Carson's passin'

Where? Did I miss summat?

He's brown bread Haystack.

Oh dear! That's Cronkite! Sullivan! And now Carson! Perhaps we can export Billy Connolly, he's about the right calibre for US TV.

I didn't think anyone would know Johnny Carson outside the US.

Really James? He's well-known in Britain, at least to the well-informed.

Was he the roly poly detective?

I thought you meant frank carson.

Whoever he is.

Johnny Carson, for the Brits that are uninformed, was an American television Icon, a talk show staple of late-night television for over 30 years. He died this past weekend. Virtually every American comedian that ever became famous did so by first appearing on his show. He retired from television in 1992. It is impossible to calculate the number of children that may have been conceived with him watchiing from the bedroom television. Jack Nicholson used his famous opening tag line in the Stephen King film The Shining. "Herrrrrrrrre's Johnny!" One of the few celebrities beyond reproach.

And now also beyond approach.