Ed McMahon RIP

[SRJ823]

I was fortunate enough in 1991 to go to two nights of taping of the tonight show.  I will never forget it.  Johnny and Ed were there both nights.  It was right after Johnny announced he was retiring.   I remember how small the actual studio was and how big it always looked on T.V.   Ed deserves mention here.  RIP Ed.

Scott J.

[Monster Bob]

My wife and I went to Hollywood for our honeymoon in 1986 (our "Haunted Horrorwood Honeymoon" as FJA coined it), and one of the things we decided we had to do was go see The Tonight Show live. We were lucky, because if you recall Johnny often had a guest host, having time off in his contract. The afternoon/evening we went (it taped at 5PM) was absolutely fabulously timed. Johnny, Ed, Doc, Tommy, Snooky Young, Ed Shaughnessy...the whole gang was there. The guests were flameco guitarist Carlos Montoya and Liza Minnelli, who was pretty incredible. We sat in like the sixth row center  by the aisle (any closer and you couldn't see). Carson's monolouge was so layed back and funny- like he was talking to you in his living room-the dude glowed.

One thing that surprised me is that on TV, the incredible Tonight Show band gave the illusion that they played during commercial breaks- but they didn't. Thirty seconds in and stop, then all the house lights were shut down to cool off. A 3 minute break, the lights explode back on, and the band brought it back in.

Absolutely a surreal experience.

[fmofmpls]

Great story Bob. Wish I had been able to experience the Tonight Show in my past visits to L.A.  I always saw 4E but never Johnny and the gang.