Richard Nixon On The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson

When late-night television talk shows were entertaining. 

This is for those who are political junkies and history buffs.

Prior to his presidential run in 1968, former Vice President Richard Nixon made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. His appearance on the show took place on November 22, 1967.

Until today, I had never viewed this episode. Back on Christmas Day in 1974, my parents gave me Here's Johnny... Magic Moments From the Tonight Show record album (pictured below). Included in the album was a recording of Nixon's appearance. (Yes, I still do have the album.)

After viewing the video, I noticed that the record had the segment not in the actual order. 

The audio is scratchy until about 1:50 minutes in, but it clears up. Trisha and Julie Nixon were in the audience and were introduced.

It is an interesting interview and well worth viewing, so I have it posted below:

Red Skelton Autograph

Above, Red Skelton and Lucille Ball.

It is surprising that I haven't posted a blog on one of my favorite comedians of the 20th Centrury: Red Skelton.

A Facebook friend posted the following video of Red Skelton with Johnny Carson in 1983 that I shared. It has garnered a number of comments and likes. Skelton kills it.




I had the honor of meeting Skelton in 1972 at the Century Plaza Hotel where a big Re-Elect The President dinner was being held. I also got his autograph. Thank goodness that I had some business cards with me. I still have it (one of my prized possessions) and here it is:

Joan Rivers

It was sad to hear of the passing of comedienne Joan Rivers at age 81. It was somewhat expected, especially after reports of Rivers being put on life support. But when I heard she was taken out of ICU, I had hoped it meant she was improving.

Rivers was one of the few comediennes who made me laugh. She made me laugh like Rodney Dangerfield and George Carlin made me laugh.

She was a favorite of my late mother's. Rivers was at her funniest before her husband Edgar took his life. His suicide took the wind out of her sails big-time. But, she persevered and bounced back. But, to me, her humor was never the same.

Rivers was Johnny Carson's regular guest host on The Tonight Show before their rift after she accepted an offer for her own show.

Above, Nancy Reagan welcomed by Joan Rivers and others at the National Federation of Republican
 Women luncheon at the 1984 GOP National Convention in Dallas, Texas. Photo: Dallas News.

Rivers appeared at a women's luncheon at the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas, Texas. She was hilarious! I recorded her routine from C-SPAN (I still have it). She had the audience in stitches. (One line, “My idea of foreign affairs is a Motel 6 with Julio Iglesias!”) My mom was able to detect First Lady Nancy Reagan's laughs. It was reported by a few in the media that some in the audience were "taken aback." Not from what I heard.

While it is sad that Rivers died the way she did, but at least she was still on top at the end.

Slim Whitman, Earth's Savior, Dies At 90

The guy had many jokes poked at him.  They ranged from Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show to being the savior of Earth in Tim Burton's 1996 comedy, Mars Attacks!, but he sure as hell sold a lot of records.

Slim Whitman, the yodeling country singer, died yesterday at age 90 in Orange Park, Florida of heart failure.

In Mars Attacks!, Whitman's song, "Indian Love Call" caused the Martians's heads to explode when it was played at high volume in their vicinity.

Whitman was a postman in the early 1950s when he recorded his first hit, "Love Song of the Waterfall."

According to the New York Times:

He recorded more than 500 songs, made more than 100 albums and sold more than 70 million records.

He laughed all the way to the bank when he started airing commercials (more like a blitz) in 1979 advertising his greatest hits album, "All My Best."  Although the ad campaign became the butt of jokes, it sold a hell of a lot of records.

To read more on Whitman, go here.

Ed McMahon, R.I.P.

Ed McMahon, the longtime sidekick to Johnny Carson on NBC's The Tonight Show shortly after midnight this morning at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

I once ran into McMahon at a Studio City Ralphs Market in 1993.