When Ed starting doing Star Search it became a running gag with Johnny. Once while he was doing Carnac he asked for complete silence and Ed said “often times, Carnac gets that” to which Johnny said “Star Search must be doing well...”
This is yet another example of how Johnny allowed himself to be upstaged and it WORKED. That was a big part of his success - Ed, Doc, Tommy and even the stage manager-producer were all encouraged to 'keep the show rolling'. THIS is how you do it - not by scripting every line or exchange, but working off one another. Johnny said it once, he considered himself a "professional comedian" and you don't make people laugh only by YOU telling the jokes and being directly funny, you master the craft by assembling a team, a show, a cast of characters. No wonder the show lasted thirty years, and commanded the time slot against all challengers.
So when they first started doing this kind of back and forth Johnny Carson called Ed into his dressing room one time and was very nervous as he talked to Ed.He said that thing that we did today are back and forth I want you to keep doing that. It works.
These mini clips are hilarious and great. I see why Dave Letterman looked up to him so much. He was spontaneously sharp and on-the-spot hilarious. I also like how Ed doesn't give a rat's ass.
Face it, if you're telling the joke, or the butt of a joke, but people are laughing at the joke & you're getting paid, it doesn't matter. It's a living-a very good living that most only dream about.
Remember with all the pretend threats to fire Ed from Johnny, he never ever did, or even thought of firing him. All of those "you must have all the money you need" comments were just playful pokes by Johnny to Ed.
For a man who appeared in so many commercials, and his Tonight Show work and other appearances, it always surprised me that he was financially broke. I suppose the divorces never helped, he must have been hit badly with alimony from his previous two wives?
These are great.....when ever Ed, Fred, Tommy or Doc can get a one up on Johnny. Pure magic and Johnny handles it absolutely perfect. Thank God for RUclips and your channel.
@markjohnson7488 i wasn’t talking about Ed, I was talking about everybody else. he was a diva who hated being upstaged by anybody especially ones with better talent than him and who wouldn’t bow before him
Ed always ribbed Johnny & he always threatened to fire him. Most sensible people knew it would never happen & it never did, it all made them that much funnier & enjoyable to watch.
In the Kevin Costner movie, Malibu Beach. He played someone who appeared to be a side-kick to a business associate in the horse riding business. But he was actually in charge. I feel the same way with Ed.
Two very expensive divorces and child maintenance crippled Ed financially. By 1992 when his time with Johnny on the Tonight Show ended, he was married for a third time, had two divorce settlements to pay every year, along with 5 children to support financially. Just ruined him.
Actually you couldn't be more wrong. Ed was only ever drunk once on the show, the famous night when after a liquid lunch at a special event, he had one too many martinis and appeared drunk which Carson knew straight away and loved it, he milked it for all it was worth. However in their 30 years together on air, Ed was never drunk at any other time. According to Ed's daughter, her father was not a cruel or nasty drunk, unlike Carson, who became horrible after a couple glasses of wine.
Johnny could never have let Ed go and Ed knew it which gave him certain license that moved the line a little... still not a line he'd ever step across. Just made the show that much more fun and entertaining.
It was never Johnny who would consider firing Ed - it was the NBC management and senior producers who felt at times Ed overstepped the mark. Johnny and Ed got on fine, and Johnny knew how important Ed was. Also, Johnny was not stupid - he knew if Ed was fired, then his Tonight Show would be finished. Ed gone, there would be a gaping hole left which could never be filled. Just look at the times Ed was off, and Doc filled in as announcer, and Doc would do Carnac with Johnny, it was as flat as a pancake and viewers hated it. Johnny was not dumb. So he would always pretend to threaten Ed with the sack, but they were empty threats, and NBC management knew it.
When they started out, Johnny was setting up a joke and Ed stepped on the punchline. They had a prop built and everything and Ed ruined it. Johnny was rightfully furious. Ed learned his lesson and never made that mistake again.
@@johnking5174 You're partly full of crap. The Tonight Show wouldn't have come to a permanent halt if Ed had left (regardless of the reason). Stop being a Drama King.
@@highplainsdrafter595 Just watch a Tonight Show when Ed is away on vacation and Doc took over as announcer. Tell me there is not a dramatic difference in tone. Yes, Doc could prove to be very funny, like his famous Thanksgiving talk with Carson at the desk, but watch him do the Carnac routine with Johnny, and Doc's delivery is as flat as a pancake. Ed was so much part of the show, that viewers took him for granted. His laugh, his witty comebacks, his put down of Johnny, all led to create a great atmosphere on the show. With Ed sacked, Johnny's show would have a very different tone, and viewers would leave. Both men knew how much they needed each other on that show.
