Impressing Johnny
During the time that Carson was hosting Late Night, many comedians would appear on the show, helping launch the careers of many now-famous comedians. It was considered the highest honor to perform on the show and succeeding in getting Carson to laugh.
They Can Thank Johnny
Some of the comedians who appeared on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson and later became very well-known include David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Arsenio Hall, Joan Rivers, Ellen Degeneres, Roseanne Barr, Drew Carey, Tim Allen, Jeff Foxworthy, Howie Mandel, and David Brenner.