Kevin's Watch

I just heard of the passing of Jack Parr. What a great late night host. He preceded Johnny Carson (who preceded Jay Leno, for you kids out there). I will miss him, as I have missed his show for a long time now. Johnny was a lot like Jack, and I likes him the best, but I hardly ever watch Jay. Anyway, Jack Benny was another great host, but I don't remember if he was a late night guy or not. I just talked to my dad; Benny was not late night. But he was damn funny....I totally forgot about Steve Allen, though.

JC gets my vote.

I think I saw president Nixon play piano on the Jack Parr show. It may have been an early Carson one, though. Hell of a pianist, BTW.

I never even knew Chevy Chase had a talkshow-Paar was def the most innovative and outspoken: 1st US celeb or newsman to interview Fidel Castro. You're missing my two favs, funniest: Steve Allen (followed closely by the NBC Letterman), most intellectually stimulating: Dick Cavett (followed closely by Charlie Rose on PBS). Most intellectually sitmulating and dorkiest at the same time: Tom Synder

I don't like Lettermen. His humour just doesn't click me with.

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Of all those I've only seen Conan, Letterman and Jay. But Jay is my favorite, especially Jay Walking and Headlines

Carson and Letterman are the best I've seen. I never really cared for Leno

Parr was before my time. My mother liked Steve Allen as Tonight Show host better than Parr, but she also likes Leno better than Letterman so I don't know where I stand on that.

I agree with Danlo that Tom Snyder could be very good intellectually, but he could also be insufferable.

I like Leno. I remember him when he was a guest on Letterman, and Michael Nesmith's "Television Parts" waaaay back in the early '80's. But, Johnny was so awesome that there was no way the show was ever going to be the same. As for Letterman, I loved him best in the '80's. I still enjoy his show, but I think he was best when his style wasn't so established.

FWIW, Steve Allen's format for the Tonite show was very different, they retained a variety, type format with guests and some talk. And since at that time they had the inhouse talent, Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, Tom Paxton, Bill Nye(?), Bill Dana. When Jack Paar started up the present formating of opening monlogue with mostly talk afterward, started up. But since Paar's backgroud was entertainment journalism and he did sing or play a musical instrument, well that was they went to.

FYI, trivia.

I recently watched "The Johnny Carson Collection" on DVD - it's absolutely great, some of the best stuff spanning his run as host of "Tonight Show." Alot of scenes with people who've been gone for a while now. It also includes the next-to-last and final episodes in their entirety.

Does anyone remember the Old Letterman shows where he made all the funny phone calls to people and when he sent old Larry "Bud" Melman out to give free toast on a stick! and hot towels! and how about the night he called and ordered 500 pounds of HAIR! He was a scream. I loved it when he would tell people he was Johnny Carson's son.
I loved Johnny.
And when he would yell out the window at people.
Of course the guy on the street with the ear piece saying whatever Dave told him to say to people.

Steve Allen.....that was a funny guy. It was like sitting around with friends acting crazy.
Did anyone ever see the Unofficial Miss Las Vegas Showgirl Pageant which Steve hosted? The funniest thing I think I ever saw in my whole life.
Laughter really is the best medicine.

Yes Cate, that's what I meant by the "NBC Letterman" truly a subculture in itself. The show had serious "cult" status: irreverent, inventive and crazy--Conan can never replace that-Letterman soldout and lost half of his charm with CBS: but he did get the money! (I know it's a New York area thing but Letterman stole (or borrowed/assimilated) alot of Don Imus' devices when Imus was soley on radio back in the '70s-early 80s. Although very tame by today standards Imus was the "shock jock" of that time.)