@@johnking5174 I saw an interview with Ed's daughter where she even said that there here was a time that Ed's job was in jeopardy. This was also probably about the time that Johnny was hanging out with John Delorean and Harry Bushkin in his private life. At that point the relationship might have been strained. However, Johnny knew why the show was such a success, It was about this time that he also decided to stay with NBC versus a better offer at ABC. As in the end he knew the audience would not have seen the show the same way had he gotten rid of Ed. Ed was also irreplaceable, as he was part of the formula of the show. and was a superior showman in his own right and not just a number two. It's hard to see how anybody out there at that time who could have performed a similar fashion. You would have either had somebody who was trying to assert himself or somebody that was too submissive. Doc would have been the closest thing, But doc was not Ed.
Fun Fact: Johnny and Ed hung out together for years in the 60's and 70's. By the 80's Johnny found other friends and Ed felt left out. To fill in the gap Ed started working on Star Search.
When Ed starting doing Star Search it became a running gag with Johnny. Once while he was doing Carnac he asked for complete silence and Ed said “often times, Carnac gets that” to which Johnny said “Star Search must be doing well...”
You are correct SIR
This is why Johnny was King. He had the quickest wit on television. Absolutely hilarious.
Thank you Ed and Johnny, for leaving us these gems
This is yet another example of how Johnny allowed himself to be upstaged and it WORKED. That was a big part of his success - Ed, Doc, Tommy and even the stage manager-producer were all encouraged to 'keep the show rolling'.
THIS is how you do it - not by scripting every line or exchange, but working off one another. Johnny said it once, he considered himself a "professional comedian" and you don't make people laugh only by YOU telling the jokes and being directly funny, you master the craft by assembling a team, a show, a cast of characters.
No wonder the show lasted thirty years, and commanded the time slot against all challengers.
Ed was funny in that brilliant understated way great "straight men" are.
Brilliant. Carson was the absolute master.
Absolutely agree.
Give Ed a little credit. He knew how to tee it up.
@@toreckman8899 That's for sure. Ed served them up right over the plate and Johnny hit them out of the park.
So when they first started doing this kind of back and forth Johnny Carson called Ed into his dressing room one time and was very nervous as he talked to Ed.He said that thing that we did today are back and forth I want you to keep doing that. It works.
I can't say exactly how many times I've viewed this clip; all I can say is that I laugh out loud every time.
I also watch this clip often..: miss these guys
Carson was the master!
These mini clips are hilarious and great. I see why Dave Letterman looked up to him so much. He was spontaneously sharp and on-the-spot hilarious. I also like how Ed doesn't give a rat's ass.
Ed cared all right. He brilliantly plays the game with Johnny.
he was at that point just as important and didn’t need Johnny but stayed for the money and light work
Face it, if you're telling the joke, or the butt of a joke, but people are laughing at the joke & you're getting paid, it doesn't matter. It's a living-a very good living that most only dream about.
0:17 - I love this retort!
Remember with all the pretend threats to fire Ed from Johnny, he never ever did, or even thought of firing him. All of those "you must have all the money you need" comments were just playful pokes by Johnny to Ed.
Apparently Ed didn't have all the money he needed. He died broke...
For a man who appeared in so many commercials, and his Tonight Show work and other appearances, it always surprised me that he was financially broke. I suppose the divorces never helped, he must have been hit badly with alimony from his previous two wives?
@@johnking5174 not true. Those stories are erroneous. He had a net worth of $2 million when he died.
These are great.....when ever Ed, Fred, Tommy or Doc can get a one up on Johnny. Pure magic and Johnny handles it absolutely perfect. Thank God for RUclips and your channel.
Hysterical!!!
Imagine being that rich that semantic arguments cannot happen.🤣👌
Ed, just picking up his mail, making a few phone calls.
sometimes the diva in Johnny comes out…he wasn’t a nice guy despite his appearances
@markjohnson7488 i wasn’t talking about Ed, I was talking about everybody else. he was a diva who hated being upstaged by anybody especially ones with better talent than him and who wouldn’t bow before him
Ed always ribbed Johnny & he always threatened to fire him. Most sensible people knew it would never happen & it never did, it all made them that much funnier & enjoyable to watch.
