly and Doc were quite at ease and right at home with Dave.

It's also good to know that Doc is still getting high before a show...

I dunno about Peter Lassaly being at ease. He seemed about as nervous as he could possibly be. But Dave pulled him though. Overall...Dave did a much better job at memorializing Johnny than Leno did. Although, I suppose, the argument could be made that he's had a week to work on it, whereas Leno did his the Monday following Johnnys death. Still, Dave put on a class act last night. And yeah...I can hear Johnny's voice delivering every one of those jokes from Dave's monologue last night. Hands in pockets, and lifting himself up on tiptoe at each and every punchline.

David Letterman is awesome.

You're right, he was pretty nervous. What I was trying to say was that Lassaly didn't seem to have been Shanghai'd into appearing. McMahon looked as if he had a gun to his head, and would have rather been ANYWHERE except sharing the Tonight Show stage with Jay Leno that night.

God Letterman sucks ass. I don't care if his tribute was better, it doesn't change the amount of ass-sucking he and his show do.

Top Ten Reasons To Watch Leno:
10)Letterman sucks
9)Letterman sucks
8)Letterman sucks
7)Letterman sucks
6)Letterman sucks
5)Letterman sucks
4)Letterman sucks
3)Letterman sucks
2)Letterman sucks
1)Letterman sucks

I don't ever really catch the late night scene, except for Conan the next day on
Comedy Central, but Letterman has always been better in my mind - shown from the
fact that Johnny still sent Letterman jokes on some sort of regular basis, and, if it weren't
for the big-wigs at NBC, Letterman would most likely be doing the Tonight Show instead
of Leno - something I guarentee he would have put more heart into than Leno ever has
or ever will.

David Letterman used to be funny.

Jay Leno has never been funny.

I don't really find any of those shows worth watching.

Leno's not funny at all. Horrible interviewer.

Letterman's actually funny.

Though not as funny as Conan.

Have you ever watched Late Night With Conan O'Brien?

Sidenote: I'll admit that Leno sucks (but generally gets decent guests), but he sucks in a sort of meek, easy-to-handle manner. Letterman sucks in an annoying, tear-off-my-own-testicles manner.

Leno and Letterman both suck, you want to talk about kiss ass? Leno is king of kissing ass. That said, Conan blows them both out of the water.

I guess I haven't benn missing much in late night tv.

Yeah... don't find him very funny. I mean, the times I watched his show I did have a few laughs, but it was not worth staying up to watch.

I prefer Letterman over Leno and Conan over both of 'em. The Daily Show, though not exactly in the same genre, is my favorite. Jon Stewart is hilarious.

good thing to hear that everyone here so far prefers conan of them all...i feel the same way. It is absolutely hilarious, but like carn, i cant afford to stay up that late on weekdays. love to watch it on comedy central during the day though.

I loved this particular show (Letterman's tribute to Johnny Carson) because of the video clips and bits that they showed of Johnny. Most of them involved Dave so a few of you would bitch about that but that's okay.

Letterman said it right when he said "You can push Regis around which is fun but you could NEVER push Johnny around. He ruled the stage.". Johnny Carson set an intolerably high standard for these people to try and follow.

Rest in peace Mr. Carson. You deserve it. I for one was vastly entertained by you and your work. Thanks for the laughs and for making the world a better place.

Both shows suck. Conan can be funny at times.

Leno's fake laugh is just a little less ridiculous than Conan's is which, is the main reasons why those two shows don't hold a candle to Lettermen. Stupid giggles from Leno and Conan = bad. Smart remark by Lettermen instead of stupid giggles = good.

Lettermen's show was better than Leno's. For an outfit like the Tonight Show and all their expertise, it looked almost as bad as local cable t.v. That's an exagerration but someone will understand it.

Does anybody here remember watching Carson? I'm in my 40's, and I remember watching him for about 15 years. IMO he was better than either Letterman and Leno for one reason -- he never got in the way of a guest. His personality performed during the monologue, but after that, the show was all about the guests. I remember the first time Robin Williams was on as a guest in the chair at the desk. I don't think Johnny said a word for 20 minutes -- he just let Robin Williams go and go, and he leaned back in his chair and laughed. It was great!

Letterman was awesome in the first 5 years or so -- just a sportcoat (no double-breasted suits) and he wore wrestling shoes every night -- he had nothing to lose and was great.

I sudeently feel very old!

I'm 36 and remeber watching Carson quite a bit... and agree with your assesment of his stage precense...

Letterman *was* awesome in his early years BUT like most people he has matured. I think he *is* Carson's hier.

Others have mentioned that Conan is better... they are looking at this the wrong way.

Conan is Letterman's heir. He is heir to the instanity that was Late Night with David Letterman... Letterman, meanwhile is playing to a different audience... Johnny's audience.

What he said.

I just miss Johnny.

Yeah I am 30 and I remember watching Carson for many years and his retirement the late night world was never really the same. I can remember being sick as a dog more than a few times growing up and my mom staying up with me watching The Tonight Show and Carson making me laugh in spite of it all. RIP Johnny. I prefer Letterman and then Conan but truthfully watch very little of either nowadays.