Non Sequitur by Wiley Miller for July 10, 2012

Ah yupe, I’m old. To me Johnny Carson is funny. And don’t get me started on Jack Parr.

Today’s strip was brought to you by David Letterman and Conan O’Brian.

Re: Flo’s first comment. I remember when a tattoo meant you were either in the service on in a motorcycle gang and a tattooed lady was in the circus sideshow.

I can remember when The Tonight Show was entertaining…

Jack Benny was still with us then…

You want to see early-Letterman-syle funny? Go watch Graham Norton. He has a lot of Letterman’s early style, but without the New York cynicism.

When I was very young, I liked Steve Allen better than Parr and haven’t changed my mind, but no one ever said, “I remember when Johny Carson was funny.” Now, “Say good-night Gracie.”

I remember when I ……oh, that was yesterday.

LOL! Love today’s strip! So true!! I stopped being a fan of his long ago. I only watch his program if he has guests on I want to see. (And I wait until he HAS the guests on, at the hour—-I don’t watch his lame monologue)I’m a bigger fan of The Late Late Show w/ Craig Ferguson. He delivers the funny way better!!!

J. Fred Muggs?

The funniest man on TV today, is probably Jon Stewart. He often pays homage to Johnny Carson, by including a lot of imitative bits in his monologue.

“I had never paid any attention to Comedy so much, I seem to never find the time nor can I afford to do so really….” .To judge from your avatar and your comments, I’d say you can’t afford not to.

I don’t think Letterman was ever funny. Leno sometimes. That guy who used to be on SNL, nah. Now Craig Ferguson has had his shining moments, but usually I can’t stay up that late.

“and kind of vicious” … yes we are!!

Johnny Carson was funny. Craig ferguson, Leno & O’Brian, not at all funny. Letterman is the only one today I can bear to watch.

Sasha Baron Cohen?

Two sleeves of conformity.

Don’t forget Steve Allen!

About 1997 I checked out Leno and he did a Monica Lewensky joke. I figured if he was just going to phone it in, why bother? I haven’t really watched him since.

Sorry, folks. I have a correction for my previous comment. I last saw him in 2007 when he did the Lewensky joke. That’s why I gave up on him.

See,what a bunch of wimps we are. Wiley is trying to get us(old farts and viejos) all stirred up and we can’t even open our vitamin drink this morning. I for one have not liked late night TV since Carson let Don Rickles sub for him. I was turned off the minute Rickles gtabbed Ben Vereen by the ass. Too much info. Now, get ranting and raving. ’Nuff said!!!!!

Poor Johnny Carson…..no past for the ancient.

People forget Dick Cavett. Witty, urbane, and intelligent late night fare. Certainly closer to the Jack Parr style of late-night but a better listener and more variety of guests.In the interest of full disclosure, I worked on Dick Cavett for a short time in very early ’70’s. He was gracious but not easy to work for.

yup. kids. my 30-year old grandson just has this blank look on his face during that scene in the Shining that got hilarious cheering and laughter when it was released: “Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!”

Two words. Nairobi trio

I seldom watch ANY late night shows….rather read a good book or do a crossword before bed. Humor is a vastly over-rated Hollywood commodity.

I only watch Leno on Monday to see ‘Headlines’

Leno used to stand for something to Harley riders. There was a time when he made news by tearing down his bike in a motel room. He’s lost the respect of the people who made him what he was. Now; he just has a lot of stuff and money, and I’m sure he couldn’t care less.

Getting old does cause a weird sense of humor…funniest people I know are all older than me.

Brings back a memory from about 1987. Was at the Hermosa Comedy and Magic Club. A relatively new comedian named Dennis Miller did a 45-minute gig, had the audience roaring non-stop. Then Jay Leno came on and totally bombed — people were walking out.

And, in my opinion, Leno hasn’t gotten much better over the years (Miller was great until he went 150% political on everyone).

Another oldie: Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca

Once upon a time there were three brothers …

Red Skelton show was always funny,and didn’t need vulgarity to be entertaining.

The producers of “60 Minutes” need to get on the ball and hire Craig Ferguson to do a closing bit in replacement of Andy Rooney. The man is brilliant. And he already works for CBS.

I love Leno’s witty ad libs with guests!

Without laughter…and the experience of passing it on…we lose something…or maybe there’s something we never gain…? and it’s really telling to notice what we laugh at…there are people who laugh mainly sneeringly at poorer and weaker and give the rich and powerful a pass…and wouldn’t “corporations are people, too”, count as a statement of the original sin against the holy spirit?

Leno is the rare Mustela mento (long-chin weasel). For comedy, Conan O’Brien and Craig Ferguson are the best. Dave Letterman is still good, but he’s mellowed (which is mostly good… he used to be vicious). For political satire and news blurbs, you can’t beat Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert.

I can remember when things were built to last. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it is broke, it wasn’t made right the first time.”

Leno was good, and he could be counted on to hammer both sides equally.

One person I’d really like to see as a late night show host would be Robin Williams – but the FCC would have a BBM the first time they tried a real live show……LOL

I still think Jay’s funny. Dave, OTOH, has been phoning it in for more than a decade now. And Conan is a brick. Actually, the funniest guy in late night right now is Craig. Can’t wait for him to come back from vacation.

Humour has to be spontaneous, otherwise it’s just too obviously overthought. The UK has its has-beens, most of whom are modern. I don’t know anyone who finds Ricky Gervaise funny. Yet loads of N. Americans laugh their heads off..I’m not familiar with the humour of any of the people mentioned in previous comments, but I’m sure they can blame their “writers”..The funniest person I know, (not famous) never smiles but comes up with incredible retorts to even the most common remarks.

I can remember when Arnold Stang was funny.

Look, pal…lotsa times you say interesting things, but most of the time, you are just pedantic and self-aggrandizing. Please knock it off, Mr. Know-It-All. Go teach a class and leave us goofballs alone.

I am fairly young, but I find older comedy 100x funnier than today’s stuff. Sitcoms from the 50s through the 80s were the best.

My favorite comedians are the classics, like Ernie Kovacs, Red Skelton, Laurel and Hardy.

++++

The worst among the famous are those famous for being famous—certain celebs come to mind, like Paris H. and Brittany S.

The best of the traditional late night hosts is Craig Ferguson. He does more with less and kills it every night. All late night follows the the same formula Johnny Carson created with the exception of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, who have the best shows on late night.

And Jay Leno is the absolute worst. Period! Anyone who finds him funny has no sense of humor.

Now that was just (Johnny) Rotten.