He jokingly threatened to fire him and Doc too .
In the Kevin Costner movie, Malibu Beach. He played someone who appeared to be a side-kick to a business associate in the horse riding business. But he was actually in charge. I feel the same way with Ed.
very very funny
Do you have the rest of this episode? More of their banter from this one is crazy funny. They talk about a tree falling in the woods
Everybody was playing checkers while JC was playing 2 level chess.
Very sad that Ed died broke.
Two very expensive divorces and child maintenance crippled Ed financially. By 1992 when his time with Johnny on the Tonight Show ended, he was married for a third time, had two divorce settlements to pay every year, along with 5 children to support financially. Just ruined him.
Ed drank...and he was drunk on the show many times.
Actually you couldn't be more wrong. Ed was only ever drunk once on the show, the famous night when after a liquid lunch at a special event, he had one too many martinis and appeared drunk which Carson knew straight away and loved it, he milked it for all it was worth. However in their 30 years together on air, Ed was never drunk at any other time. According to Ed's daughter, her father was not a cruel or nasty drunk, unlike Carson, who became horrible after a couple glasses of wine.
@@johnking5174
Ok 👌
@markjohnson7488 Even Johnny said Ed was drunk that famous night which we all have seen. He had one too many drinks at a charity event
What muleskinner needs a sidekick?
Johnny could never have let Ed go and Ed knew it which gave him certain license that moved the line a little... still not a line he'd ever step across. Just made the show that much more fun and entertaining.
I actually read somewhere that at some point Ed was taking it too far and Carson wanted him fired, but not sure
It was never Johnny who would consider firing Ed - it was the NBC management and senior producers who felt at times Ed overstepped the mark. Johnny and Ed got on fine, and Johnny knew how important Ed was. Also, Johnny was not stupid - he knew if Ed was fired, then his Tonight Show would be finished. Ed gone, there would be a gaping hole left which could never be filled. Just look at the times Ed was off, and Doc filled in as announcer, and Doc would do Carnac with Johnny, it was as flat as a pancake and viewers hated it. Johnny was not dumb. So he would always pretend to threaten Ed with the sack, but they were empty threats, and NBC management knew it.
When they started out, Johnny was setting up a joke and Ed stepped on the punchline. They had a prop built and everything and Ed ruined it. Johnny was rightfully furious. Ed learned his lesson and never made that mistake again.
@@johnking5174 You're partly full of crap. The Tonight Show wouldn't have come to a permanent halt if Ed had left (regardless of the reason). Stop being a Drama King.
@@highplainsdrafter595 Just watch a Tonight Show when Ed is away on vacation and Doc took over as announcer. Tell me there is not a dramatic difference in tone. Yes, Doc could prove to be very funny, like his famous Thanksgiving talk with Carson at the desk, but watch him do the Carnac routine with Johnny, and Doc's delivery is as flat as a pancake. Ed was so much part of the show, that viewers took him for granted. His laugh, his witty comebacks, his put down of Johnny, all led to create a great atmosphere on the show. With Ed sacked, Johnny's show would have a very different tone, and viewers would leave. Both men knew how much they needed each other on that show.
@@johnking5174 I saw an interview with Ed's daughter where she even said that there here was a time that Ed's job was in jeopardy. This was also probably about the time that Johnny was hanging out with John Delorean and Harry Bushkin in his private life. At that point the relationship might have been strained.
However, Johnny knew why the show was such a success, It was about this time that he also decided to stay with NBC versus a better offer at ABC. As in the end he knew the audience would not have seen the show the same way had he gotten rid of Ed.
Ed was also irreplaceable, as he was part of the formula of the show. and was a superior showman in his own right and not just a number two. It's hard to see how anybody out there at that time who could have performed a similar fashion. You would have either had somebody who was trying to assert himself or somebody that was too submissive. Doc would have been the closest thing, But doc was not Ed.
Best setup man in history
Such a great team
🎤 drop
Lmao
Johnny always held his authority over Ed. It's like Stern and Baba Booey. I miss Johnny.
Johnny being thin-skinned.
THIN SKINNED JOHNNY
Fun Fact: Johnny and Ed hung out together for years in the 60's and 70's. By the 80's Johnny found other friends and Ed felt left out. To fill in the gap Ed started working on Star Search.
You’re right about their friendship but the Stsr Search thing was only about money not friendship .