TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON, THE {GEORGE CARLIN, RICHARD PRYOR} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night talk/variety programs hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson's guests for this program are comedians George Carlin and Richard Pryor. In his opening monologue, Carson touches on the following topics, among others: Doc Severinsen's latest eccentric jacket; the "weirdos" to be found on the streets of Hollywood; his experience with an oddball car mechanic; the "jellybean feud" stirring between America's dentists and the candy-loving President Reagan; recent cuts to Medicare; the disqualification of Miss New York; and "The Dukes of Hazzard" star Catherine Bach's unusual insurance policy.
Carson and McMahon read a telegram from a self-proclaimed expert correcting their statements from a previous episode about the full moon causing "lunacy" in people, though McMahon doubts the writer's knowledge. Carson then reads out a list of little-known English words, to which he and McMahon add their own creative inventions.
Next, Carlin performs a stand-up routine in which his comments on the following topics: the challenge of "cleaning the Raisin Bran" of its signature fruit; the strange pressure of being told to "have a nice day"; his dislike of vague descriptors like "good" and "fine"; and the perils of having too much "stuff" in one's home, when visiting others' homes and while on vacation. He then sits down with Carson and discusses: his exploration of inane truths as comedy; the difficulty of changing one's everyday valediction; and his interest in "important" causes such as "autopsies for the living" and protection for "battered casual acquaintances."
Pryor then takes the stage and comments on the following: his ongoing recovery from his 1980 burning incident and its psychological effect on him; working alongside Carlin in their early comedy days; his successful use of Dick Gregory and Bill Cosby's material in his first stand-up sets; his ten-day jail sentence for income tax evasion; his "tough" father's disapproval of his childhood antics, including thievery; his new film "Bustin' Loose" (1981), from which a clip is shown; and his interest in the superhero film "Superman II" (1980). Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: May 20, 1981 11:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:51:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:45127
- GENRE: Talk/Interview
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - Comedy; Talk/Interview; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1962-1992
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Alpo dog food
- TV - Commercials - Bell telephone services
- TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Dristan cold medication
- TV - Commercials - JCPenney stores
- TV - Commercials - Oil of Olay skin cream
- TV - Commercials - Ortho Kleenup weed and grass killer
- TV - Commercials - Tru-Test house paints
- TV - Commercials - Vanish toilet bowl cleaner
- TV - Commercials - You underwear
- TV - Promos - "Coast to Coast"
- TV - Promos - "Let's Do It Again" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Four Seasons" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" motion picture
CREDITS
- Fred de Cordova … Producer
- Peter Lassally … Co-Producer
- Dick Manley … Commercial Producer
- Bobby Quinn … Director
- Raymond Siller … Writer
- Michael Barrie … Writer
- James Mulholland … Writer
- Robert Smith … Writer
- Kevin Mulholland … Writer
- Tom Finnigan … Writer
- Hal Goodman … Writer
- Larry Klein … Writer
- The NBC Orchestra … Music by
- Doc Severinsen … Conductor
- Johnny Carson … Host
- Ed McMahon … Co-Host
- George Carlin … Guest, Performer
- Richard Pryor … Guest
- Catherine Bach
- Bill Cosby
- Dick Gregory
- Ronald Reagan