Search - Johnny Carson :: Johnny Carson on Comedy

Revealing and interesting!

christopher weidelman | trondheim, norway | 12/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an almost perfect cd in regards to understand the basic structures of what it takes to become a huge success in comedy, and to understand some of the crucial comedy-knowledge. Larry Wilde`s questions are direct and quite deep, and sometimes challenging for Johnny to answere. One thing that this cd will certainly not teach you, is how to be funny, because according to Johnny, that`s not possible. But you will get a very good understanding of which key-factors are fundamental to be accepted by the audience, and how much the personality of a comedian can influence the comedic-preferance/taste of the public. And when you listen to this cd, you easily understand why Johnny Carson was considered, and still is, the most popular and well liked talk-show host in the history of American television. The major asset of the cd is the vast knowledge and information about comedy Johnny is sharing, and luckily he is not trying to be funny or to adlib quick comments to lighten up. He is dead serious and straightforward, and stands out as a person who really knows what he is talking about. But still, there are some less good things about this cd. The sound quality is very poor, and you might get the impression that the interview was done in the cockpit of an airplane, even if it`s supposed to be in an office. The second bad thing, is that the cd was recorded in 1968, and therefore most of the comedians mentioned and refered to, are outdated and no longer around ,like Jack Benny, Rod Skelton, Steve Allen and George Burns, so it might be difficult for younger people to relate to these names. In addition, the society has changed a whole lot since then, and along with that, the view on humour and comedy. Anyway, this is a revealing and excellent cd for both those interested in the bacic comedy knowledge, and the fans of Johnny Carson. In my opinion, this cd should have been obligatory for every aspiring comedian to listen to, because there is no better advisor in comedy than Johnny Carson!"