Johnny Carson. What can you say? The man was funny, and he was funny for a long time. I have always felt the late night talk show field wasn't the same after he left. To know more about his life and times, the BBC has an obituary.

It feels a little surreal to me, knowing that he had such an impact on comedy and on millions of viewers over several decades, when I never really saw much of him. I wasn't much for late-night TV while growing up and he retired soon after I entered college. So I missed out. Basically, someone important to a lot of people has passed, and I feel removed from it, because I have no real experience of him.

Yeah - it took me a little while to get used to him - I remember when I was about ten staying up late and thinking 'what is up with this guy? booooring!' But then some time later I tried again, and loved the show. He was a product of a different era, tho. Although, that said, he really did put most of the elements of the 'late night comedy show' in place. Not to mention giving us the publisher's clearing house guy!